SpeakWrite’s User Evaluation Free Pilot Program – Step by Step

Phase 1 

• Designate a client 'Program Lead' – The Evaluation Program client firm or company designates a person to coordinate all Program activities on behalf of the Test Group.  This is SpeakWrite’s contact with the testing group for the duration of the Program.
• Prepare for SpeakWrite integration - A list of preliminary matters are covered with the client Program Lead to assure a smooth and orderly use of the service during the testing (white-listing of key email addresses, identity and installation of key templates to be used in the testing, etc.) 
• Enroll accounts – The SpeakWrite Pilot Manager and the client Program Lead work together to establish working accounts for all Test Group participants. 
• Announcement to program participants – Once the testing period is ready to be initiated, an email announcement of the Evaluation Program is directed to each member of the Test Group informing them of the existence of their account, their account number and PIN, the term and use of the account during the Evaluation period and helpful hints and tools to aid their utilization of their free account.  
• User Training/Orientation – A training and orientation process, available to all Test Group participants, is provided to them via an on-line facility and provides basic instruction to them.  This is ‘hosted’ with live personnel to answer questions and provide specialized help. 
• Specific client Program website – In addition, a customized Pilot Program website is established that walks the users through every step of the process and affords them a source of information and help at each stage of their usage and testing.

 Phase 2   

• Four week unlimited usage – Once the testing period begins, it runs for four consecutive weeks.  Usage amounts, typical job sizes for work done, actual costs applicable to the work done and other pertinent data is gathered during the testing.  The participants are encouraged to use the service as much and as often as they feel is helpful in their evaluation. 
• Help Desk/User feedback– The SpeakWrite Help Desk is alerted to the specifics of the Evaluation and all participants in it, so that they can assist and answer questions encountered in such testing.  Participants are encouraged to make use of this facility wherever helpful.  There is also an opportunity with each completed job to directly, easily and immediately provide ‘feedback’ on that job or on the user’s overall or specific satisfaction/dissatisfaction with any portion of the service. 
• On-line personal Webpage for each account holder – For each SpeakWrite account opened (as a part of the Pilot Program, and later as a regular account holder) a personal webpage is created, accessible through the SpeakWrite main website, at which the account holder can check the status of any pending job, change the Preferences on the account, manage a list of personal Templates, Word List or Address Book available with the account, check the status and/or content of the current bill on the account and a number of other items involving activity within that account. 
• Designated Pilot Manager/’go-to’ person – Throughout the Pilot Program (and thereafter, if the participant chooses to continue the account) each account holder is assigned a specific SpeakWrite Account Manager to help with any questions, any issues, any difficulties they might encounter in learning, then using the SpeakWrite system for their work. 
• Feedback addressed/conveyed to Program Lead – Throughout the duration of the Pilot Program testing, the SpeakWrite Pilot Manager collects and monitors all test results, details of the usage, feedback pro and con from the participants and other available information to report to the client Team Lead at the conclusion of the Program. 
• Mid- Program Survey - At the end of the second week of the four week Pilot Program, SpeakWrite conducts a short online Survey of all Test Group participants to assess their experiences and opinions to that point, to identify any troubles or problems in successfully using the service or any of its parts and to solicit any questions or suggestions regarding their successful implementation of the SpeakWrite service or any of its associated features.  The results of this are incorporated into the final Report to the client Management at the conclusion of the Pilot Program.

 Phase 3   

• Post-Program Survey - After the conclusion of the Pilot Program, a more extensive Survey is conducted of all Test Group participants, asking them about their overall experience with the SpeakWrite service, the things they like and dislike about the service, what effect they feel that the availability of the service had on their daily productivity and a number of other items that we have determined are valuable to Management in assessing the value and usefulness of the overall service.  The results of this are incorporated into the final Report to the client Management at the conclusion of the Pilot Program. 
• Gather all comments/feedback - At the conclusion of the Pilot Program, the SpeakWrite Pilot Manager also gathers and analyzes all the comments and feedback from the Pilot Program, collected through the Help Desk comments and input from the participants and/or through any individual feedback returned at the conclusion of jobs.  The goal here is to find all the comments from the users, pro or con, at any stage of their SpeakWrite involvement.  
• Gather all usage data – Also at the conclusion of the Pilot Program the Account Manager gathers all of the data resulting from the testing, including particular usage information from the participants, frequency of use, size and cost of jobs created, etc. so that this can go into the final Report to the client.  Numerous sources of this type of material exist, and all are assessed for inclusion into the final Report for the evaluation Program. 
• Prepare chart and analysis of costs, with and without SW – Incorporating all of the usage data and other information gathered from the testing, a chart is prepared, specific to the client and the Test Group users involved in the Pilot Program, that analyzes the type of work done, the consequences of using the SpeakWrite System for that work, and a side-by-side comparison of the cost of handling that particular work with the use of the SpeakWrite system and without the use of that system with existing staff and/or with other alternative resources available to the client.  Efforts are made to create this in such a way that the numbers used involve an all-in cost for both alternatives, so that there can be a reasonable and meaningful comparison of the alternatives for client Management when it reviews the final consequences of the Pilot. 
• Final narrative Report to client - This Report includes all results of the Evaluation Pilot Program and will present and display these results in a way most likely to be meaningful to the client in determining whether or not to implement the SpeakWrite service into their business.  It includes the results of both Surveys conducted of the user participants, all user feedback received from whatever source, a statement and compilation of the data regarding usage of the service and any accompanying analysis of that, the cost chart analysis derived from the comparison of the client’s business with and without the SpeakWrite service, any observations and/or suggestions from SpeakWrite in regard to the results of the testing and the final conclusions from such, and a set of Recommendations from SpeakWrite in regard to those observations made. 

 Phase 4   

• Meet/talk to follow up on Report - Following the conclusion of the Pilot Program testing, and the delivery of the narrative Report, a meeting is arranged with the client Management to discuss the Report, the consequences and recommendations of the final results of such, and any additional feedback or comments from the users gleaned from the client Program Lead.  The goal here is to do a final and thorough look at the Report and all of the potential gains, advantages, comparative costs, pros and cons, or other lessons to be learned from such. 
• Discuss billing procedures/issues - A SpeakWrite representative discusses with the client Management the standard billing procedures for accounts using the SpeakWrite service, and how they would apply to any client accounts established.  Emphasis here is on how to structure any such billing in a way that recognizes the client’s internal structure or management layout, in a way that affords the client the most meaningful presentation of the billings when they are received.  Among other issues, the potential use of 'client codes' or 'matter numbers' to ease in the cost accounting of the service is described in order to facilitate a possible process for passing the costs on to other responsible parties. 
• Establish realistic 'ramp up' of accounts/users - Once a decision has been made to secure SpeakWrite accounts for the client users, information is gathered concerning the total numbers of those users, the likely use to which they will put the service, the possible effect on SpeakWrite capabilities and a realistic and firm 'ramp up' of these accounts and a schedule for such is discussed and agreed upon between the parties. 
• Establish process for initial accounts, plus new accounts and changes - As a part of the new account procedure, a process is established between SpeakWrite and the client for the identification of appropriate information internally for the client to gather in regard to the establishment of accounts for each of the users which the client wishes to put in place at the outset.  A process is also established for the addition of new, future accounts when appropriate, deletion of inactive accounts when those might occur, and changes in the material content of the accounts for each of the users so that they are current and appropriately categorized and billed. 
• Develop appropriate training/orientation for new users going forward - Once accounts have been set up, and a schedule for ramp up decided upon, an appropriate training/orientation program is developed for all the new users with the client, customized to their need and their business practices, emphasizing elements that are of particular importance to those users and adding additional items where appropriate, so that a training system and regimen can be established that will give all potential users adequate training and familiarity with the SpeakWrite system that will afford them the chance to maximize their use of it.

If you are interested in a Pilot for your firm, email us here.