As a member-based organization or association, member satisfaction is one of the most important indicators of your continued success. While many types of businesses acknowledge the importance of customer satisfaction scores (CSAT), this guide focuses on more specific member satisfaction scores. Thankfully, you can apply similar principles utilized in CSAT metrics to make the right decisions for your organization. Read on to learn more about the member satisfaction score, what it is and how to measure it to then improve your results:
What is a Member Satisfaction Score?
In its simplest form, a member satisfaction score is a measurement of the satisfaction level of your members. This score can be adapted through similar principles used as part of obtaining and quantifying CSAT metrics. In other words, ideally, you can use CSAT standards and measuring options as your overall framework, but not the core focus on your studies. Customer satisfaction score considers the contentment a buyer has with a business’s services or products.
This is similar to member satisfaction, but not exactly the same measurement as member satisfaction. This more specific measurement considers factors that impact members of member-based organizations instead of the opinion on a product or service from a traditional business. Keep in mind, just as wanting a high CSAT score should be a goal of any customer-focused business, having a good member satisfaction score should be your goal as a member-based organization, as this means your members are better engaged, more likely to renew and your organization will tend to enjoy more long-term growth.
Why Member Satisfaction Scores Matter
Member satisfaction scores positively enhance the following elements that are key towards maintaining success as a member-based organization:
- Member renewals and retention rates.
- Member engagement and participation.
- Event attendance.
- Volunteer involvement.
- Non-dues revenue opportunities.
Since member satisfaction scores are immensely important and directly correlate with your success as a member-based organization, it’s vital to track this metric consistently and accurately. This is key information, giving you valuable guidance that will allow you to make needed changes or continue to invest in successful strategies. It helps guide your organization towards success and continued membership growth.
How to Measure Member Satisfaction
Now that we have considered the importance of a good member satisfaction score, it’s helpful to consider how to measure this metric in the first place. Again, as mentioned above, you can alter standard CSAT stats or metrics. However, having an accurate member satisfaction score can be successfully obtained by the following:
Post-Event Surveys
After events, like training, webinars and conferences that are attended by members, offer a post-event survey. Ask key questions about the experience of members throughout these events.
Membership Renewal Surveys
Another great way to measure member satisfaction is during the membership renewal process. Make an effort during this time to get feedback as part of the renewal procedure. This marks a clear time to gain feedback and many members are more than willing to offer their opinions or offer suggestions at this time.
NPS Adaptations Net Promoter Score
Adapt Net Promoter Score (NPS) style questions to your member-based organization. Generally, NPS questions are single questions that measure the loyalty and willingness of customers to recommend a service or product to others on a scale. In terms of member-based satisfaction questions, they can be adapted to properly reflect how likely a member is to recommend the organization or membership service provided to others. An example of this type of question could include:
How likely are you to recommend membership in our organization to others?
This would then be answered by members responding on a scale from 0 to 10, or 0 to 5, with 0 very unlikely and the highest numbers being more likely to occur. Obviously, the higher scores you get here, the more loyal this indicates your members are to your organization.
Regular Poll Surveys
While having surveys or polls at specific times, like yearly or bi-yearly renewal is wise, you can also poll your members at various points throughout the year. Just keep the surveys short and sweet and consider offering benefits for feedback. This can give you a better idea of how your members are feeling throughout their entire membership, not just at specific times in the calendar year, like renewal times.
Direct Feedback Channels
In order to make it as easy as possible for your members to give feedback, opt for direct feedback channels. For example, you can have surveys posted on member portals, or on community platforms. You can also have it be part of your customer service interactions when members call in with concerns or questions.
When Should You Measure Member Satisfaction?
As outlined above, there are various points in time applicable to measuring member satisfaction. To get the most return on that information, though, aim for these key times to measure feedback and overall member satisfaction:
- During renewal cycles: This is prime time to get feedback, especially if members don’t want to renew their membership. You need to know why, so you can address their concerns and make the membership more valuable to them.
- After major events: If your organization hosts a major event, such as a conference, this is another key point in time to gauge member satisfaction. For many members, these events can be the pay-off of having their membership in the first place. Now is the time to find out if the payoff is considered worthwhile.
- Post-program or service delivery: Another important time to measure member satisfaction is after a service or program delivery. You want to know if your members feel what they got in return was valuable enough to merit ongoing membership.
- Quarterly or bi-annually for ongoing feedback: If you want general feedback and not the type necessarily tied to just one specific program, service or an event, then having regular quarterly or bi-annual member surveys can be a good idea. This gives you general and ongoing feedback that can be immensely valuable to your group.
- After key support or onboarding interactions: Last but certainly not least, another vital time to check member feedback is immediately after a member has been given support, went through an onboarding or had another type of interaction with your organization. This will highlight areas you might need to address to make these processes better or showcase what you are doing right.
How to Improve Member Satisfaction
Now that we have considered what a member satisfaction score is and looked at when it’s best to measure it, it’s helpful to consider some actionable ways your member-based organization can improve this all-important member satisfaction score. The following are some key ways to improve your overall member satisfaction:
Strengthen Your Onboarding Process
To ensure that members feel valued from their very earliest interaction with your organization, pay special attention to your onboarding process. Make sure your new members feel welcome and understand how to access and utilize all available resources. While simply giving them information is part of it, proper onboarding involves more than information overload. It is a step-by-step, intuitive process that helps your members instantly become experts about your organization.
Personalize Member Experiences
We all want to feel unique and special. This is no less true for the valued members of your group. Therefore, it’s important to pay attention to personalization. This means segmenting content to appeal to specific members based on their engagement history, proven interests and type of membership.
Increase Member Engagement Opportunities
Provide ways for members to engage as much as possible. This includes peer networking, volunteer roles and committees. Open these up for members to enjoy and participate in for them to offer not only their opinions but actual solutions to issues they might have noticed.
Close the Feedback Loop
Feedback is important, but getting feedback merely for the sake of feedback alone doesn’t do anything. Therefore, it’s helpful to show members how their feedback has led to improvement. Communicate with your members when you have made changes based primarily on their survey answers or other poll results. This will show members that the surveys you send out aren’t just busy work. They really do matter. This knowledge will increase the chance they will make surveys a priority going forward.
Simplify Member Support
When members need help, answers to questions or require assistance, make sure this process is as simple as possible. The process of getting help or guidance should not require an advanced degree or deep understanding of how your organization works from the inside out. Make all member support easy-to-access and user-friendly.
Why You Need to Measure Member Satisfaction Scores
Measuring member satisfaction is a key component of continued success as a member-based organization or association. You simply cannot enjoy continued success without a focus on this metric and an understanding of why it matters. Keep in mind that continuous measurement plus consequential action will equal stronger member loyalty and greater membership retention overall.
Member Satisfaction FAQ
What is a good member satisfaction score? Generally, you will want to receive more positive feedback or survey results. This means that the bulk of member answers will sway towards being either satisfied or very satisfied. If you notice many responses that aren’t positive, this is an indicator that you might need to work on some key areas of your membership service.
How do you calculate member satisfaction? You will average the member satisfaction results to get an overall view of how pleased your members are with your membership-based organization or service. Generally, these are tabulated on a percentage scale, taking into account a broader look at your membership instead of considering each one as an individual.
How often should you measure member satisfaction? This depends on your own membership-based organization. Times of membership renewal are great natural opportunities to prompt members for feedback. However, this is far from the only time you can seek feedback from members. Just don’t overwhelm members by asking for feedback constantly as this can cause them to ignore such requests.
Start Listening to Your Members
Want to know about the best way to improve member satisfaction? Start by asking your members what matters most to them. It seems simple enough, and thankfully, with MemberClicks your organization can effortlessly gather feedback, track satisfaction, and keep your members engaged. See how our AMS can help and book a demo to learn more!
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