Want to keep staff and encourage donors to be regulars? Ask them what’s working (and what’s not)!
Basics like comfortable waiting areas/donation beds, adequate privacy, and relaxing wall colors, temperature, lighting and art are just the start of providing a pleasing workplace and place to donate plasma.
Regularly asking your staff and donors for input, and taking their advice, can take your center from average to extraordinary—with superior production and profits.
1. Start with the basics
From the time a donor makes their appointment to the moment they leave, they are taking notes on the experience you provide. The same goes for staff: from clock-in to clock-out, they are evaluating their work experience.
Everything matters:
a. Efficient online scheduling that minimizes wait time
b. Clear and detailed information on your website regarding what to expect, how long donation takes, and potential side effects
c. Clear, professional signage (inside and out) and well-tended landscaping
d. A well-lit parking lot in good repair
e. Meticulous upkeep and cleanliness/hygiene throughout your center
f. Spacious, welcoming waiting areas with comfortable seating, reading materials, water, juice and snacks
g. Sufficient staffing to keep things running smoothly, even during busy times
h. Comprehensive, ongoing staff training and well-maintained equipment that give employees the knowledge and resources to do their jobs well
i. Friendly, helpful staff members who move donors through the process professionally and efficiently, answering questions and addressing concerns along the way
j. Entertainment options like TVs, movies and/or music to help donors pass the time
k. Distractions like stress balls and fidget toys to help donors stay relaxed during donation
l. Hydration options and snacks before and after donation to prevent lightheadedness
m. A comfortable recovery area with reclining chairs
n. Expressions of gratitude for staff/donors contributions, like thank-you notes, small gifts or other tokens of appreciation
o. Regular employee evaluations and a professional development path for each person
p. Community-building events or activities that let staff and donors (separately) connect and share experiences
q. Open and transparent communication about any changes in procedures or safety protocols
But these are just the basics of a well-run plasma operation. Read on to see how to go above and beyond, so employees stay and donors invite their friends.
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2. Asking for feedback
In order to better meet staff and donor needs, you have to know what those needs are. As management not on the floor daily, it is best not to assume.
Surveys
With proper incentives, you can get staff and donors to fill out short surveys (a different one for each audience) about what they like and don’t like at the center (give option of anonymity).
Ask about the experience, environment, facility design, comfort, cleanliness, upkeep, lighting, temperature, etc.
Ask for suggestions of what could make working/donating at the center better.
Tally responses so you can identify trends with future surveys.
Follow-up interviews
Again, with incentives, pick random staff members and donors for short follow-up interviews. Drill down to understand specifically what they would like to see changed.
3. Putting improvements in place
Share the survey and interview results with your staff and donors, along with your process for addressing the concerns presented.
Evaluate the suggestions you get, determine what changes can be made right away and what must wait. Make and communicate a plan, with a schedule so you will be held accountable.
When changes are complete, show them off and celebrate with donors and staff. Thank them for their input and make it clear THAT INPUT led to the improvements.
Communicate that these changes are just the beginning and you are committed to continuously seeking feedback and improving the experience of THEIR center.
Back To Top4. Repeating the process quarterly
You will never satisfy everyone, but you can improve bit by bit. On subsequent surveys/interviews, ask the same questions, along with new ones about changes made over the prior quarter like these:
• “These are the changes we made over the last quarter (spell out).”
• “Have these improvements made the center experience better for you?”
• “If not, why not? What further changes could improve your center experience?”