How can you measure the intangible benefits of improved morale or customer satisfaction?

1 Why measure intangible benefits?

Intangible benefits are the positive outcomes of your solutions that are not easily measured by numbers, such as improved morale, customer satisfaction, loyalty, reputation, or innovation. Measuring these benefits can help you justify your investment in creative problem solving, showcase your achievements, and identify areas for improvement. Moreover, measuring intangible benefits can help you align your solutions with your strategic goals and vision, and foster a culture of creativity and learning in your organization.

2 How to define intangible benefits?

Before you can measure intangible benefits, you need to define them clearly and specifically. You can use a framework such as SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) to set your objectives and indicators for each intangible benefit. For example, instead of saying "improve customer satisfaction", you can say "increase the percentage of customers who rate their experience as excellent by 10% in the next six months". By defining your intangible benefits, you can make them more tangible and actionable.

3 How to collect data on intangible benefits?

There are various methods and sources of data that you can use to measure intangible benefits, depending on your context and resources. Some of the most common methods are surveys, interviews, focus groups, feedback forms, testimonials, reviews, ratings, referrals, retention rates, social media mentions, awards, recognition, and benchmarks. You can use a combination of quantitative and qualitative data to capture the different aspects and dimensions of your intangible benefits. You can also use tools such as Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, or Qualtrics to design and distribute your surveys and collect your data.

4 How to analyze data on intangible benefits?

Once you have collected your data, you need to analyze it to draw meaningful insights and conclusions. You can use tools such as Excel, Google Sheets, or Tableau to organize, visualize, and interpret your data. You can also use techniques such as descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, correlation, regression, or sentiment analysis to identify patterns, trends, relationships, or differences in your data. You can also use tools such as NVivo, Atlas.ti, or Dedoose to code and categorize your qualitative data and generate themes and categories.

5 How to communicate data on intangible benefits?

After you have analyzed your data, you need to communicate it effectively to your stakeholders and audiences. You can use tools such as PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Prezi to create and present your reports and dashboards. You can also use tools such as Canva, Infogram, or Piktochart to create and share your infographics and charts. You can also use storytelling techniques such as the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to illustrate the impact of your solutions on intangible benefits with concrete examples and stories.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?