report - family central - focus group findings w hispanic group

8/9/2019 Report - Family Central - Focus Group Findings w Hispanic Group

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Clarocision Research & Marketing

For

Family Central Inc(West Palm Beach)

July 2010

Clarocision Research & Marketing

954-741-2234• www.crmfirm.com



ALL= All groups

BG =Bell GladeWP E= West Palm/EnglishWP S= West Palm/Spanish

• Further to assess the general marketperception and brand of Family Central

regarding their services

• To gain insight from Family Central’s clientson how services could be improved



Who? Parents receiving services from Family

Central

What? Three Focus Groups

Where? Belle GladeWest Palm Beach- English & Spanish

When? June 30, 2010 – Belle Glade

July 1, 2010 – West Palm Beach



ALL= All groups


The name Family Central is clearly branded. When the

respondents thought of the name there were specificservices that came to mind.

In branding however, it is critical that the consumerpresence of mind fits the message that the organization

wishes to communicate hence the brand becomesconfused.

Family Central seems to have a problem at this level.

Most people saw Family Central not as a referral

service but rather as a provider of such services aschildcare, VPK, after care, financial assistance, Etc.



ALL= All groups


Hispanics lack awareness of many of the services and

programs offered through Family Central; with most only aware of day care, and a few aware of VPK and after care.

Hispanics feel that there should be more Spanish speakingcustomer service agents both at the reception and on thetelephone; and often are frustrated and upset when there is

no one that understands them and/ or have to wait longer fora Spanish speaking agent to assist them.

There is limited written information available in Spanish; withmost brochures written in English. Also, applications areoften given to them in English and therefore not properly

filled out which causes either delays or missed opportunities.



ALL= All groups


Parents praise Family Central for providing the opportunity for

their children to live a healthier, safer , and have a more educated

life; as such a happier life for the entire family that could not bepossible without the support of Family Central.

Parents expressed immense gratitude for making

theirs’ and their children’s lives better.

Interesting to note that Hispanics call Family Central, Family

Center; which implies positive connotations such as:

“a place to gather with caring individuals”

“a place that provides resolve and comfort”

“a place that unifies and provides hope”



ALL= All groups


Level of AwarenessWhen you hear the name Family Central whatcomes to mind? (Bombardment perception exercise)

Responses:◦ Center where families go for help (BG, WP S) ◦ Center that provides family programs (BG, WP S) ◦ A Place where services are provided to help parents and children

within the community (BG) ◦ A place that gives moms the opportunity to work, because their

children are being taken care of in a safe and nurturing way. (WP S)

◦ A Place that provides Day care services (WP E) ◦ Provides family support services (WP E) ◦ Provides financial assistance in child care (WP E) ◦ Provides help with food and clothing (WP E) ◦ Provides children with safe and nurturing child care (WP S) ◦ Provides children with educational programs (WP S)

Review of Key Findings



ALL= All groups


Family Central:• Provides very good customer service (WP E)

• Provides a range of childcare facilities that parents

can choose from (WP E & S)

• Creates a great family atmosphere (WP E & S)

• Provides financial aid (BG, WP S)

• Affordable fees (BG, WP S)



ALL= All groups


Family Central: Has local office in the community (BG, WP S)

Selects quality childcare facilities (WP S)

Monitors facilities to ensure high level of quality (WP S)

Fast eligibility process (WP S) Systematically organized (applying through approval)

(WP S)

Good coordination between Family Central and the services and programs provided (WP S)



ALL= All groups


• The reapplication process is seen as a negative (WP E & S)

• The frequency of having to re apply is frustrating (WP S)

• Too much red tapes to get into the program (BG)

(qualification process, paper work, wait time,processing time is long, etc)

• Follow up communication process is not adequate (BG)

• There is the sense that everybody should qualify (BG)

• Parents have to follow up closely to ensure that they are on the list (WP E & S)



ALL= All groups


• Messages left on the telephone take too long to be returned (WP S)

• Customer service agents often place parent either on hold for a long time or hang up on them after a long waiting period.(WP S)

• Not enough Spanish speaking customer service agents (WP S)

• Most brochures are written in English (WP S)

• Customer service agents are often rude and not helpful (WP S)

• Too often, customer service agents are giving Hispanics English language applications instead of Spanish language applications (WP S )



ALL= All groups


Answers:• Day care (BG, WP S) • Before care (BG) • After care (BG, WP S*) • Vouchers and Financial aid certificates (BG) • Counseling services (WP E) • Childcare services (WP E & S) • Food and clothing services (WP E) • Housing assistance (WP E) • Medical referral services (WP E) • Referral support services (WP E) • VPK services (WP E & S) *Only a few



ALL= All groupsBG =Bell GladeWP E= West Palm/EnglishWP S= West Palm/Spanish

Describe your level of satisfaction with the services that you

have participated in from Family Central

Most people rate their satisfaction with Family Central services

as above average. Hispanics level of satisfaction of the company

is high; however low levels in regards to customer service.

Level of Satisfaction of the VPK services

VPK- Some were unaware of the program – need more

information on what this program offers (BG)

The ones who were aware were very satisfied (WP E & S)




• There was the general feeling that education process is not effective-7 out of 10 did not feel the educational process is effective. (BG)

• The information packet has too much information and

it is not very easy to find the important information (BG, WP S)

• Level of education received was rated as low (BG, WP E) Conversely, the Spanish parents consider they are well

versed by Family Central in determining quality child care and select the facility based on this most important criteria. (WP S)




What might be some reasons you might not be

able to participate in activities or servicesprovided by Family?

•Length of wait time (BG)

•

Qualification process (BG)•Re-certification and accountability process (BG, WP S)

•Dis-incentivizes economic mobility (WP E)

•No grace period when one looses a job (WP E)

•Transfer of child delayed due to paperwork not completed in

time and sent to a new facility (WP S)




What might be some reasons you might not be

able to participate in activities or services

provided by Family?

•Income and expense analysis should be used to determine

eligibility for services (WP E & S)

•Poor customer service (WP E & S)- sometimes people are

double booked

•Not informed or aware of the service due to language barrier

(WP S)




•When people walk in to drop of papers there are too many forms to

fill out. Hence people choose not to walk in but to mail in (WP E & S)

•A lot of bureaucracy & red tape due to the paperwork that is required

every 6 months (BG, WP S)

Barriers to receiving ServicesCont’d




What impact has child care financial assistance for

VPK had on you and your children?

• Allows us to get a job and keep it • Kids learn discipline • Kids learn to work and play with each other

• Social interaction • Program Educates & helps with home work • Prepares kids for kindergarten (skills and determination) • Gives parents peace of mind • Kids have fun and are happier

• Provides activities for kids • Parents have some time to do important tasks

• Allows parents to get educated and get a career




What could make the services offered by FamilyCentral better?

• They could automatically add new children (siblings) to the program for people who are already on the program (WP E & S)

• Could extend the re application process from every 2

months to every 6 months (WP S) • Their customer service could be better (WP E & S)

• They could still offer child care when parents are off work (WP E)

• Their follow up process could be more efficient (WP E)




• Could simplify the qualification process (BG, WP S)

•

Could simplify the paperwork (BG) • Periodically send out brochures or communication to

educate parents about services (BG, WP S)

• Arrange open house with providers and parents (BG, WP S)

• Make homes open so parents can see how they operate before choice is made (BG)

• Set up a program to have parents evaluate Providers services (BG)

• Help to identify facilities that meet specific guidelines to

ensure that kids are optimally prepared for early childhood education (BG)

• They could have more mature and experienced social workers




Describe the quality of customer service youreceive from Family Central?

•

“ The wait is very long” • “May be they have caller ID to see who is calling”

• “The counselors are good”

• “They give me the information that I want.”




Describe the quality of customer service you

receive from family central?

“ Sometimes it’s OK, but mostly I get frustrated because there

isn’t someone that can help me because they don’t speak

Spanish.” (WP S)

“I feel that because I am Hispanic they ignore me; make me feel

less of a person.”(WP S)

“ I suggest that they hire more people who really care about

people, that are passionate about helping others.” (WP S)




If Family Central were to implement a process where clientscannot leave a message after hours, where you would have

to seek to get your questions answered during workinghours how would that impact you as a client?Response:• Because of work it would be difficult to make calls in the days.

• An after-hours answering service would help where you speak to

a live person (4 in 12 preferred this option)

• Some would prefer to have the ability to call anytime even if they have to leave a message

• We probably would lose our jobs if we took time out to call

• Voice mail works fine for some; but not for the Spanish speakers.

• 24 hour service line would help




Evaluation of Brochure (Referral Services Brochure)

Brochure- no one had seen it before (ALL)

The images on the front were good with the cute baby-but too much information on the inside- I would not read it. (ALL)

Brochures did not tell us about the nanny program (ALL)

Spanish translation should be on one panel; as the current orderis confusing (WP S)

The entire brochure should be translated in Spanish; currently onlythe services and programs offered.(WP S)

Child care resources and referral- is a good slogan (ALL)

Less content and more image- use bullet points (ALL)




Evaluation of Brochure (Referral Services Brochure)

Message on front cover is clear and it grabs your attention

(ALL)

The pictures are inviting and friendly (ALL)

Creates a warm and caring feeling (ALL)

Some thought that some of the other services mentioneddid not refer to them; with the Spanish parents agreeingthat it “speaks to” the providers and not the parents.

The information seems misleading that FREE services are

provided for everyone (ALL). Most were not aware of thisand did not understand what this really was all about.

If I am not looking for child care I would not read –toomuch information (BG)




Family Central has a clear brand perception of providing childcare and family services to thecommunity.

Family Central is seen not as a referral service but as a

service provider for child care, family care, VPK andfinancial assistance

There is the need to clarify the role of DCF with theservices that Family Central provides




Clients are generally satisfied with Family Central’sservices however Family Central could Improve incertain specific areas:

◦ Customer Service

◦ Follow up and Communication

◦ Messaging

◦ A Simplified qualifications process

◦ More deliberate education process for services offered

◦ More Spanish language information◦ More Spanish speaking customer service agents




Most respondents saw some clear barriers to accessingsome of services provided by Family Central. Some suchbarriers are…

◦ Length of wait time◦ Qualification process◦ Re-certification and accountability process◦

Dis-incentivizes economic mobility◦ No grace period when one looses a job◦ Income and expense analysis should be used to determine

eligibility for services (WPE)◦ Poor customer service - sometimes people are double booked◦ When people walk in to drop off papers there are too many

forms to fill out. Hence people choose not to walk in but to

mail in◦ Lot of bureaucracy & red tape due to the paperwork that isrequired every 6 months

◦ Insufficient Spanish speakers and Spanish languageinformation




The positive impact of Family Central Services on its clients

is unquestionable and this is something that should beharnessed in its communication pieces. Some elements of such impact are. . .

The services allow parents to get a job and keep it

The programs help children learn discipline The programs help children learn to work and play The programs assist children to develop social interaction The programs educate, children and prepare them for

school. The programs give parents peace of mind The programs provide parents with alternatives for after

school and summer activities for their children Allows parents to get educated and get a career




The packages and collateral pieces that Family Central uses tocommunicate with parents could be simplified

There is the need to better educate parents on the actualservices and programs provided through Family Central

Clients have a clear preference to interact with actual people

from Family Central and not automated services Family Central could benefit from a more streamlined process

where case workers are matched with appropriate servicerecipients, since there is the sense that some people areuncomfortable with case workers whom they know or withwhom they had previous relationship.

Hispanics should be serviced by and matched with otherSpanish speakers; as they feel more comfortable andwelcomed.



ALL= All groupsBG =Bell Glade

WP E= West Palm/EnglishWP S= West Palm/Spanish

Family Central needs to develop some deliberateeducational process and tools to inform parents aboutthe services they offer. These could be monthlynewsletters, open houses with both parents and otherservice providers.

Since Family Central serves a cross section of languagegroups it might be helpful to develop collateral piecesin other languages such as Spanish and Creole





There needs to be some clarity between how Department of Children & Family (DCF) factors into the Family Centralprocess.

Some parents have the belief that the fastest way to get theFamily Central programs or services, i.e. get off the longwait times, is to have someone report them to DCF. In factone parent even indicated that she had this done and wastaken off the waiting list immediately.





Possibly because of lack of education, some parents feel

that the process of qualifying to be eligible for servicesand re-certification process provide a dis-incentive forthem to pursue economic mobility, because once theystart making more money they can be dropped from theprogram. Bear in mind that this might not be a bad

thing since the goal of all social assistance is to helppeople become self-sufficient.

Moreover, the reapplication of eligibility every twomonths needs to be extended to the original six monthsas companies are hesitant and bothered by having toprovide letters and financial paperwork for theiremployee.





Maybe Family Central staff and case workers

could benefit from some customer servicetraining, since poor customer service wasidentified as a barrier.

Client follow–up seems to be a big issue among

most respondents. Family Central might need totake a good look at the timeliness and efficiencyof its follow up process.

The qualification process might be policy driven,but this might need to be examined to see if there is a better way for it to be simplified.




WP E West Palm/English

Periodically Family Central could send out

communications to parents when services are beingchanged or new ones added to aid in ongoingcommunication

Make homes open so parents can see how theyoperate before choice is made

Set up a program to have parents evaluate Providers’services

Improve the process of identifying andrecommending facilities that meet specific guidelinesto ensure that kids are optimally prepared for earlychildhood education

report - family central - focus group findings w hispanic group

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