Worth splitting the survey into two questions people usually blend into one:
- 1.
do reps know how and when to ask for a reference (a process question), and
- 2.
do the references they've received actually help them close (a value question).
Ask only the value question and a mediocre score won't tell you whether the process is broken or the outcome is.
The other thing that determines whether round two gets a response: close the loop. Share back what changed as a result of this round before you run it again.
Something else that worked very well on a very large program I ran where I had to manage multiple reference managers reporting to me, was adding a satisfaction survey when you fulfilled a request. As part of the reference process, the last email would be a survey asking the sales rep about how it went. Then, at the end of every month, I would review all responses and, if any issues were flagged or a low score was noted, I would contact the salesperson and address them directly.
