For Departments Run Aground, Perception Strategies' DEEP DIVES Help Chart a New Course

INDIANAPOLIS, April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- If happy employees equal happy customers, removing barriers to employee satisfaction must be a service organization's highest priority.  After successfully conducting DEEP DIVES for clients for over two years, Perception Strategies is now offering this unique and comprehensive service to organization's that seek to transform underperforming departments.

"A Deep Dive has at its core one-on-one interviews with every employee in an underperforming department," said Perception Strategies' President Kevin Billingsley.  "But on a more macro level, organizations can experience positive, cultural changes as a result of quickly addressing the issues brought to light by the 'people in the trenches' and holding management accountable for making changes."

"We have seen departments make dramatic 20-30% positive swings in customer satisfaction scores almost immediately," said Billingsley.  As a result, organizations are able to leverage the department's strengths and develop their weaknesses based on individual observations and feedback.

"What impressed me the most," said Linda Hovest, Nursing Manager at St. Rita's Medical Center, "is that Perception Strategies follows up with tools that specifically target the issues whether it is management coaching, process improvement, or training.  They have a passion for making real change occur."

The DEEP DIVE program is specifically designed to:

• Identify and remove barriers to employee satisfaction in order to improve consumer satisfaction
• Direct managers through the process by prioritizing findings and presenting specific recommendations
• Emphasizes People, Place and Process improvement through a 30-60-90-day accountability plan
• Provide solution-based best practices to address issues raised by the DEEP DIVES

Why are Deep Dives so effective?  "In contrast to other employee feedback instruments," said Vice President Brooke Billingsley, "employees do not perceive Deep Dives as another universal 'withdrawal' program of asking them for input and then not acting on it.   It is made clear to all participants that their feedback is anonymous and that the focus is clearly on issues affecting their immediate unit or department.  As a result, they have greater trust in the process because it is about them."

Perception Strategies' Deep Dives take an objective approach by allowing issues to surface during the course of interviews rather than being briefed by management on why a department was selected.  Addressing employee concerns and tackling tough issues also creates win/win scenarios between employees, management and ultimately consumers.  Deep Dives allow managers to level the playing field and start making "deposits" with staff.

"It's easy to initiate just about anything," said Brooke Billingsley, "but the true test of the Deep Dive program is accountability.  We are committed to working with an organization to follow these customer satisfaction issues to a cultural changing end."

SOURCE Perception Strategies, Inc.