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   Part I. Organizing for Effective Advocacy
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      Chapter 31. Conducting Advocacy Research >
         Section 9. Organizing Audits of Consumer Services >
             Tools & Checklists - A checklist that summarizes the major points contained in the section. >

Organizing Audits of Consumer Services

  

Tools & Checklists

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Checklist
Tool #1: Rubric for Consumer Audit

Tool #1

A Tool for Judging the Quality of an Audit Process
From Iowa State University Marketing Class

Rubric for Consumer Audit

Level of Achievement
Criteria
Excellent (3 pts)
Satisfactory (2 pts)
Unsatisfactory (1 pt)
Data Collection
      
Observations
 Observations of both customers and employees are thoroughly and clearly reported. There is no to almost no missing information that could be collected via observation. Observations of both customers and employees are reported, but the thoroughness and/or clarity of the information is problematic. There is clearly other information that should have been collected via observation. Either the observations for customers or employees is missing, or the information that is reported is so scant as to be useless.
Surveys/Interviews
 Information collected via surveys/interviews of both customers and employees is thoroughly and clearly reported. There is no to almost no missing information that could be collected via surveys/interviews. The correspondence between this information and the observation data is clearly and thoroughly detailed. Information collected via surveys/interviews of both customers and employees is reported, but the thoroughness and/or clarity of the information is problematic. There is clearly other information that should have been collected via surveys/interviews. The relationship of this information to the observational data is discussed, but not in enough detail. Either the information collected via surveys/interviews for customers or employees is missing, or the information that is reported is so scant as to be useless. The relationship between this data and the observational data is not provided.
Data Analysis
 Analysis of data is detailed. Any necessary assumptions are stated and justified. The analysis appropriately incorporates consumer behavior theories and concepts. Some analysis is included, but it is not very detailed. Some statements are not supported by analysis. Linkage to consumer behavior concepts is incomplete and/or sometimes incorrect. Analysis is missing or trivial, lacking any depth. Necessary assumptions are not stated. Linkage to consumer behavior concepts is missing.
Data Inferences
      
Market Segmentation
 Careful identification of all possible market segments is provided and is based solely on the consumer data. Each identified segment is clearly and thoroughly described; it is clear how multiple segments differ from one another. Reasoning for segment(s) is provided and logical. Some, but not all possible market segments are identified and thoroughly described, given the consumer data. How multiple segments differ from one another and/or the reasoning for each segment is weakly argued. Market segmentation is provided, but it is only the most basic of segmentation, suggesting that little critical thought was given to this issue. Reasoning for segmentation is missing or faulty. Arguments for multiple segments (if applicable) is missing.
Marketing Recommendations
 Reasonable marketing recommendations are thoroughly described and reasoned and are clearly linked to market segmentation. Marketing recommendations are made, but not as thoroughly as possible. Some of the recommendations may lack reasonability. Some of the recommendations may only be obscurely linked to market segmentation. Marketing recommendations are missing, or the recommendations that are identified are clearly not linked to market segmentation, or the recommendations that are identified are not at all reasonable.
Written Communication
      
Organization
 Written work is well organized and easy to understand. Sections of paper are marked with appropriate headings. Tables and charts are appropriately used and easy to understand, and contribute to the ease of reading the paper. The organization is generally good, but some sections seem out of place. Some headings may be missing. Tables and charts are included, but are difficult to understand (e.g., poorly labeled). The paper is disorganized to the extent that it prevents understanding the content. There are no headings. Inappropriate use of charts or tables; or, use of tables and charts is indicated, but not included.
Integration of Writing Styles
 The team developed a writing style that is uniform throughout the paper. There is no indication that the paper involved multiple authors. There is some indication of multiple authors (e.g., different fonts, different paper, etc.). Paper is clearly the work of multiple authors with different writing styles, margins, printer fonts, paper types, etc
Grammar, Spelling, and Formatting
 The paper has been thoroughly spell-checked and proofread. There are none to almost no grammatical or spelling errors. There are no formatting errors. There are a few spelling and/or grammatical errors. There are one to three formatting errors. There are frequent misspelled words, serious grammtical errors, and formatting errors, indicating that time was not taken to spell-check and proofread.
Use of Appendices
 Information is appropriately placed in either the main text or an appendix. Appendices are documented and referenced in the text. Information is sometimes misplaced. Documenting and referencing in text are somewhat incomplete. Appendices are poorly documented and referenced in text. Considerable amount of material is misplaced. Appendices are not documented or referenced in text.

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Checklist

Here you will find a checklist summarizing the important points of the section.

What are audits of consumer services?

__ You define an audit as an independent, formal inspection of the procedures, practices, policies, and/or programs of a service, in order to show that that the service is what it is meant to be, and that it adheres to accepted legal, ethical, and professional standards.
__ You acknowledge two types of consumer services:

  • Publicly-funded services offered to a target population - often disadvantaged - to improve its physical, economic, psychological, or social well-being.
  • Publicly-regulated services offered to the general public.

    Why conduct audits of consumer services?

You conduct audits of consumer services:
__ To determine whether needed services are actually being provided.
__ To use as ammunition for an advocacy campaign to acquire needed services.
__ To determine whether services that are being funded are actually being provided as they were intended to be.
__ To protect the interests of those for whom the services are intended.
__ To protect the economic and social interests of the public, who are paying for the services or their regulation.
__ To improve the chances of the successful resolution of community issues.
__ To foster social change.

Who should conduct audits of consumer services?

To see if you are the appropriate party to conduct a service audit, you ask yourself the following:
__ Do you have the expertise to conduct the audit?
__ Do you have the resources to conduct the audit?
__ Are you the most appropriate party to conduct the audit? (Is it someone else's job?)
__ Can you gain the cooperation of the organization to be audited?
__ Would an audit by you be as credible as one conducted by someone better known?
If you don't conduct the audit, you might choose:
__ A government oversight agency or regulator.
__ A professional oversight body.
__ A watchdog organization.
__ Academics and other researchers and experts in the field.
__ Eminent individuals or commissions they serve on.
__ An audit team from one or more peer organizations.
__ Funders.

When should you conduct audits of consumer services?
You conduct audits of consumer services:
__ When you're advocating for the need for a particular service.
__ When there's a question about the availability of services.
__ When there's a question about equity in the delivery of services.
__ When funding is at stake.
__ When there's a broad-ranging community development or other, similar effort.

How do you organize and conduct audits of consumer services?

To organize an audit of consumer services:
__ You gather evidence of the need for the audit.
__ You identify an appropriate auditor.
__ You gather support for the audit.
To conduct an audit of consumer services:
__ You budget adequate resources for the audit.
__ You negotiate beforehand with the organization to be audited.
__ You decide what information you need.
__ You gather data.
__ You analyze the data.
__ You prepare an audit report, including a plan for correcting whatever problems you found.
__ You work with the audited organization to put remedies into practice.
__ You decide what to do with the audit results.
__ You create a plan for maintaining the audit process.

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