Since first joining the National Business Research Institute as a Marketing Analyst in May of 2007, I have been hard at work trying to learn and understand the entire survey process in order to better know how to present and promote the industry (and of course NBRI, itself).

Conducting a survey can seem like a very daunting process, but It is not as complex as you might think. Don’t take that the wrong way. Conducting a survey is a science. It follows the old computer adage, garbage in - garbage out. If you do not conduct your survey in a strictly scientific manner you can end up with a lot of useless data and wasted months of work. Worse yet, you could create action plans based on that data and do more harm than good. However, the basic structure of a survey is easily understood.

There are many costs involved in doing business. One of these costs is turnover. When employees leave the organization, they represent investments that are no longer reaping dividends.

Turnover involves separation costs including:

• the costs incurred for exit interviews, and
• administrative functions related to the employee’s exit.
  

Replacement costs include:

• the costs of attracting new applicants,
• entrance interviews, testing,
• travel/moving expenses,
• preemployment administrative expenses,
• medical exams,
• acquisition and dissemination of information, and
• training costs.