Results from an ongoing survey shows the majority of interactions between Sailors and their detailers are positive.

Data compiled from Navy Personnel Command's (NPC), career management department Sailor Experience Survey, which began Jan. 11, 2018, shows a positive trend in customer service and detailer interactions with Sailors.

This survey was created to measure Sailors' satisfaction with the customer service and professionalism when engaging detailers, said Capt. Rick Cheeseman, assistant commander, Navy Personnel Command for Career Management, also known as PERS-4.

"Our new survey, and the data analytics it provides, allows PERS-4 to improve its customer service by using Sailor feedback to identify deficiencies within the detailing process," Cheeseman said.

NPC's career management department established a working group to create the survey to collect data and responses.

"With this feedback, we can correct issues quickly, in near-real time, thereby positively affecting Sailors and improving their experience interacting with Navy Personnel Command," Cheeseman said.

NPC's career management department is happy with the results from the survey. "The detailer was quick to respond and give me the information I was seeking upon receiving nomination to recruiting. They were extremely helpful with all the questions I had about the screening process and worked through all the problems I ran into while being deployed," said one anonymous comment submitted.

"While the survey has only been active a short time, it has improved relations between Sailors and their detailers. PERS-4 has used this new program to revitalize detailer training, ensure that detailers are more responsive to their constituents, and to reinforce the expected high level of customer service to the fleet," continued Cheeseman.

Some of the data shared by NPC's career management department shows that the perception of detailing as an impersonal process is changing.

"Overall responses from January to the end of May totaled 1,103, with responses to all five survey questions showing 75 percent of respondents 'very satisfied,' and 83 percent 'a little satisfied,'" Cheeseman said.

The current grading scale of all responses falls into five categories: "very statisfied-100 percent," "a little satisfied-75 percent," "neutral-50 percent," "a little disatsified-25 percent," "very dissatisfied-0 percent." The overall fleet satisfaction with detailer interactions, based on this grading, is a score of 84.54 percent, added Cheeseman.

The responses and data collected from completed questionnaires are used for other purposes said Chief Petty Officer Lucas Pawlowski, the lead detailer for hull maintenance technicians at NPC and a working group member that created the survey.

"The information from the survey can be used for in-house training for detailers to really get better at customer service. An additional bonus is we will have metrics to provide (Chief of Naval Personnel) with real-time data from the fleet," Pawlowski said.

According to the survey's introduction webpage, the data collected is statistically summarized with the responses of others, to offer insight, provide quality assurance and enhance detailer and placement coordinator professionalism and customer service.

The survey takes approximately two minutes to complete, is voluntary and the responses are anonymous. Information collected is analyzed and maintained by NPC's career management department.

"It's designed to be short and effective; it's one page with a 'submit' button at the bottom," said Pawlowski.

Not all responses are positive, but both positive and negative inform the detailer community, Pawlowski said.

"Having access to direct feedback from the fleet has helped me as a detailer. It allows me to better mold how I approach an interaction with a Sailor who is up for orders," Pawlowski added.

NPC's career management department is currently using email distribution to make the fleet aware of the Sailor Experience Survey and has a proposal to develop an app for mobile phones, for additional access.

The Sailor Experience Survey may be accessed at this web link: http://survey.max.gov/454228

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