Suggestion box
Thesuggestion boxis used for collecting slips ofpaperwith input fromcustomersandpatronsof a particular organization. Suggestion boxes may also exist internally, within an organization, such as means for garneringemployeeopinion.
History[edit]
Daniel W. Voorhees, a U.S Senator fromIndianafirst introduced the suggestion box in 1890.[2]Voorhees referred to this box as "The Petition Box". Just like the suggestion box this provided a space for American's to offer their feedback. The photo on the left depicts the suggestion box used duringWorld War IIin the 1940s. The federal government encouraged factory workers to leave suggestions on how to increase efficiency and productivity. Throughout the years variations of this method included paper feedback forms which can be sent viapostal mail,such as the "We value your input" or "How was the service today?" cards found in somerestaurants;solicitations to provide comments over thetelephone,such as a voluntary survey at the end of a transaction with acall center,or even an invitation on a printed storereceiptto call and complete acustomer satisfactionsurvey (sometimes offered with a product discount); or the placement of feedbackformson an institution'swebsite.
The suggestion box forcustomercomments going beyond an ordinarypoint of servicehas several benefits. Suggestion boxes provide some degree ofanonymityfrom the person orservicethat a customer may be critiquing. Therefore yielding a more frank and open feedback. Anonymous feedback increases the opportunities for obtaining accuratemarket researchdata and improvingcustomer relations.
Soon enough the ideology behind the suggestion box gained momentum and was introduced into corporate settings. Management would use the comments left in the box to assess the workplace culture. Companies since have adopted their own versions of this solicitation model to better fit their needs.
Modern versions[edit]
The physical box, as apost box,was replaced by an electronic form of communication; likepostal service systemswas replaced, in the 2000s, byemail.The traditional function, "obtaining additional comments, questions, and requests",still exist as a demand: collecting information with input from customers and patrons of a particular organization, or means for garnering employee input.
During this age of fast moving technology the physical suggestion box simply cannot keep up. In some contexts the modern suggestion box is a webpage with an anonymous form, for example an online reviews, anonymous digital feedback, employee suggestion programs, and employee review sites such asIndeed.In other contexts, it turned into a completeissue tracking system,which allows the following main features (that was impossible with the old classic suggestion boxes):
- Store the entire history suggestions in adatabase:each suggestion receives a "ticket number", and a detailed suggestion-form is stored;
- Allow the user and the company monitor the status on your routing: each ticket receives a status, that changes with its progress in the audition feedback or the problem-resolution.
Running a suggestion program virtually can be beneficiary regarding greater transparency, clear and direct communication, and a more effective feedback loop.
Employee crowdsourcing[edit]
Gathering employee opinions with a suggestion box can also be fruitful, especially ingroupthink-prone environments and within acorporate culturethat adheres to a "shoot the messenger"mentality. However, as with the use of anonymous suggestion forms from the public, allowing unsigned comments may sacrificeaccountabilityand make the feedback system prone to abuse. Employers can also gather employee opinion by posing questions and gathering everyone's opinion anonymously through crowdsourcing. Using the employee's knowledge, crowdsourcing techniques have been known to promote "New Innovations".[3]
Recording received suggestions in adatabasecan help track any trends. While some systems keep suggestions private, some systems make suggestions public, allowing other people to endorse the suggestion rather than creating a similar one. This voting system allows organizers to quickly see what is most suggested. Much like suggestion box allows employees to give ideas, internal company crowdsourcing gauges employee opinions on ideas or suggestions.[4]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Limited, Alamy."Stock Photo - 750 Heinz plant suggestion box".Alamy.Retrieved2020-10-04.
- ^"Suggestion Box History: The Small Data Before Big Data".Tedium: The Dull Side of the Internet.Retrieved2020-11-27.
- ^Simula, Henri; Vuori, Mervi (2012). "Crowdsourcing in Business-to-Business Firms - Layers Perspective".ISPIM Conference Proceedings:1–16.ProQuest1368545621.
- ^Palin, Kira (2016)."Employee Motivation to participate in workplace innovation via in-house crowdsourcing".European Journal of Workplace Innovation.2(2): 21.doi:10.46364/ejwi.v2i2.387.Retrieved28 November2020.
