Have you, your company, or your organization ever been part of or offered the opportunity to participate in a “full-blown” case study?  If so was it a good experience…or were you totally concerned about what an in-depth case study would show? Did you try to control what information was studied in an attempt to control the outcome?  Or did you just decline the opportunity and conclude: “What I don’t know won’t hurt me!”

Well, I believe that as our economy, workforce, customer-base and technologies fluctuate and change (faster every day), the value of at least conducting your own Self-Evaluation/Case Study is a prime time responsibility.  The level of “formality” that you employ is totally at your discretion…but in an effort to motivate everyone, here is a TOP 10 list of real-time Case Study areas.

1. Are the same number and type of customers coming through your doors for service?
2. If there are differences in the customer-base…what have you done to respond to these differences?
3. Do you use available technologies to maximize your effectiveness and efficiencies?
4. Would customers exiting your business/organization be able to identify/describe/show the product value(s) of your service?
5. Are “seasoned” employees up to date on product/service/procedure issues?
6. Are new employees fully oriented to feel “complete & competent” in their positions?
7. Would data reflect that your current marketing techniques are effective?
8. Would customers describe you/your business/your organization as indispensable to your service areas?
9. How would you/your employees rank your/their satisfaction with “how things are going”?
10. If an economic development professional was assigned to you/your company/your organization as a result of the outcomes of a Self-Evaluation/Case Study…what would they recommend as improvements?

The questions are tough…so is professional discomfort.  But cool progress is priceless.