Customer Service Evaluation (CSE)
From AFSWiki
Process
- At the end of each cycle (winter and summer), Returnees, Natural Families and Host Families completing their program in that cycle, receive via email or hard copy, instructions on how to complete their personalized "customer service evaluation" online. (Schools are surveyed only in the NH cycle.)
- In their letter/email of instruction all four groups are given the option to request a hard copy of the evaluation.
- Customers are asked to direct any questions about the CSE process (technical or otherwise) to CSEmanager@afs.org.
- RMCQA staff receive auto-notifications regarding any responses that may require additional follow up and these concerns are shared with appropriate staff in other departments.
- RMCQA staff share leads found in the responses with the appropriate staff throughout the evaluation cycle.
- Responses received via hard copy are manually entered into the online database, so that all feedback is housed in one place.
- At the end of the evaluation cycle, National Staff will update Global Link using the contact information changes gleaned from the CSE database.
- Summary reports of combined SH and NH data are created and shared with staff, volunteers and the AFS-USA Board by the Spring of the following cycle.
Timeline
The NH CSE process includes the following programs: Year Program Summer Departure, Semester Program Winter Departure and all short programs. Instructions on how to access the on-line survey are sent to each customer group according to the following schedule:
mid - May: Host Schools
mid - July: Host Families
late July: Participants Wave 1*
mid - Aug: Natural Families Wave 1*
late Aug: Participants Wave 2*
late Aug: possible reminder mailing to Host Schools depending on return rate from May
early Sept: Natural Families Wave 2*
mid - Oct: majority of all completed evaluations returned
Those surveyed in the SH CSE cycle are Semester Program Summer Departure and Year Program Winter Departure groups. Evaluations are distributed to Returnees*, Natural Families* and Host Families beginning in mid-February. Surveys are kept open for approximately one month. A reminder notice is sent to those who have not responded 1 to 2 weeks before the survey is closed.
* Natural Families and Returnees have two dates as the returns happen in two corresponding waves.
We also send the evaluations to the Natural Families and Participants at slightly different times to encourage them to
fill out their respective surveys. Hosted participants are asked to complete an evaluation of their experience during
their Pre-Return orientation. The information gleaned from this survey is used at the local level to improve the quality
of the program locally. It is not part of the national/international CSE process.
Evaluation Forms
AFS International, with input from partners, determines the content of all of the customer service evaluations, however each partner may insert additional questions. This ensures that we can evaluate programs using the same criteria world-wide and from year to year.
