Derbyshire NHS Foundation Trust

What were the challenges you were experiencing before you started using SmartSurvey?

Before we made the decision to use SmartSurvey, we were using an expensive alternative provider that had not kept up with IT advances. We found it very labour intensive to create a survey. They were also moving their survey system towards a more Facebook-style model, which didn't fit with our requirements at all.

Why did you choose SmartSurvey over other competing online survey products?

We compared different providers but due to our information governance requirements and costing we narrowed it down to Smart Survey, mainly because their servers are located in the United Kingdom and SmartSurvey offered much better value than our previous provider. As part of the process I went over to the Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and they showed me the capabilities. They were using it for surveys, forms for registration for conferences, audits and various other ad hoc uses. We invited Mo who gave a demonstration of the system to the Patient Experience team and we were very happy to go with the new system from there.

What was the result that came from using SmartSurvey and what difference or impact has it made or will it make?

Immediately it became evident that setting up surveys was much easier and more intuitive. Any queries I personally had were answered incredibly promptly by Mo, and if he wasn't there the level of knowledge was equivalent from whoever answered the phone at the SmartSurvey support desk. We have used the system to pilot the Friends and Family Test, ad hoc monthly surveys, audits and forms for completion for conferences. Since then, further accounts have been purchased by Workforce and OD (HR) to conduct values based surveys for applicants as part of recruitment which has saved considerably more than the cost of the system.

In essence the system is great value for money, secure, easy to use and intuitive. The surveys look professional and are easy to complete, and all this is backed up by customer service from SmartSurvey which is second to none.

Would you recommend SmartSurvey to your peers and colleagues?

I have already recommended this system to peers and colleagues resulting in two extra accounts being purchased within the Trust as the potential for time saving and cost saving became apparent.