One
of the necessary components to successfully conducting any of the focus groups
previously outlined on this blog is an experienced facilitator. While there are many companies for hire that
offer facilitating services it is also possible to use an internal facilitator
depending upon your organization’s situation.
External
facilitators may increase participation and be better able to facilitate an
open and honest discussion, especially if participants know in advance that the
session will be conducted by an objective, outside facilitator. They may also be better able to manage
difficult conversations because they are not a company spokesperson and do not
need to defend the company’s action. The
disadvantage of using an external facilitator is that it will increase the
direct costs of conducting the focus groups and it may take longer to schedule
the sessions, depending on the facilitators availability.
The
other option is to use someone within the company who has previous experience
as a facilitator. This person does not
necessarily have to be a member of the Human Resources or Management team. For example organizations might use someone
in Marketing or Sales who has previous experience conducting customer focus
groups. Using an internal facilitator
can save time and money. They may also
have an advantage over an outside facilitator when managing difficult
conversations because they understand the context better and can anticipate the
likely challenges. When choosing an
internal facilitator it is important to select someone with a positive
reputation within the company.
Participants are likely to feel hesitant to share their true opinions
with an internal facilitator for fear that the information will not remain
confidential or that it will affect their career with the company.
Whether
you decide to use an external or internal facilitator, the most important thing
to consider when making your selection is their level of experience conducting
similar types of events. An experienced,
skilled facilitator will be able to handle difficult conversations, help
participants to stay focused and solicit open and honest feedback, resulting in
useful retention information for your organization.
Comments