Enterprise Feedback Management

Enterprise feedback management (EFM) is a system of processes and software that enables organizations to centrally manage deployment of surveys while dispersing authoring and analysis throughout an organization. EFM systems typically provide different roles and permission levels for different types of users, such as novice survey authors, professional survey authors, survey reporters and translators. EFM can help an organization establish a dialogue with employees, partners, and customers regarding key issues and concerns. EFM consists of data collection, analysis and reporting.

Prior to EFM, survey software was typically deployed in departments and lacked user roles, permissions and workflow. EFM enables deployment across the enterprise, providing decision makers with important data for increasing customer satisfaction, loyalty and lifetime value. [ [http://www.b-eye-network.com/view/6855 SPSS Survey Software Unveils a New Version of Dimensions 5.0 ] ] EFM enables companies to look at customers "holistically" and to better respond to customer needs. [ [http://www.gartner.com/resources/154100/154195/how_to_improve_the_customer__154195.pdf How to Improve the Customer Experience ] ]

Gartner projects that 40 percent of total feedback system deployments will be done through EFM solutions by 2008. [ [http://www.sdcexec.com/web/online/Trends/Corporations--Government-Adopt-Enterprise-Feedback-Management/20$6932 SDCExec.com - Article - Corporations, Government Adopt Enterprise Feedback Management ] ]

Background

EFM applications support complex survey design, with features such as question and page rotation, quota management and advanced skip patterns and branching. The software typically offers advanced reporting with statistical analysis and centralized panel management. EFM applications are often integrated with external platforms, most typically with CRM systems but also with HRIS systems and generic web portals.

Unlike low-end survey tools, EFM applications provides a workflow process with user roles and permissions, so that users may be able to author a survey but require another user to approve it before it is published. Such workflow ensures consistent survey quality and enforces respondent privacy and IT security policies. Applications of EFM vary widely from HR, IT, Marketing, Sales and continues to expand on its corporate implementation and scope. Departments within an organization can collaborate on feedback initiatives, sharing results and gaining insights that enable the organization to listen, learn and react to the needs of their key stakeholders.

Market structure

Given below is a list of entrants into the EFM market, sorted by date of entry. This is the day each organization first publicly used "enterprise feedback management" to describe its company in a third-party publication. [ [http://blog.vovici.com/vovici_blog/2008/06/father-of-efm.html Survey research and Enterprise Feedback Management: Father of EFM ] ]

SAP has an "unproven" offering in enterprise feedback management. [ [http://mediaproducts.gartner.com/reprints/microsoft/155677.html Magic Quadrant for CRM Customer Service Contact Centers, 2008 ] ]

Esteban Kolsky, when a research director at Gartner, described the market structure as follows: "The market for these tools is a highly fragmented one, with no single provider. It's going to jumpstart a bunch of acquisitions as larger vendors look to work EFM and surveying into their growth strategy." [ [http://www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=43004 destinationCRM.com: And the Survey Says...Solutions ] ]

The EFM market grew 60% to 70% in 2005 and 2006. [ [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-15926678_ITM Angry and bored? You must be a customer: finding out what customers really think is a crucial first step toward an improved bottom line. New technology may help. | CFO, The Ma... ] ]

ee also

* Customer engagement
* Business intelligence
* Customers
* Customer Intelligence
* Customer relationship management
* Customer satisfaction
* Enterprise relationship management (ERM)

References