You Told Us What You Think. Now Here Are Our Next Steps

On June 2, the Exchange Post released a reader survey seeking feedback on what our primary internal communication channel is doing right and what can be done better.

85% of respondents said the Exchange Post plays a key role in telling them about Exchange priorities. Recently, most of that information has come in the form of quarterly updates from the Director/CEO Tom Shull. We plan to get deeper into explaining the Exchange’s strategic priorities, highlighting the teams who transform plans into operational realities.

More than 80% of respondents rated Exchange Post content as excellent or good, and 57% said they read the Post at least three times a week. The most popular items are columns from senior leaders; associate profiles such as our Family Serving Family series; and stories about the Exchange’s rich history.

Several respondents, including ones who otherwise spoke highly of the Post, said they think we send too many emails. Sometimes Exchange Post emails do come too close together, so we’ll be spreading them out going forward. Beyond breaking news, we almost never send emails during weekends or holidays, and that will continue.

Respondents also had several suggestions that we are going to work to develop:

• More columns from senior leaders.
• More stories on smaller stores. (“Take a look at each Exchange in the field … What [its] mission is, relevancy and a short statement from the general manager.”)
• More and stronger photos (“For grand openings of renovated stores, I would like to see more photos of the renovation not just the ribbon cutting.”).
• More updates about benefits and how associates can use them.

Along with these improvements, look for a new Exchange Post design in the months to come. The Exchange Post will turn 70 this year, and is ready for another makeover.