Selecting an exit interview service provider can prove challenging, and maybe also somewhat intimidating – how do you prepare interview questions for interview experts? Just a handful of incisive questions, however, will quickly separate the wheat from the chaff. If you’re unsure how to outsource exit interviews for your company, here are four critical questions you should ask a vendor before entering any service agreement:

What is the average response rate to your exit interviews, and why?
Whether the vendor incorporates flexible response mechanisms is just one facet of this question. A special challenge for exit interview providers lies in achieving a balance between getting the most possible employees (even the disgruntled ones) to complete the interview and obtaining authentic, meaningful feedback. How vendors choose to get answers to the toughest questions speaks volumes.

How flexible and personalized are your interview questions?
While repeating certain questions throughout exit interviews allows historical comparisons, adding questions about recent projects and specific situations can yield uniquely valuable responses. The best service providers are efficient enough to tailor their services to each client’s challenges, goals and demographics. The worst service providers use the same five-year-old template for every customer.

Describe your methods for reporting data.
All the data in the world does you no good if it’s simply regurgitated with no interpretation. Your vendor should be able to show you, at the bare minimum, real-time dashboards with both qualitative and quantitative details. A top-notch partner will supplement reports with ongoing benchmark analysis and insights for improvement. Immediate access to all this information saves you time – it’s a must-have.

Tell us about your data archive and how you use it.
Bountiful data is a double-edged sword. A deep background in collecting relevant data gives a vendor the tools needed to benchmark your progress faster, so you can take action faster. On the other hand, it’s hard to conceive of a bigger red flag than an indication that a vendor who is careless with data. Remember: if you begin a business relationship, your data will be their data.

If you’re still looking for an experienced, thorough and trustworthy exit interview partner, contact HSD Metrics for a complete consultation today. The sooner you understand the sources of your turnover issues, the sooner you can commit to meaningful organizational change.