Maximizing The Value Of An Audience Response System
Many times an audience response system is used only to add some fun to a meeting. At other times it may be used to simply wake people and push a button. But, it can be rather difficult to cost justify perhaps $20 per person for such basic functionality.
In order to maximize your value, it is wise to ask one or more questions that have the power to effect company revenue, cost, or profit. Generally, these questions will go to the heart of your strategic plan. And so, you should probably familiarize yourself with your company’s specific strategies.
Here’s an example of an effective question: “From your daily view of the organization, how well are we doing in getting cost out?” The choices are best defined as a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is ‘not doing well at all’ and 5 is ‘doing extremely well’.
Unless your organization is exceptional, the audience is going to tell you that there is substantial room for improvement. So, the obvious question is ‘what can we start doing that we’re not already doing?’ Have some handheld microphonesHaveH
available, and you are very likely to get some great ideas. If the discussion is not as forthcoming as you’d like, cut the total groups’ response by business unit, or department. This will show which units feel there is the most opportunity. Discussion is then sure to become lively.
Once your meeting has concluded, submit the ideas and comments to your planning group, and follow through on where they go. Chances are that they will impact your strategy, even if only in a small way. If so, try quantify the impact in terms of real dollars. Then compare the dollar impact to your original cost for the audience response system rental. Chances are you will find a 10 to 50 times return on investment.
In order to maximize your value, it is wise to ask one or more questions that have the power to effect company revenue, cost, or profit. Generally, these questions will go to the heart of your strategic plan. And so, you should probably familiarize yourself with your company’s specific strategies.
Here’s an example of an effective question: “From your daily view of the organization, how well are we doing in getting cost out?” The choices are best defined as a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is ‘not doing well at all’ and 5 is ‘doing extremely well’.
Unless your organization is exceptional, the audience is going to tell you that there is substantial room for improvement. So, the obvious question is ‘what can we start doing that we’re not already doing?’ Have some handheld microphonesHaveH
available, and you are very likely to get some great ideas. If the discussion is not as forthcoming as you’d like, cut the total groups’ response by business unit, or department. This will show which units feel there is the most opportunity. Discussion is then sure to become lively.
Once your meeting has concluded, submit the ideas and comments to your planning group, and follow through on where they go. Chances are that they will impact your strategy, even if only in a small way. If so, try quantify the impact in terms of real dollars. Then compare the dollar impact to your original cost for the audience response system rental. Chances are you will find a 10 to 50 times return on investment.
