In a request for information (RFI) released April 5, the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) wants to hear from potential vendors that can offer “best practices for developing surveys, developing survey questions, deploying surveys, and for using the survey data.” The board uses surveys internally and externally to get feedback from customers and employees on “their experiences with, and expectations for, FTB products and services,” according to the RFI. Better customer insight on needs, expectations and understanding can help the board plot the best path on “awareness, improvement, and increased use of customer-facing tools such as online self-services,” Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and internal employee engagement. Among the takeaways:
- FTB uses SurveyMonkey to do surveys for its external web apps including QLess Appointment Center, WebPay, Refunds and Live Chat, and for a customer experience survey on its audit processes, according to the RFI. The board also offers surveys in its IVR system via Genesys software. FTB also uses SurveyMonkey and Microsoft Forms for internal surveys that compile staff feedback on their experiences with FTB. These surveys help FTB isolate “potential training needs, or organizational development goals.” The board is “exploring the possibility of working with a vendor” that can offer a standard “bank” of survey questions capable of being used in a variety of customer and employee engagements as well as “deliver templates for generating executive reports, deliver training for developing surveys, and provide guidance on best practices for analyzing survey data.”
- Business and technical requirements include establishing a standard question bank for external customers using web apps, IVR and other services; a question bank for internal customers that can be used across the enterprise on FTB products and services; questions for employee engagement and experience; and best practices for an “enterprise survey management program.” There’s also creating a template for providing reports and executive summaries; doing a “Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed (RACI) Chart” for surveys internal and external; and providing training on creating surveys and analyzing and interpreting their feedback. Respondents should also detail how they might offer recommendations on increasing customer responses and provide “pros and cons for using SurveyMonkey, Microsoft Forms or other platforms.”
- FTB cautions that it will not reimburse respondents for costs incurred responding to the RFI and that it has “no obligation to buy or issue” a solicitation as a result of the RFI. Information submitted as a response to this RFI won’t be considered when evaluating bidders on future procurements, the board notes. FTB may invite respondents to the RFI to make a presentation or to “engage in a confidential conversation concerning their response,” it said in the RFI. If the RFI should result in a future procurement, respondents will have to meet state terms and conditions. Responses to questions on the RFI will come April 26; responses by vendors to the RFI are due by 4 p.m. May 3.
