VOV Benchmark Overview

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Overview

VOV Benchmark Overview
Event(enroll) survey comp
C&P_Enrollment_Map
Relationship(service)comp
Comp_Servicing_map
Benchmark Sample Plan

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Sheet 1: VOV Benchmark Overview

Objectives of the VOV Benchmark Study

1) To provide VBA with a comprehensive assessment of Veterans' experiences across each VBA benefit/service channel

2) Survey data results will enable both an integrated view of how well the VBA is servicing Veterans for Leadership as well as Area-level and Benefit Line specific (e.g. Education, Compensation) information

3) Quantify importance of each Veteran touchpoint and its impact on their overall satisfaction with VBA

4) Provide actionable recommendations to VBA that will increase Veteran satisfaction

5) Support statutory and congressional mandates across the lines of business

Survey Design

All surveys were created in collaboration with VBA Leadership and Benefit Line stakeholders, and by leveraging the J.D. Power and Associates (JDPA) 'Customer Experience Measurement Approach' and best research practices. In addition, JD Power consulted OMB's Standards and Guidelines for Statistical Surveys

The JDPA approach provides a framework that enables integrating data across different business lines while also measuring experiences within each business lines

For VBA, this balance is achieved by first assessing each Veteran touchpoint with VBA and determining whether it is an EVENT/TRANSACTION driven or whether it is SERVICE/ON-GOING RELATIONSHIP driven (e.g., on-going servicing of a benefit).

VBA's EVENT/TRANSACTION surveys are those designed to evaluate a specific interaction or activity. Enrolling into a benefit or calling into a call center are two examples of specific triggers that prompt an event survey. The EVENT surveys in the benchmark study include enrollment in Education, Compensation or Pension, and Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment.

EVENT survey sample plans* are designed to obtain Veteran feedback soon after the event as possible to determine a general baseline for the ongoing delivery of benefits. For example, the C&P enrollment surveys, Veterans will be surveyed within 30 days of application. In contrast, given the high volume of transactions, Veterans calling into call centers are surveyed within 24- 72 hours.

VBA's SERVICE/ON-GOING RELATIONSHIP surveys are those designed to evaluate an on-going activity. Receiving Veteran feedback how they are experiencing servicing of their Education, Compensation, or Pension benefits are three examples of on-going activities. The RELATIONSHIP surveys that include the servicing of Home Loans, Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment, and Specialty Adapted Housing grants. Sample plans* for RELATIONSHIP surveys are designed to ensure that the Veteran has had sufficient time experiencing the service. For example, the sample frame for Compensation and Servicing include Veterans who have been receiving benefits from 6-18 months.

Integrating Results

Although the benchmark study covers both event and relationship studies, both of which span different benefit lines, results will be integrated to enable an overall assessment. Integration can occur because of 2 primary survey design features. The first is the use of standards. The approach is to apply standard scales, wording and question order to enable comparability.

For example, all of our experience rating items use the same 10 point scale and when we ask a Veterans their likelihood informing other Veterans of the benefit we use a common 4 point scale. Additionally, where there is comparability across benefit lines on other items, such as obtaining infomration about the benefits, we ask the same questions and answer options. Standard wording of items have been a hallmark of JDPA measurement approach and cover all core experience dimensions: people, process, presentation, product and, when applicable, price or cost/value. Example of core people items are knowledge, concern, ease, and timeliness are examples of core process items. Additionally, all VBA benchmark surveys also contain an overall rating of the benefit line and an overall rating of all non VBA benefits. The structure of the questionnaire is ordered such that general questions come at the beginning of the survey and include such things as learning about the benefit and method of obtaining information. Following these general questions are experience rating question, then client loyalty and any open ended and optional items.

Contained within this document is an example of the alignment between event and relationship surveys. The tab label "Event (enroll) survey comp" contains a side by side comparisons of the C&P and education enrollment surveys. The tab labeled " Relationship (service) comp" contains a side by side comparison of surveys used in compensation, pension and education servicing.

The second survey design feature that enables comparability is our index methodology**. The JDPA index model is a detailed assessment of the customer experience. The index approach uses statistical methods to determine what elements of the experience are most important to driving overall experience. These weights are then applied to each experience rating item to obtained a weighted experience score that ranges for 100 (very low) to 1,000 (the very best)

The model has been used extensively throughout our organization within 27 commercial industry's to compare competing companies, to assess change over time, to determine areas most critical to customer satisfaction, and to highlight potential improvement opportunities by examining areas with high importance and low performance relative to the competition, customer expectation, or industry benchmarks

* Sample plan--details of the benchmark sample plan by study can be found in the Sample plan tab and each plan was designed to have sufficient data to yield precision of importance weights that are within +/- 2% (on a 100% scale) and +/- 4 points (an a 1,000 point)

** If needed, details of the index methodology will be provided

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Sheet 2: Event(enroll) survey comp

Compensation and Pension Enrollment	Education Enrollment
Compensation sample population definition: Individuals who have received a decision in the past 30 days (includes those who were found eligible on a new or subsequent claim and those who have been denied and are not appealing the decision)	Sample population definition: Beneficiaries who have received a decision on their application within the past 90 days (i.e., the original end-product has been cleared within the past 90 days) and classified in one of the following buckets: (1) Accepted and enrolled or (2) Accepted and not enrolled
Pension sample population definition: Individuals who have received a decision in the past 30 days (includes those who were eligible on a new claim, and those who were denied and are not appealing the decision)
Benefit Information	Benefit Information
1. How did you FIRST learn about VA benefit programs? (Mark only one) If you are unsure, please indicate the first way you remember learning about VA benefit programs.	1.    How did you FIRST learn about the education benefit programs? (Mark only one) If you are unsure, please indicate the first way you remember learning about the education benefit program
a.    VA website	a. VA website
b.    VetSuccess.gov	b. Vetsuccess.gov
c.    eBenefits.va.gov	c. eBenefits.va.gov
d.    Mail (from VA)	d. Mail (from VA)
e.    VA phone number (800-827-1000)	e. VA phone number (800-827-1000)
f.     Transition Assistance Program/Disabled Transition Assistance Program briefings	f. Transition Assistance Program/Disabled Transition Assistance Program briefings
g. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________	g. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________
h.    VA medical center	h. VA medical center
i.      VA Vet center	i. VA Vet center
j.      In person at a Regional Office	j. In person at a Regional Office
k.    Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)	k. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
l.      Visit from a VA employee	l. Personal visit from a VA employee
m.  Other Veterans	m. Other Veterans
n.    Internet (excluding VA and social media sites)	n. Internet (excluding VA and social media sites)
o.    Friends or family	o. Friends or family
	p. Information came with notification/ratings letter
p.    Other publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspapers, etc.)	q. Other Publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspaper, etc.)
q.    Other (Specify) ___________________	r. Other (Specify) ___________________
r.     Don’t know or not sure	s. Don’t know or not sure
2. What method(s) do you MOST FREQUENTLY use to obtain general information about VA’s benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)	2. What method(s) do you MOST FREQUENTLY use to obtain general information about VA’s education benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)
a.    Phone	a. Phone
b.    Mail	b. Mail
c.    E-mail	c. E-mail
d.    In person at a Regional Office	d. In person at a Regional Office
e.    Veterans Service Organizations e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) _________________	e. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ______________
f.     Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program	f. Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program
g.    VA website	g. VA website
h.    VetSuccess.gov	h. VetSuccess.gov
i.      eBenefits.va.gov	i. eBenefits.va.gov
j.      Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)	j. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
k.    Other websites (excluding VA or social media sites)	k. Other websites (excluding VA or social media sites)
l.      VA medical center	l. VA medical center
m.  VA Vet center	m. VA Vet center
n.    Friends or family	n. Friends or family
o.    Other publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspapers, etc.)	o. Other Publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspaper, etc.)
	p. Certifying official at school
p.    Other (Specify) ___________________	q. Other (Specify) ___________________
q.    Don’t know or not sure	r. Don’t know or not sure
r.     None of the above	s. None of the above
	3. How did the VA provide you information about the application process for your most recent education benefit application? (Mark all that apply)
	a. Transition Assistance Program/Disabled Transition Assistance Program briefings
	b. Phone
	c. Mail
	d. E-mail
	e. Pamphlets/brochures
	f. VA website
	g. VA medical center
	h. In person at a Regional Office
	i. Veterans Service Organizations e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________
	j. Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program
	k. Certifying official at school
	l. Other (Specify) ___________________
	m. Don’t know or not sure
	n. Did not receive information about application process
3. How frequently would you like to receive communications (e.g., e-mails, letters, newsletters, etc.) about VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)	4. How frequently would you like to receive communications (e.g., e-mails, letters, newsletters, etc.) from VA about education benefits or services? (Mark only one)
a.    Weekly	a. Weekly
b.    Monthly	b. Monthly
c.    Quarterly (every 3 months)	c. Quarterly (every 3 months)
d.    Semi-annually (twice per year)	d. Semi-annually (twice per year)
e.    Annually (once per year)	e. Annually (once per year)
f.     Don’t know or not sure	f. Don’t know or not sure
4. How would you like to receive information from VA about applying for VA benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)	5. How would you like to receive information from VA about applying for education benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)
a.    Phone	a. Phone
b.    Mail	b. Mail
c.    E-mail	c. E-mail
d.    VA website	d. VA website
e.    Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)	e. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
f.     In person at a Regional Office	f. In person at a Regional Office
g.    Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________	g. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________
h.    Other (Specify) ___________________	h. Other (Specify) ___________________
i.      Don’t know or not sure	i. Don’t know or not sure
The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with Compensation and Pension using a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with education, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.
5. When thinking about your most frequently used methods of communication please rate your experience in obtaining information about your benefit application on the following items: (Mark only one per row)	6. When thinking about your most frequently used methods of communication please rate your experience obtaining information about your education benefit application on the following items: (Mark only one per row)
a.    Ease of accessing information	a. Ease of accessing information
b.    Availability of information	b. Availability of information
c.    Clarity of information	c. Clarity of information
d.    Usefulness of information	d. Usefulness of information
e.    Frequency of information provided by VA	e. Frequency of information provided by VA
f.     Overall rating of information	f. Overall rating of information
Contact with VA	Contact with VA
6.        During the past 6 months, did you contact anyone from VA about the benefit application process? (Mark only one)	7.        During the past 6 months, did you contact anyone from VA about the education benefit application process? (Mark only one)
a.    Yes	a. Yes
b.    No	b. No
(Ask Q7-Q12 if Q6 is yes, otherwise go to Q13)	(Ask Q8-Q13 if Q7 is yes, otherwise go to Q14)
7.        Which of the following best describes the reason for your most recent contact? (Mark only one)	8.        Which of the following best describes the reason for your most recent contact? (Mark only one)
a.    Resolve a problem	a. Resolve a problem
b.    Ask a question	b. Ask a question
c.    Request a change to your records/provide information	c. Request a change to your records/provide information
8.        Can you briefly describe the nature of your most recent contact? (Mark all that apply)	9.        Can you briefly describe the nature of your most recent contact? (Mark all that apply)
a.    Change your address or direct deposit information	a. Change your address or direct deposit information
b.    Report the death of an individual who received VA benefits	b. Report the death of an individual who received VA benefits
c.    Report that you did not receive your VA check or direct deposit	c. Report that you did not receive your monthly stipend or book allowance
	d. Submit monthly verification of enrollment
	e. Check on the status of your claim
d.    Report a problem with a VA customer service representative	f. Report a problem with a VA customer service representative
e.    Ask a general question	g. Ask a general question
f.     Obtain information about submitting/re-opening a claim	h. Obtain information about submitting a claim
	i. Question about a payment amount
g.    Other (Specify) ___________________	j. Other (Specify) ___________________
9.        Thinking about your most recent contact, how did you contact VA? (Mark only one)	10.     Thinking about your most recent contact, how did you contact VA? (Mark only one)
a.    Phone	a. Phone
b.    Fax	b. Fax
c.    Website	c. Website
d.    E-mail	d. E-mail
e.    Mail	e. Mail
f.     In person	f. In person
10.     Was your most recent issue resolved? (Mark only one)	11.     Was your most recent issue resolved? (Mark only one)
a.    Yes	a.    Yes
b.    No	b.    No
(Ask Q11 if Q10 is No, otherwise go to Q12	(Ask Q12 if Q11 is No, otherwise go to Q13)
11. Why wasn’t your most recent issue resolved?	12. Why wasn’t your most recent issue resolved?
a.    Did not receive all of the information required	a.    Did not receive all of the information required
b.    Received incorrect information	b.    Received incorrect information
c.    Was referred to the incorrect office/person	c.    Was referred to the incorrect office/person
d.    Waiting for follow-up from VA	d.    Waiting for follow-up from VA
e.    Other (Specify) ____________________	e.    Other (Specify) ____________________
f.     Don't know or not sure	f.     Don't know or not sure
12.     Thinking of your most recent contact with the VA, how would you rate your overall customer service experience with the VA or VA representatives using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.	13.     Thinking of your most recent contact with the VA, how would you rate your overall customer service experience with the VA or VA representatives using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.
Benefit Eligibility and Application Process	Benefit Eligibility and Application Process
	14. Relative to your separation from active duty, when did you begin to think about or plan the use of your education benefit? (Open Capture) Please respond using one of the following categories.
	a. Prior to separation (Specify months: 0-24 months) ________________
	b. After separation (Specify months: 0-24 months) ____________
	c. After separation (Specify years: 2 -10 years) ____________
	d. Don’t know or not sure
	15. Thinking about your most recent application for education benefits, which of the following benefits were you applying/reapplying for? (Mark all that apply)
	a. Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33 of Title 38, U.S. Code)
	b. Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (Chapter 30 of Title 38, U.S. Code)
	c. Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606 of Title 10, U.S. Code)
	d. Reserve Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 1607 of Title 10, U.S. Code)
	e. Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35 of Title 38, U.S. Code)
	f. Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 32 of Title 38, U.S. Code)
	g. Educational Assistance Test Program (Section 901 of Public Law 96-342)
	h. National Call to Service Program (Section 510 of Chapter 31 of Title 10, U.S. Code)
	i. Other (Specify) ___________________
	j. Don’t know or not sure
13. Thinking about your most recent application, did someone from VA (e.g., call center representative, office staff, etc.) provide you with information about the benefit application process?	16. For your most recent application, did someone from VA (e.g., call center representative, office staff, etc.) provide you with information about the education benefit application process? (Mark only one)
a.    Yes	a. Yes
b.    No	b. No
c.    Don’t know or not sure	c. Don’t know or not sure
	d. Not applicable
14. Thinking about your most recent benefit application, what method did you use to apply for your benefit? (Mark only one)	17. Thinking about your most recent education benefit application, what method did you use to apply for your benefit? (Mark only one)
a.    Veterans Online Application	a. Veterans Online Application
b.    Mail	b. Mail
c.    In person at a Regional Office	c. In person at a Regional Office
d.    In person at a Veterans Service Organization e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc.	d. In person at a Veterans Service Organization, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________
	e. In person at school through a certifying official
e.    Other (Specify) ___________________	f. Other (Specify) ___________________
f.     Don’t know or not sure	g. Don’t know or not sure
15. After you submitted your application, did you receive a letter from VA notifying you that your claim was received?
a.    Yes
b.    No
c.    Don’t know or unsure
(Ask Q16-23 if Q15 is Yes, otherwise go to Q24)
16. Thinking about the letter, was it clear and easy to understand? (Mark only one)
a.    Not at all clear
b.    Somewhat clear
c.    Completely clear
d.    Don’t know or not sure
e.    I did not read the letter
17. Did you contact VA to obtain clarification about any of the letters you received?
a.    Yes
b.    No
c.    Don’t know or not sure
18. Did you provide VA with the documentation that was requested in the letter(s)? (Mark only one)
a.    Yes
b.    No
c.    Nothing was requested
d.    Don’t know or not sure
(Ask Q19 if Q18 is yes, otherwise go to Q21)
19. How did you submit the documentation to VA that was requested in the letter? (Mark only one)
a.    Mail
b.    In person at a Regional Office
c.    Through a Veterans Service Organization, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc.
d.    Other (Specify) ___________________
e.    Don’t know or not sure
20. What is your preferred method to submit the documentation to VA that was requested in the letter(s)? (Mark only one)
a.    Mail
b.    In person at a Regional Office
c.    Online (ebenefits/ Veterans Online Application)
d.    Through a Veterans Service Organization, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc.
e.    Other (Specify) ___________________
f.     Don’t know or not sure
21. Did you receive a subsequent letter for requesting information in support of your claim from VA? (Mark only one)
a.    Yes
b.    No
c.    Don’t know or not sure
22. During the application process, did you have to provide the same information more than once? (Mark only one)
a.    Yes
b.    No
c.    Don’t know or not sure
(Ask Q23 if Q22 is Yes, otherwise go to Q24)
23. What information did you have to provide more than once? (Mark all that apply)
a.    Discharge papers (DD214)
b.    Service treatment records
c.    Private medical records
d.    Other (Specify) ___________________
e.    Don’t know or not sure
	(Ask Q18 if Q17(e), otherwise go to Q19)
	18. Prior to receiving this survey, were you aware that your school's certifying official is not an employee of the VA? (Mark only one)
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
	19. Did VA confirm receipt of your application? (Mark only one)
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
	20. From the time you submitted your application, how long did it take to receive a letter explaining your eligibility for education benefits? (Open Capture) Please respond using any or all of the following categories
	a. Days (0-99 days) ____________
	b. Months (0-99 months) _____________
	c. Did not need certificate of eligibility (Specify) ___________________
	d. Don’t know or not sure
The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with your benefit application using a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with education benefits, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.
24. Please rate your experience with the benefit application process on the following items: (Mark only one per row)	21. Please rate your experience with the education benefit application process on the following items: (Mark only one per row)
a.    Ease of completing the application	a. Ease of completing the application
b.    Timeliness of eligibility/entitlement notification	b. Timeliness of eligibility notification
c.    Flexibility of application methods	c. Flexibility of application methods
d.    Overall rating of application process	d. Overall rating of application process
(Ask Q25-Q27 if previously found ineligible for VA benefits, otherwise go to Q21)
25. If you were previously found ineligible for VA benefit payments, did you understand why you were found ineligible? (Mark only one)	22. If you were previously found ineligible for education benefits, why were you found ineligible? (Mark all that apply)
a.    Yes	a. Did not meet eligibility requirements
b.    No	b. Missing/insufficient documentation
c.    Don’t know or not sure	c. Other (Specify) ___________________
	d. Don’t know or not sure
26. Were you provided information about how to appeal your decision? (Mark only one)
a.    Yes
b.    No
c.    Don’t know or not sure
27. Using a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average, please rate the clarity of the information you were provided about appealing your decision.
Benefit Entitlement	Benefit Entitlement
	23. Are you eligible to transfer your benefits to a spouse and/or dependent child? (Mark only one)
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
	(Ask Q24 if Q23 is yes, otherwise go to Q25)
	24. Have you already or do you intend to transfer your benefits to a spouse and/or dependent child? (Mark only one)
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with your benefit payment using a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with the Education program, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.
28. Please rate your benefit payment on the following items: (Mark only one per row)	25. Please rate your education benefit entitlement on the following items: (Mark only one per row)
a.    Amount of benefit payment	a. Amount of financial assistance
	b. Effectiveness of benefit in helping you achieve your educational or vocational goal
b.    Timeliness of receiving initial benefit payment	c. Timeliness of receiving benefit payment
c.    Overall rating of your benefit payment	d. Overall rating of benefit payment
Overall Application Experience	Overall Application Experience
29. Thinking about ALL aspects of your experience applying for your compensation or pension benefit, please rate VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	26.     Thinking about ALL aspects of your application experience applying for your education benefits, please rate VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)
Overall Experience with VA	Overall Experience with VA
30. Taking into consideration all of the non-medical benefits (e.g., education, compensation and pension, home loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation and employment, insurance, etc.) you have applied for or currently receive, please rate your experience with VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	27.     Taking into consideration all of the non-medical benefits (e.g., education, compensation and pension, home loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation and employment, insurance, etc.) you have applied for or currently receive, please rate your experience with VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)
31. How likely are you to inform other Veterans or beneficiaries about your experience VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)	28.     How likely are you to inform other Veterans or beneficiaries about your experience with VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)
a.    Definitely will not	a. Definitely will not
b.    Probably will not	b. Probably will not
c.    Probably will	c. Probably will
d.    Definitely will	d. Definitely will
	School Marketing/Recruiter
	29.     How did the marketing materials or recruiter at the school/university in which you are enrolled influence your decision to enroll in that program. (Mark only one)
	a. Definitely did not influence my decision
	b. Somewhat influenced my decision
	c. Absolutely influenced my decision
	30.     To what degree was your experience consistent with what was presented to you in any marketing materials or by a recruiter? (Mark only one)
	a. Not at all consistent
	b. Somewhat consistent
	c. Very consistent
	31.     Was your experience with the program you enrolled in... (Mark only one)
	a. Harder than you expected
	b. What you expected
	c. Easier than you expected
	32.     Do you have any comments you would like to add regarding the marketing efforts or recruiter from the school/university you enrolled in? (Open Capture)
	___________________________________________________
Optional Questions	Optional Questions
The following questions are optional. As a reminder, your responses will be kept completely confidential and will not affect any current or future benefits you may receive.	The following questions are optional.
33. How are you currently using or intending to use your benefit payment? (Mark all that apply)
a.    Rent/mortgage payment
b.    Paying bills
c.    Paying down debt
d.    Education expenses
e.    Establishing savings
f.     Other (Specify) ___________________
g.    Prefer not to state
h.    Don’t know or not sure
34. Would you like to provide an e-mail address so VA can contact you with general information about VA benefits and services? (Mark only one)	33. Would you like to provide an e-mail address so VA can contact you with general information about VA benefits and services? (Mark only one)
a.    Yes	a. Yes
b.    No	b. No
c.    I do not have an e-mail address	c. I do not have an e-mail address
d.    Prefer not to answer	d. Prefer not to answer
(Ask Q35 if Yes in Q34)	(Ask Q34 if Yes in Q33)
35. Please enter your preferred e-mail address where you would like to be contacted: (Open Capture)	34. Please enter your preferred e-mail address where you would like to be contacted: (Open Capture)
a.    E-mail:	a. E-mail:
36. Do you have any other comments or concerns about your experience? (Open Capture)	69. Do you have any other comments or concerns about your experience? (Open Capture)
____________________________________________________	____________________________________________________

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Sheet 3: C&P_Enrollment_Map

C&P enrollment items
Question #	Question	Source	Purpose of item	Rationale
Factor 1	Benefit Information		Allows us to determine if Veteran experience differs based on informational needs and usage patterns during enrollment for a benefit	Satisfaction with the enrollment experience may be higher or lower dependent upon Veterans' informational needs and usage patterns during their application. The informational needs and usage patterns will be determined in this section. These questions will help us differentiate Veteran satisfaction based on benefit informational needs and usage, identify areas where improvements to the process can occur and prioritize them based on the impact of the Benefit Information factor to overall Veteran satisfaction.
1	How did you FIRST learn about VA benefit programs? (Mark only one) If you are unsure, please indicate the first way you remember learning about VA benefit programs.	Outreach Requirement	Identify usage of available information sources	This will be used to assess Veteran point-of-entry and most frequent source for finding information about VA benefits and to evaluate usage patterns. This information will be used in the context of overall satisfaction with benefit information, including ease of accessing, availability, usefulness, and clarity of information and identifying information sources where any of these attributes has the potential for improvement.
	a. VA website
	b. VetSuccess.gov
	c. eBenefits.va.gov
	d. Mail (from VA)
	e. VA phone number (800-827-1000)
	f. Transition Assistance Program/Disabled Transition Assistance Program briefings
	g. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________
	h. VA medical center
	i. VA Vet center
	j. In person at a Regional Office
	k. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
	l. Visit from a VA employee
	m. Other Veterans
	n. Internet (excluding VA and social media sites)
	o. Friends or family
	p. Other publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspapers, etc.)
	q. Other (Specify) ___________________
	r. Don’t know or not sure
2	What method(s) do you MOST FREQUENTLY use to obtain general information about VA’s benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)	Outreach Requirement	Identify most preferred communication channel for benefits information	This question will assess the optimal channel of communications to help maintain an optimal communication strategy for outreach to Veterans about their benefits.
	a. Phone
	b. Mail
	c. E-mail
	d. In person at a Regional Office
	e. Veterans Service Organizations e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) _________________
	f. Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program
	g. VA website
	h. VetSuccess.gov
	i. eBenefits.va.gov
	j. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
	k. Other websites (excluding VA or social media sites)
	l. VA medical center
	m. VA Vet center
	n. Friends or family
	o. Other publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspapers, etc.)
	p. Other (Specify) ___________________
	q. Don’t know or not sure
	r. None of the above
3	How frequently would you like to receive communications (e.g., e-mails, letters, newsletters, etc.) about VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)	Outreach Requirement	Measures the frequency of communications received from VA about their benefits	This question will assess the optimal frequency of communications, in addition to the number of communications, to help maintain an optimal communication strategy for outreach to Veterans about their benefits.
	a. Weekly
	b. Monthly
	c. Quarterly (every 3 months)
	d. Semi-annually (twice per year)
	e. Annually (once per year)
	g. Don’t know or not sure
4	How would you like to receive information from VA about applying for VA benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)	Outreach Requirement	Assess Veterans' preferred communication methods	This question will help to assess the most desired methods of communication about VA benefits or services and help guide the strategy for information outreach to Veterans.
	a. Phone
	b. Mail
	c. E-mail
	d. VA website
	e. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
	f. In person at a Regional Office
	g. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________
	h. Other (Specify) ___________________
	i. Don’t know or not sure
5	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with Compensation and Pension using a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.
	When thinking about your most frequently used methods of communication please rate your experience in obtaining information about your benefit application on the following items: (Mark only one per row)		These items will be used in the development of the index model, which will determine the factors that have the largest impact on the overall Veteran experience with the enrollment for their benefit.	Satisfaction with the benefit information represents one of the main elements of Veterans' experience with the enrollment for their benefit. These items represent key attributes in the enrollment process and will be compared to other factors to determine the areas of improvement with the greatest overall impact. These metrics will also allow us to compare the experience of Veterans with different information usage patterns and informational needs during the enrollment for their benefit.
	a. Ease of accessing information	VBA Performance Metric
	b. Availability of information	VBA Performance Metric
	c. Clarity of information	VBA Performance Metric
	d. Usefulness of information	VBA Performance Metric
	e. Frequency of information provided by VA	VBA Performance Metric
	f. Overall rating of information	VBA Performance Metric
Factor 2	Contact with VA		Determine if Veteran experience differs based on the level of contact and issue resolution during benefit enrollment	Satisfaction with the enrollment experience may be higher or lower dependent upon Veterans' level of contact and issue resolution during and immediately after the enrollment process. The level of contact will be determined in this section. These questions will help us differentiate Veteran satisfaction based on level of contact and issue resolution, identify areas where improvements to the process can occur and prioritize them based on the impact of the Contact factor to overall Veteran satisfaction.
6	During the past 6 months, did you contact anyone from VA about the benefit application process? (Mark only one)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Assess whether or not contact occurred	This question allows us to assess whether or not someone has had a contact with VA about their benefit recently enough to evaluate their experience with the contact. Individuals who have had recent contact with VA about their benefit may exhibit different levels of satisfaction than those who have not had recent contact. This question allows us to assess the variation between these two groups.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	(Ask Q7-Q12 if Q6 is yes, otherwise go to Q13)
7	Which of the following best describes the reason for your most recent contact? (Mark only one)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Evaluate the reason for the call	The reason for calling may contribute to the satisfaction related to the call experience. It is important to understand how satisfaction varies based on the type of call. This information will be used in conjunction with the VBA Call Center Satisfaction Research to analyze methods of contact/resolution.
	a. Resolve a problem
	b. Ask a question
	c. Request a change to your records/provide information
8	Can you briefly describe the nature of your most recent contact? (Mark all that apply)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Assess the nature of the call	Understand the specific reason for the call to help identify potential needs of various groups of Veterans and the ability of VA to respond to those needs. This information may assist in developing actionable recommendations for training, information communication, etc. This information will be used in conjunction with the VBA Call Center Satisfaction Research to analyze methods of contact/resolution.
	a. Change your address or direct deposit information
	b. Report the death of an individual who received VA benefits
	c. Report that you did not receive your VA check or direct deposit
	d. Report a problem with a VA customer service representative
	f. Obtain information about submitting/re-opening a claim
	g. Other (Specify) ___________________
9	Thinking about your most recent contact, how did you contact VA? (Mark only one)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Allows us to measure the satisfaction with various methods of communication	Veterans' experiences with contacting VA may differ based on the method they use for contact. This may highlight contact methods that are used most frequently by Veterans and help identify processes VA can use to optimize those communication channels.
	a. Phone
	b. Fax
	c. Website
	d. E-mail
	e. Mail
	f. In person
10	Was your most recent issue resolved? (Mark only one)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Allows us to measure issue resolution	Veterans who have their issue resolved upon contacting VA may have different levels of satisfaction than those who do not have their issue resolved. This will allow us to set benchmarks for issue resolution and identify areas where contact can be improved based on the reason or nature of the call. This information will be used in conjunction with the VBA Call Center Satisfaction Research to analyze methods of contact/resolution.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	(Ask Q11 if Q10 is No, otherwise go to Q12)
11	Why wasn’t your most recent issue resolved? (Mark all that apply)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Allows us to identify the reasons why issues were not resolved	This is important because it allows us to evaluate the reasons why there may be different levels of resolution depending on the nature and or reason for the call and assist in developing actionable courses of action based on study results.
	a. Did not receive all of the information required
	b. Received incorrect information
	c. Was referred to the incorrect office/person
	d. Waiting for follow-up from VA
	e. Other (Specify) _______________
	f. Don't know or not sure
12	Thinking of your most recent contact with the VA, how would you rate your overall customer service experience with the VA or VA representatives using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	VBA Performance Metric	These items will be used in the development of the index model, which will determine the factors that have the largest impact on the overall Veteran experience with the enrollment for their benefit.	Satisfaction with Contacting VA represents one of the main elements of Veterans' experience with the enrollment for their benefit. These items represent key attributes in the ongoing servicing process and will be compared to other factors to determine the areas of improvement with the greatest overall impact. These metrics will also allow us to compare the experience of Veterans with different levels of contact during and immediation following the enrollment their benefit.
Factor 3	Benefit Eligibility and Application Process		Determine if Veteran experience differs based on the level of engagement with VBA during the application process	Satisfaction with the servicing experience may be higher or lower dependent upon the level of interaction a Veteran has with VBA during the application process. The level of interaction will be determined based on the various experiences a Veteran might have during the application for benefits. Questions focused on these various experiences will help us differentiate Veteran satisfaction based on the various touch points related to their benefit eligibility and application, identify areas where improvements to the process can occur and prioritize them based on the impact of the Benefit Eligibility and Application Process factor to overall Veteran satisfaction.
13	Thinking about your most recent application, did someone from VA (e.g., call center representative, office staff, etc.) provide you with information about the benefit application process?	Application Experience Requirement	Assess receipt of information about application process	Veteran satisfaction with the application process may differ based on whether or not they received information about the application process.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
14	Thinking about your most recent benefit application, what method did you use to apply for your benefit? (Mark only one)	2004 C&P Satisfaction Study	Measure the effectiveness of various methods of applying for a benefit	Veteran satisfaction may differ based on the method they used to apply for their benefit. This will help to identify areas where Veterans are experiencing difficulty with the process and potential opportunities for improvement.
	a. Veterans Online Application
	b. Mail
	c. In person at a Regional Office
	d. In person at a Veterans Service Organization e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc.
	e. Other (Specify) ___________________
	f. Don’t know or not sure
15	After you submitted your application, did you receive a letter from VA notifying you of the receipt of your claim? (Mark only one)	2004 C&P Satisfaction Study	Measure Veterans' receipt of the letter that is sent to upon application submittal	This question will be used to document receipt of the letter that is sent upon application submittal and evaluate how receipt of the document may tie to the Veteran experience.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
	(Ask Q16-23 if Q15 is Yes, otherwise go to Q24)
16	Thinking about the letter, was it clear and easy to understand? (Mark only one)	2004 C&P Satisfaction Study	Allows us to measure the efficacy of the letter in terms of the letter's usability	Veteran satisfaction may differ based on whether they had difficulty understanding the information provided in the standard form letter. Since information in the letter is intended to assist Veterans, this information will also help us understand if the letter is serving the intended purpose.
	a. Not at all clear
	b. Somewhat clear
	c. Completely clear
	d. Don’t know or not sure
	e.  I did not read the letter
17	Did you contact VA to obtain clarification about any of the letters you received? (Mark only one)	2004 C&P Satisfaction Study	Allows us to determine if the Veteran had an additional level of engagement with VBA related to the letter	Veterans who felt the letter was not completely clear may reach out to VBA for clarification. This question will be evaluated based on the Veterans' level of satisfaction to determine whether or not the additional level of contact impacts the Veterans' experience positively or negatively.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
18	Did you provide VA with the documentation that was requested in the letter? (Mark only one)	Application Experience Requirement	Allow us to determine if the Veteran had an additional level of engagement with VBA related to having to provide additional information	Veteran satisfaction may differ based on whether or not they have to provide additional information as a supplement to their original application. This will help us identify an area of potential improvement based on a comparison of levels of satisfaction between those who did have to submit additional information versus those who did not.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Nothing was requested
	d. Don’t know or not sure
	(Ask Q19 if Q18 is yes, otherwise go to Q21)
19	How did you submit the documentation to VA that was requested in the letter? (Mark only one)	Application Experience Requirement	Measure the effectiveness of various methods of submitting additional information	Among those who submitted an application for benefits, Veteran satisfaction may differ based on the method they used to submit additional information. This will help to identify areas where Veterans are experiencing difficulty with the process and potential opportunities for improvement.
	a. Mail
	b. In person at a Regional Office
	c. In person at a Veterans Service Organization, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc.
	d. Other (Specify) ___________________
	e. Don’t know or not sure
20	What is your preferred method to submit the documentation to VA that was requested in the letter?	Contact Assessment	Identify most preferred communication channel for requested documentation	This question will help to assess the most desired methods of communication about VA benefits or services and help guide the strategy for information outreach to Veterans.
	a. Mail
	b. In person at a Regional Office
	c. Online (ebenefits/ Veterans Online Application)
	d. In person at a Veterans Service Organization, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc.
	e. Other (Specify) ___________________
	f. Don’t know or not sure
21	Did you receive a subsequent letter requesting information in support of your claim from VA? (Mark only one)	Application Experience Requirement	Allow us to determine if the Veteran had an additional level of engagement with VBA in support of a claim	Veteran satisfaction may differ based on whether or not they received a letter requesting additional information in support of a claim. This will help us identify an area of potential improvement based on a comparison of levels of satisfaction between those who received a letter requesting additional information in support of a claim versus those who did not.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
22	During the application process, did you have to provide the same information more than once? (Mark only one)	2004 C&P Satisfaction Study	Allow us to determine if the Veteran had an additional level of engagement with VBA related to having to provide duplicate information	Veteran satisfaction may differ based on whether or not they have to provide duplicate information after submitting their original application. This will help us identify an area of potential improvement based on a comparison of levels of satisfaction between those who did have to submit duplicate information versus those who did not.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
	(Ask Q23 if Q22 is Yes, otherwise go to Q24)
23	What information did you have to provide more than once? (Mark all that apply)	Application Experience Requirement	Determine the type of information provided more than once	It is important to determine the types of information that are typically provided more than once to develop actionable recommendations related to reducing redundant processes. This question will assist in determining actionable recommendations for improving the Veteran experience related to providing duplicate information.
	a. Discharge papers (DD214)
	b. Service treatment records
	c. Private medical records
	d. Other (Specify) ___________________
	e. Don’t know or not sure
24	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with your benefit application using a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.		These items will be used in the development of the index model, which will determine the factors that have the largest impact on the overall Veteran experience with the benefit enrollment process.	Satisfaction with benefit eligibility and application process represents one of the main elements of Veterans' experience with the benefit enrollment process. These items represent key attributes in the enrollment process and will be compared to other factors to determine the areas of improvement with the greatest overall impact. These metrics will also allow us to compare the experience of Veterans with different levels of engagement with VBA during enrollment for their benefit.
	Please rate your experience with the benefit application process on the following items:	VBA Performance Metric
	a. Ease of completing the application	VBA Performance Metric
	b. Timeliness of eligibility/entitlement notification	VBA Performance Metric
	c. Flexibility of application methods	VBA Performance Metric
	d. Overall rating of application process	VBA Performance Metric
	(Ask Q25-Q27 if previously found ineligible for VA benefits, otherwise go to Q21)
25	If you were previously found ineligible for VA benefit payments, did you understand why were you found ineligible? (Mark only one)	Benefit Eligibility Requirement	Measures the level of understanding of the appeal decision	Veterans who understood the decision may be more satisfied with the process overall than those who did not understand the decision. This allows us to measure whether or not Veterans' understand the information they are given and potentially identifies an area where the Veteran experience can be improved.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
26	Were you provided information about how to appeal your entitlement decision? (Mark only one)	Benefit Experience Requirement	Measures Veteran receipt of information and awareness of the appeals process	Veterans who have received information about how to appeal may be more satisfied with the process than whose who have not received this information.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
27	Using a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average, please rate the clarity of the information you were provided about appealing your entitlement decision.	VBA Performance Metric	Assesses the clarity of information provided about appealing the entitlement decision	This question will be combined with Q18 to assess variations in satisfaction based on the clarity of information Veterans receive. This is a question that will assist in determining a potential area for improving the Veteran experience.
Factor 4	Benefit Entitlement
28	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with your benefit payment using a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.
	Please rate your benefit payment on the following items: (Mark only one per row)		These items will be used in the development of the index model, which will determine the factors that have the largest impact on the overall Veteran experience with the enrollment for their benefit.	Satisfaction with the benefit entitlement represents one of the main elements of Veterans' experience with the enrollment for their benefit. These items represent key attributes in the ongoing servicing process and will be compared to other factors to determine the areas of improvement with the greatest overall impact. These metrics will also allow us to compare the experience of Veterans with different levels of engagement with VBA during the enrollment for their benefit.
	a. Amount of benefit payment	VBA Performance Metric
	b. Timeliness of receiving initial benefit payment	VBA Performance Metric
	c. Overall rating of benefit payment	VBA Performance Metric
	Overall Application Experience
29	Thinking about ALL aspects of your experience applying for your compensation or pension benefit, please rate VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	VBA Performance Metric	This item will be used in the development of the index model and will assist in creating an overall satisfaction score at the benefit enrollment level.	All factors will be assessed in the context of the overall satisfaction score to understand the relative importance of each factor on Veterans' overall satisfaction.
	Overall Experience with VA
30	Taking into consideration all of the non-medical benefits (e.g., education, compensation and pension, home loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation and employment, insurance, etc.) you have applied for or currently receive, please rate your experience with VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	VBA Performance Metric	This item will be used in the development of an index model for VBA overall across benefit lines and benefit status types (enrollment and servicing).	Overall satisfaction with each benefit line at the enrollment and servicing level will be evaluated in the context of the overall experience with VA to understand the relative impact of different experiences across benefit lines.
31	How likely are you to inform other Veterans or beneficiaries about your experience with VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)	VBA Performance Metric	Assess Veteran advocacy of VA benefits or services	Veterans with a more positive experience with the benefit line and VA overall may be more likely to positively advocate VA to their peers. This question will help identify changes in advocacy based on changes in the level of satisfaction over time.
	a. Definitely will not
	b. Probably will not
	c. Probably will
	d. Definitely will
32	Do you have any other comments or concerns about your experience? (Open Capture)	Benefit Experience Requirement	Allow Veterans' the opportunity to provide additional information related to their experience	Veterans' may have additional information related to their experience that will help understand and interpret their overall experience. This may include elements of the experience that are not easily captured in quantitative form.
	Optional Respondent Questions
	The following questions are optional. As a reminder, your responses will be kept completely confidential and will not affect any current or future benefits you may receive.
33	How are you currently using or intending to use your benefit payment? (Mark all that apply)	Socio-Economic Differentiator for Congress/VA Leadership	Assess the usage of the benefit payment	Veterans who have different experiences in the enrollment for their benefit may have different levels of satisfaction or exhibit different needs based on how they are using their benefit payment. For example, someone who is using their benefit payment for savings may be less impacted than someone who is using it for a rent/mortgage payment. This helps assess Veterans' needs.
	a. Rent/mortgage payment
	b. Paying bills
	c. Paying down debt
	d. Education expenses
	e. Establishing savings
	f. Other (Specify) ___________________
	g. Prefer not to state
	h. Don’t know or not sure
34	Would you like to provide an e-mail address so VA can contact you with general information about VA benefits and services? (Mark only one)	Contact Assessment	Opt-in for future contact by VA	Consent to contact respondent with more information on benefits and programs
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. I do not have an e-mail address
	d. Prefer not to answer
	(Ask Q45 if Yes in Q44)
35	Please enter your preferred e-mail address where you would like to be contacted: (Open Capture)	Contact Assessment	Email contact information	Send additional information from VA to veterans - i.e. eBenefits information
	a. E-mail:

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Sheet 4: Relationship(service)comp

Compensation Servicing	Pension Servicing	Education Servicing
Sample population definition: Individuals who received a decision or were receiving benefit payments between 6-18 months ago	Sample population definition: Individuals who have currently been receiving benefits for at least 6 months or individuals who received a decision 12 months ago	Sample population definition: Beneficiary who has been enrolled and receiving benefit payments for at least 2 consecutive school terms
Benefit Information	Benefit Information	Benefit Information
1. How did you FIRST learn about VA benefit programs? (Mark only one) If you are unsure, please indicate the first way you remember learning about VA benefit programs.	1. How did you FIRST learn about VA benefit programs? (Mark only one) If you are unsure, please indicate the first way you remember learning about VA benefit programs.	1.    How did you FIRST learn about the education benefit programs? (Mark only one) If you are unsure, please indicate the first way you remember learning about the education benefit programs.
a. VA website	a.    VA website	a.    VA website
b. VetSuccess.gov	b.    VetSuccess.gov	b.    VetSuccess.gov
c. eBenefits.va.gov	c.    eBenefits.va.gov	c.    eBenefits.va.gov
d. Mail (from VA)	d.    Mail (from VA)	d.    Mail (from VA)
e. VA phone number (800-827-1000)	e.    VA phone number (800-827-1000)	e.    VA phone number (800-827-1000)
f. Transition Assistance Program/Disabled Transition Assistance Program briefings	f.     Transition Assistance Program/Disabled Transition Assistance Program briefings	f.     Transition Assistance Program/Disabled Transition Assistance Program briefings
g. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________	g.    Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________	g.    Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________
h. VA medical center	h.    VA medical center	h.    VA medical center
i. VA Vet center	i.      VA Vet center	i.      VA Vet center
j. In person at a Regional Office	j.      In person at a Regional Office	j.      In person at a Regional Office
k. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)	k.    Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)	k.    Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
l. Visit from a VA employee	l.      Visit from a VA employee	l.      Visit from a VA employee
m. Other Veterans	m.  Other Veterans	m.  Other Veterans
n. Internet (excluding VA and social media sites)	n.    Internet (excluding VA and social media sites)	n.    Internet (excluding VA and social media sites)
o. Friends or family	o.    Friends or family	o.    Friends or family
		p.    Information came with notification/ratings letter
p. Other publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspaper, etc.)	p.    Other publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspaper, etc.)	q.    Other Publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspaper, etc.)
q. Other (Specify) ___________________	q.    Other (Specify) ___________________	r.     Other (Specify) ___________________
r. Don’t know or not sure	r.     Don’t know or not sure	s.    Don’t know or not sure
2. What method(s) do you MOST FREQUENTLY use to obtain general information about VA benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)	2. What method(s) do you MOST FREQUENTLY use to obtain general information about VA’s benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)	2.    What method(s) do you MOST FREQUENTLY use to obtain general information about VA’s education benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)
a. Phone	a.    Phone	a.    Phone
b. Mail	b.    Mail	b.    Mail
c. E-mail	c.    E-mail	c.    E-mail
d. In person at a Regional Office	d.    In person at a Regional Office	d.    In person at a Regional Office
e. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________	e.    Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________	e.    Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ______________
f. Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program	f.     Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program	f.     Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program
g. VA website	g.    VA website	g.    VA website
h. VetSuccess.gov	h.    VetSuccess.gov	h.    VetSuccess.gov
i. eBenefits.va.gov	i.      eBenefits.va.gov	i.      eBenefits.va.gov
j. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)	j.      Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)	j.      Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
k. Other websites (excluding VA or social media sites)	k.    Other websites (excluding VA or social media sites)	k.    Other websites (excluding VA or social media sites)
l. VA medical center	l.      VA medical center	l.      VA medical center
m. VA Vet center	m.  VA Vet center	m.  VA Vet center
n. Friends or family	n.    Friends or family	n.    Friends or family
o. Other publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspaper, etc.)	o.    Other publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspaper, etc.)	o.    Other Publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspaper, etc.)
		p.    Certifying official at school
p. Other (Specify) ___________________	p.    Other (Specify) ___________________	q.    Other (Specify) ___________________
q. Don’t know or not sure	q.    Don’t know or not sure	r.     Don’t know or not sure
r. None of the above	r.     None of the above	s.    None of the above
3. How frequently would you like to receive communications (e.g., e-mails, letters, newsletters, etc.) about VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)	3. How frequently would you like to you receive communications (e.g., e-mails, letters, newsletters, etc.) about VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)	3.    How frequently would you like to receive communications (e.g., e-mails, letters, newsletters, etc.) from VA about education benefits or services? (Mark only one)
a. Weekly	a.    Weekly	a.    Weekly
b. Monthly	b.    Monthly	b.    Monthly
c. Quarterly (every 3 months)	c.    Quarterly (every 3 months)	c.    Quarterly (every 3 months)
d. Semi-annually (twice per year)	d.    Semi-annually (twice per year)	d.    Semi-annually (twice per year)
e. Annually (once per year)	e.    Annually (once per year)	e.    Annually (once per year)
f. Don’t know or not sure	f.     Don’t know or not sure	f.     Don’t know or not sure
4. How would you like to receive information from VA about benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)	4. How would you like to receive information from VA about benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)	4.    How would you like to receive information from VA about education benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)
a. Phone	a.    Phone	a.    Phone
b. Mail	b.    Mail	b.    Mail
c. E-mail	c.    E-mail	c.    E-mail
d. VA website	d.    VA website	d.    VA website
e. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)	e.    Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)	e.    Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
f. In person at a Regional Office	f.     In person at a Regional Office	f.     In person at a Regional Office
g. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________	g.    Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________	g.    Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ______________
h. Other (Specify) ___________________	h.    Other (Specify) ___________________	h.    Other (Specify) ___________________
i. Don’t know or not sure	i.      Don’t know or not sure	i.      Don’t know or not sure
The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with benefits, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with benefits, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with Education, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.
5. When thinking about your most frequently used methods of communication, please rate your experience in obtaining information about your benefit on the following items: (Mark only one per row)	5. Please rate your experience in obtaining information about your benefit on the following items: (Mark only one per row)	5.    When thinking about your most frequently used methods of communication, please rate your experience obtaining information about your education benefits on the following items: (Mark only one per row)
a. Ease of accessing information	a.    Ease of accessing information	a.    Ease of accessing information
b. Availability of information	b.    Availability of information	b.    Availability of information
c. Clarity of information	c.    Clarity of information	c.    Clarity of information
d. Usefulness of information	d.    Usefulness of information	d.    Usefulness of information
e. Frequency of information provided by VA	e.    Frequency of information provided by VA	e.    Frequency of information provided by VA
f. Overall rating of information	f.     Overall rating of information	f.     Overall rating of information
Contact with VA	Contact with VA	Contact with VA
6. During the past 6 months, did you contact anyone from VA about your benefit? (Mark only one)	6. During the past 6 months, did you contact anyone from VA about your benefit? (Mark only one)	6.    During the past 6 months, did you contact anyone from VA about your education benefit? (Mark only one)
a. Yes	a.    Yes	a.    Yes
b. No	b.    No	b.    No
(Ask Q7-Q12 if Q6 is yes, otherwise go to Q13)	(Ask Q7-Q12 if Q6 is yes, otherwise go to Q13)	(Ask Q7-Q12 if Q6 is Yes, otherwise go to Q13)
7. Which of the following best describes the reason for your most recent contact? (Mark only one)	7. Which of the following best describes the reason for your most recent contact? (Mark only one)	7.    Which of the following best describes the reason for your most recent contact? (Mark only one)
a. Resolve a problem	a.    Resolve a problem	a.    Resolve a problem
b. Ask a question	b.    Ask a question	b.    Ask a question
c. Request a change to your records/provide information	c.    Request a change to your records/provide information	c.    Request a change to your records/provide information
8. Can you briefly describe the nature of your most recent contact? (Mark all that apply)	8. Can you briefly describe the nature of your most recent contact? (Mark all that apply)	8.    Can you briefly describe the nature of your most recent contact? (Mark all that apply)
a. Update your dependency status	a.    Update your dependency status
b. Change your address or direct deposit information	b.    Change your address or direct deposit information	a.    Change your address or direct deposit information
	c.    Provide verification documents required for payment (e.g., income verification, medical records, etc.)
c. Report the death of an individual who received VA benefits	d.    Report the death of an individual who received VA benefits	b.    Report the death of an individual who received VA benefits
d. Report that you did not receive your VA check or direct deposit	e.    Report that you did not receive your VA check or direct deposit	c.    Report that you did not receive your monthly stipend or book allowance
		d.    Submit monthly verification of enrollment
		e.    Check on the status of your claim
e. Resolve a problem with your benefits	f.     Resolve a problem with your benefits
f. Find out about a late benefit payment	g.    Find out about a late benefit payment
g. Report a problem with a VA customer service representative	h.    Report a problem with a VA customer service representative	f.     Report a problem with a VA customer service representative
h. Ask a general question	i.      Ask a general question	g.    Ask a general question
i. Obtain information about submitting/re-opening a claim	j.      Obtain information about submitting/re-opening a claim	h.    Obtain information about submitting a claim
		i.      Question about a payment amount
j. Other (Specify) ___________________	k.    Other (Specify) ___________________	j.      Other (Specify) ___________________
9. Thinking about your most recent contact, how did you contact VA? (Mark only one)	9. Thinking about your most recent contact, how did you contact VA? (Mark only one)	9.    Thinking about your most recent contact, how did you contact VA? (Mark only one)
a. Phone	a.    Phone	a.    Phone
b. Fax	b.    Fax	b.    Fax
c. Website	c.    Website	c.    Website
d. E-mail	d.    E-mail	d.    E-mail
e. Mail	e.    Mail	e.    Mail
f. In Person	f.     In person	f.     In person
10.     Was your most recent issue resolved? (Mark only one)	10.     Was your most recent issue resolved? (Mark only one)	10.     Was your most recent issue resolved? (Mark only one)
a.    Yes	a.    Yes	a.    Yes
b.    No	b.    No	b.    No
(Ask Q11 if Q10 is No, otherwise go to Q13)	(Ask Q11 if Q10 is No, otherwise go to Q12)	(Ask Q11 if Q10 is No, otherwise go to Q12)
11. Why wasn’t your most recent issue resolved?	11. Why wasn’t your most recent issue resolved?	11. Why wasn’t your most recent issue resolved?
a.    Did not receive all of the information required	a.    Did not receive all of the information required	a.    Did not receive all of the information required
b.    Received incorrect information	b.    Received incorrect information	b.    Received incorrect information
c.    Was referred to the incorrect office/person	c.    Was referred to the incorrect office/person	c.    Was referred to the incorrect office/person
d.    Waiting for follow-up from VA	d.    Waiting for follow-up from VA	d.    Waiting for follow-up from VA
e.    Other (Specify) ____________________	e.    Other (Specify) ____________________	e.    Other (Specify) ____________________
f.     Don't know or not sure	f.     Don't know or not sure	f.     Don't know or not sure
12.     Thinking of your most recent contact with the VA, how would you rate your overall customer service experience with the VA or VA representatives using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.	12.     Thinking of your most recent contact with the VA, how would you rate your overall customer service experience with the VA or VA representatives using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.	12.     Thinking of your most recent contact with the VA, how would you rate your overall customer service experience with the VA or VA representatives using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.
Benefit Entitlement	Benefit Entitlement	Benefit Entitlement
13. Have you submitted a claim for an increase in your benefit in the past 6 months? (Mark only one)	13. Have you submitted a claim for an Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefit in the past 6 months? (Mark only one)
a. Yes	a.    Yes
b. No	b.    No
c. Don’t know or not sure	c.    Don’t know or not sure
(Ask Q14 if Q13 is yes, otherwise go to Q21)	(Ask Q14-17 if Q13 is Yes, otherwise go to Q18)
14. What is your preferred method to submit a claim? (Mark only one)	14. What is your preferred method to submit a claim? (Mark only one)
a. Mail	a.    Mail
b. In person at a Regional Office	b.    In person at a Regional Office
c. In person at a Veterans Service Organization, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc.	c.    In person at a Veterans Service Organization, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc.
d. Veterans Online Application
e. Other (Specify) ___________________	d.    Other (Specify) ___________________
f. Don’t know or not sure	e.    Don’t know or not sure
(Ask Q15 if Q13 is yes, otherwise go to Q21)
15. After you submitted your claim, did you receive a letter from VA notifying you that your claim was received?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Don’t know or unsure
(Ask Q16 if Q15 is Yes, otherwise go to Q21)
16. Thinking about the letter, was it clear and easy to understand? (Mark only one)
a.    Not at all clear
b.    Somewhat clear
c.    Completely clear
d.    Don’t know or not sure
e.    I did not read the letter
17. Did you contact VA to obtain clarification about the letter?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Don’t know or not sure
18. Did VA require you to provide additional medical evidence beyond the information you provided in your original claim? (Mark only one)	15. Did VA require you to provide additional medical evidence after you submitted your claim? (Mark only one)
a. Yes	a.    Yes
b. No	b.    No
c. Don’t know or not sure	c.    Don’t know or not sure
(Ask Q19 if Q18 is yes, otherwise go to Q21)
19. After you submitted your claim, did VA schedule a medical examination for you to be re-evaluated? (Mark only one)
a. Yes
b. No
c. Don’t know or not sure
d. Not applicable
	(Ask Q16 if Q15 is Yes, otherwise go to Q18)
	16. Were you required to undergo a VA medical evaluation as a result of your claim? (Mark only one)
	a.    Yes
	b.    No
	c.    Don’t know or not sure
	d.    Not applicable
(Ask Q20 if Q19 is Yes, otherwise go to Q21)	(Ask Q17 if Q16 is Yes, otherwise go to Q18)
20. Did the exam seem appropriate and/or address your claimed condition(s)?	17. Did the exam seem appropriate and/or address your claimed condition(s)?
a.    Yes	a.    Yes
b.    No	b.    No
c.    Don’t know or not sure	c.    Don’t know or not sure
21. Have there been any interruptions to your benefit payments in the past 6 months? (Mark only one)
a. Yes
b. No
c. Don’t know or not sure
(Ask Q22 if ‘Yes’ to Q21, otherwise go to Q23)
22. Did you received a letter notifying you as to the reason why your benefit payment was interrupted and/or terminated? (Mark only one)
a. Yes
b. No
c. Don’t know or not sure
	18. If you were previously found ineligible for VA pension benefits, did you understand why you were found ineligible? (Mark only one)
	a.    Yes
	b.    No
	c.    Don’t know or not sure
	d.    Not applicable (Web survey only) (Skip to Q20)
	19. In the past 6 months, have you submitted any documentation required to verify your eligibility for benefits (e.g., income verification, marriage certificate, medical records, dependent information, etc.)? (Mark only one)
	a.    Yes
	b.    No
	c.    Don’t know or not sure
	(Ask Q20 if Q19 is Yes, otherwise go to Q23)
	20. Was there any change (increase or decrease) to your pension benefits based on the verification of the documents submitted?
	a.    Yes
	b.    No
	c.    Don’t know or not sure
	(Ask Q21 if Yes to Q20, otherwise go to Q22)
	21. Were you informed as to the reason why your benefit payment changed? (Mark only one)
	a.    Yes
	b.    No
	c.    Don’t know or not sure
		Non-Post 9/11 GI Bill
		Montgomery GI Bill, Survivors and Dependents Education Assistance (DEA), Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP), Veterans Education Assistance Program (VEAP), and other programs
		(Ask Q13 if you are receiving a benefit other than Post 9-11GI Bill benefits (e.g., MGIB, DEA, VEAP, REAP), otherwise go to Q14)
		13. What type of program are you currently using your education benefit for? (Mark all that apply)
		a.    College/University
		b.    NCD (Non-College Degree Programs)
		c.    On-the-job and apprenticeship training
		d.    Flight training
		e.    Independent training/Distance learning/Internet training
		f.     Correspondence training
		g.    National Testing Program
		h.    Licensing and Certification Program
		i.      Entrepreneurship training
		j.      Work-Study Program
		k.    Don’t know or not sure
		Post 9/11 GI Bill
		(Ask Q14 if you are currently receiving Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, otherwise go to Q16)
		14. Has the stipend you received for books and supplies in the past two terms been incorrect/differed from what was communicated to you by VA?
		a.    Yes
		b.    No
		c.    Don’t know or not sure
		15. Has the tuition payment you or your school received in the past two terms been incorrect/differed from what was communicated to you by VA?
		a.    Yes
		b.    No
		c.    Don’t know or not sure
The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with benefits, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with benefits, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with Education, using a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.
23. Please rate your compensation benefit on the following items: (Mark only one per row)	22. Please rate your pension benefit on the following items: (Mark only one per row)	16. Please rate your education benefit payment on the following items: (Mark only one per row)
a. Combined disability evaluation rating percentage (eg. 10% disabled)
	a.    Amount of pension benefit payment	a.    Amount of financial assistance
		b.    Effectiveness of benefit in helping you achieve your educational or vocational goal
b. Timeliness of receiving benefit	b.    Timeliness of receiving benefit payment	c.    Timeliness of receiving benefit payment
c. Clarity of your disability rating
d. Overall rating of your benefit payment	c.    Overall rating of your benefit	d.    Overall rating of benefit payment
Overall Experience with Benefit Program	Overall Experience with Benefit	Overall Experience with Benefit Program
24.     Thinking about ALL aspects of your experience with your compensation benefits, please rate VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	23.     Thinking about ALL aspects of your experience with your pension benefits, please rate VA overall, using a 1 to 10 scale where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	17.     Thinking about ALL aspects of your experience with your education benefits, please rate VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)
Overall Experience with VA	Overall Experience with VA	Overall Experience with VA
25.     Taking into consideration all of the non-medical benefits (e.g., education, compensation and pension, home loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation and employment, insurance, etc.) you have applied for or currently receive, please rate your experience with VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	24.     Taking into consideration all of the non-medical benefits (e.g., education, compensation and pension, home loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation and employment, insurance, etc.) you have applied for or currently receive, please rate your experience with VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	18.     Taking into consideration all of the non-medical benefits (e.g., education, compensation and pension, home loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation and employment, insurance, etc.) you have applied for or currently receive, please rate your experience with VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)
26.     How likely are you to inform other Veterans or beneficiaries about your experience with VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)	25.     How likely are you to inform other Veterans or beneficiaries about your experience with VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)	19.     How likely are you to inform other Veterans and beneficiaries about your experience with VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)
a. Definitely will not	a.    Definitely will not	a.    Definitely will not
b. Probably will not	b.    Probably will not	b.    Probably will not
c. Probably will	c.    Probably will	c.    Probably will
d. Definitely will	d.    Definitely will	d.    Definitely will
		School Marketing/Recruiter
		20.     How did the marketing materials or recruiter at the school/university you are enrolled at influenced your decision to enroll in that program. (Mark only one)
		a.    Definitely did not influence my decision
		b.    Somewhat influenced my decision
		c.    Absolutely influenced my decision
		21.     To what degree was your experience consistent with what was presented to you in any marketing materials or by a recruiter? (Mark only one)
		a.    Not at all consistent
		b.    Somewhat consistent
		c.    Very consistent
		22.     Was your experience with the program you enrolled in... (Mark only one)
		a.    Harder than you expected
		b.    What you expected
		c.    Easier than you expected
		23.     Do you have any comments you would like to add regarding the marketing efforts or recruiter from the school/university you enrolled in? (Open Capture)
		___________________________________________________
Optional Questions	Optional Questions	Optional Questions
The following questions are optional.	The following questions are optional.	The following questions are optional.
28. How are you currently using your benefit payment? (Mark all that apply)	27. How are you currently using your benefit payment? (Mark all that apply)
a. Rent/mortgage payment	a. Rent/mortgage payment
b. Paying bills	b. Paying bills
c. Paying down debt	c. Paying down debt
d. Medical expenses	d. Medical expenses
e. Education expenses	e. Education expenses
f. Establishing savings	f. Establishing savings
g. Other (Specify) ___________________	g. Other (Specify) ___________________
h. Prefer not to answer	h. Prefer not to answer
i. Don’t know or not sure	i. Don’t know or not sure
29. Would you like to provide an e-mail address so VA can contact you with general information about VA benefits and services? (Mark only one)	28. Would you like to provide an e-mail address so VA can contact you with general information about VA benefits and services? (Mark only one)	24. Would you like to provide an e-mail address so VA can contact you with general information about VA benefits and services? (Mark only one)
a. Yes	a.    Yes	a.    Yes
b. No	b.    No	b.    No
c. I do not have an e-mail address	c.    I do not have an e-mail address	c.    I do not have an e-mail address
d. Prefer not to answer	d.    Prefer not to answer	d.    Prefer not to answer
(Ask Q44 if Yes in Q43)	(Ask Q29 if Q28 is Yes)	(Ask Q26 if Yes in Q25)
30. Please enter your preferred e-mail address where you would like to be contacted: (Open Capture)	29. Please enter your preferred e-mail address where you would like to be contacted: (Open Capture)	25. Please enter your preferred e-mail address where you would like to be contacted: (Open Capture)
a. E-mail:	a.    E-mail:	a.    E-mail:
27.     Do you have any other comments or concerns about your experience? (Open Capture)	26.     Do you have any other comments or concerns about your experience? (Open Capture)	60.     Do you have any other comments or concerns about your experience? (Open Capture)

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Sheet 5: Comp_Servicing_map

Compensation Servicing items
Question #	Question	Source	Purpose of item	Rationale
	Benefit Information		This Section enables the determination if Veteran experience differs based on informational needs and usage patterns during the ongoing servicing of a benefit	Satisfaction with the servicing experience may be higher or lower dependent upon Veterans' informational needs and usage patterns after their benefit has been awarded. The informational needs and usage patterns will be determined in this section. These questions will help us differentiate Veteran satisfaction based on benefit informational needs and usage, identify areas where improvements to the process can occur and prioritize them based on the impact of the Benefit Information factor to overall Veteran satisfaction.
1	How did you FIRST learn about VA benefit programs? (Mark only one) If you are unsure, please indicate the first way you remember learning about VA benefit programs.	Outreach Requirement	Identify usage of available information sources	This will be used to assess Veteran point-of-entry and most frequent source for finding information about VA benefits and to evaluate usage patterns. This information will be used in the context of overall satisfaction with benefit information, including ease of accessing, availability, usefulness, and clarity of information and identifying information sources where any of these attributes has the potential for improvement.
	a. VA website
	b. VetSuccess.gov
	c. eBenefits.va.gov
	d. Mail (from VA)
	e. VA phone number (800-827-1000)
	f. Transition Assistance Program/Disabled Transition Assistance Program briefings
	g. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________
	h. VA medical center
	i. VA Vet center
	j. In person at a Regional Office
	k. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
	l. Visit from a VA employee
	m. Other Veterans
	n. Internet (excluding VA and social media sites)
	o. Friends or family
	p. Other publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspaper, etc.)
	q. Other (Specify) ___________________
	r. Don’t know or not sure
2	What method(s) do you MOST FREQUENTLY use to obtain general information about VA benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)	Outreach Requirement	Identify most preferred communication channel for benefits information	This question will assess the optimal channel of communications to help maintain an optimal communication strategy for outreach to Veterans about their benefits.
	a. Phone
	b. Mail
	c. E-mail
	d. In person at a Regional Office
	e. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________
	f. Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program
	g. VA website
	h. VetSuccess.gov
	i. eBenefits.va.gov
	j. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
	k. Other websites (excluding VA or social media sites)
	l. VA medical center
	m. VA Vet center
	n. Friends or family
	o. Other publications (e.g., Army Times, local newspaper, etc.)
	p. Other (Specify) ___________________
	q. Don’t know or not sure
	r. None of the above
3	How frequently would you like to receive communications (e.g., e-mails, letters, newsletters, etc.) about VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)	Outreach Requirement	Measures the frequency of communications received from VA about their benefits	This question will assess the optimal frequency of communications, in addition to the number of communications, to help maintain an optimal communication strategy for outreach to Veterans about their benefits.
	a. Weekly
	b. Monthly
	c. Quarterly (every 3 months)
	d. Semi-annually (twice per year)
	e. Annually (once per year)
	g. Don’t know or not sure
4	How would you like to receive information from VA about benefits or services? (Mark all that apply)	Outreach Requirement	Assess Veterans' preferred communication methods	This question will help to assess the most desired methods of communication about VA benefits or services and help guide the strategy for information outreach to Veterans.
	a. Phone
	b. Mail
	c. E-mail
	d. VA website
	e. Social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
	f. In person at a Regional Office
	g. Veterans Service Organizations, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc. (Specify) ___________________
	h. Other (Specify) ___________________
	j. Don’t know or not sure
	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with benefits, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.
5	When thinking about your most frequently used methods of communication, please rate your experience in obtaining information about your benefit on the following items: (Mark only one per row)		These items will be used in the development of the index model, which will determine the factors that have the largest impact on the overall Veteran experience with the Servicing of their benefit.	Satisfaction with the benefit information represents one of the main elements of Veterans' experience with the ongoing servicing of their benefit. These items represent key attributes in the ongoing servicing process and will be compared to other factors to determine the areas of improvement with the greatest overall impact. These metrics will also allow us to compare the experience of Veterans with different information usage patterns and informational needs during the ongoing servicing of their benefit.
	a. Ease of accessing information	VBA Performance Metric
	b. Availability of information	VBA Performance Metric
	c. Clarity of information	VBA Performance Metric
	d. Usefulness of information	VBA Performance Metric
	e. Frequency of information provided by VA	VBA Performance Metric
	f. Overall rating of information	VBA Performance Metric
Factor 2	Contact with VA		Determine if Veteran experience differs based on the level of contact and issue resolution during the ongoing benefit servicing	Satisfaction with the servicing experience may be higher or lower dependent upon Veterans' level of contact and issue resolution after their benefit has been awarded. The level of contact will be determined in this section. These questions will help us differentiate Veteran satisfaction based on level of contact and issue resolution, identify areas where improvements to the process can occur and prioritize them based on the impact of the Contact factor to overall Veteran satisfaction.
6	During the past 6 months, did you contact anyone from VA about your benefit? (Mark only one)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Assess whether or not contact occurred	This question allows us to assess whether or not someone has had a contact with VA about their benefit recently enough to evaluate their experience with the contact. Individuals who have had recent contact with VA about their benefit may exhibit different levels of satisfaction than those who have not had recent contact. This question allows us to assess the variation between these two groups.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	(Ask Q7-Q12 if Q6 is yes, otherwise go to Q13)
7	Which of the following best describes the reason for your most recent contact? (Mark only one)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Evaluate the reason for the call	The reason for calling may contribute to the satisfaction related to the call experience. It is important to understand how satisfaction varies based on the type of call. This information will be used in conjunction with the VBA Call Center Satisfaction Research to analyze methods of contact/resolution.
	a. Resolve a problem
	b. Ask a question
	c. Request a change to your records/provide information
8	Can you briefly describe the nature of your most recent contact? (Mark all that apply)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Assess the nature of the call	Understand the specific reason for the call to help identify potential needs of various groups of Veterans and the ability of VA to respond to those needs. This information may assist in developing actionable recommendations for training, information communication, etc. This information will be used in conjunction with the VBA Call Center Satisfaction Research to analyze methods of contact/resolution.
	a. Update your dependency status
	b. Change your address or direct deposit information
	c. Report the death of an individual who received VA benefits
	d. Report that you did not receive your VA check or direct deposit
	e. Resolve a problem with your benefits
	f. Find out about a late benefit payment
	g. Report a problem with a VA customer service representative
	h. Ask a general question
	i. Obtain information about submitting/re-opening a claim
	j. Other (Specify) ___________________
9	Thinking about your most recent contact, how did you contact VA? (Mark only one)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Allows us to measure the satisfaction with various methods of communication	Veterans' experiences with contacting VA may differ based on the method they use for contact. This may highlight contact methods that are used most frequently by Veterans and help identify processes VA can use to optimize those communication channels.
	a. Phone
	b. Fax
	c. Website
	d. E-mail
	e. Mail
	f. In person
10	Was your most recent issue resolved? (Mark only one)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Allows us to measure issue resolution	Veterans who have their issue resolved upon contacting VA may have different levels of satisfaction than those who do not have their issue resolved. This will allow us to set benchmarks for issue resolution and identify areas where contact can be improved based on the reason or nature of the call. This information will be used in conjunction with the VBA Call Center Satisfaction Research to analyze methods of contact/resolution.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	Ask Q11 if Q10 is No, otherwise go to Q13
11	Why wasn’t your most recent issue resolved? (Mark all that apply)	Contact/Resolution Assessment	Allows us to identify the reasons why issues were not resolved	This is important because it allows us to evaluate the reasons why there may be different levels of resolution depending on the nature and or reason for the call and assist in developing actionable courses of action based on study results.
	a. Did not receive all of the information required
	b. Received incorrect information
	c. Was referred to the incorrect office/person
	d. Waiting for follow-up from VA
	e. Other (Specify) _____________
	f. Don't know or not sure
12	Thinking of your most recent contact with the VA, how would you rate your overall customer service experience with the VA or VA representatives using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	VBA Performance Metric	These items will be used in the development of the index model, which will determine the factors that have the largest impact on the overall Veteran experience with the Servicing of their benefit.	Satisfaction with Contacting VA represents one of the main elements of Veterans' experience with the ongoing servicing of their benefit. These items represent key attributes in the ongoing servicing process and will be compared to other factors to determine the areas of improvement with the greatest overall impact. These metrics will also allow us to compare the experience of Veterans with different levels of contact during the ongoing servicing of their benefit.
Factor 3	Benefit Entitlement		Determine if Veteran experience differs based on the level of engagement with VBA after the beneficiary is in receipt of a claim	Satisfaction with the servicing experience may be higher or lower dependent upon the level of interaction a Veteran has with VBA after their benefit has been awarded. The level of interaction will be determined based on the various experiences a Veteran might have after they are in receipt of a claim. Questions focused on these various experiences will help us differentiate Veteran satisfaction based on the various touch points related to their benefit entitlement, identify areas where improvements to the process can occur and prioritize them based on the impact of the Benefit Entitlement factor to overall Veteran satisfaction.
13	Have you submitted a claim for an increase in your benefit in the past 6 months? (Mark only one)	Benefit Experience Requirement	Measure the level of engagement with VBA during the ongoing servicing of a benefit	Veteran satisfaction with the benefit servicing experience may differ based on whether or not they submitted a claim for an increase in benefits. This question will be used to determine variation in the Veteran experience.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
14	What is your preferred method to submit a claim? (Mark only one)	Contact Assessment	Measure the effectiveness of various methods of submitting a claim	Among those who submitted a claim, Veteran satisfaction may differ based on the method they used to submit the claim. This will help to identify areas where Veterans are experiencing difficulty with the process and potential opportunities for improvement.
	a. Mail
	b. In person at a Regional Office
	c. In person at a Veterans Service Organization, e.g., Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, etc.
	d. Veterans Online Application
	e. Other (Specify) ___________________
	f. Don’t know or not sure
	(Ask Q3 if Q1 is yes, otherwise go to Q14)
15	After you submitted your claim, did you receive a letter from VA notifying you that your claim was received? (Mark only one)	Benefit Experience Requirement	Measure Veterans' receipt of the letter that is sent to upon claim submittal	This question will be used to document receipt of the letter that is sent upon claim submittal and evaluate how receipt of the document may tie to the Veteran experience.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
	(Ask Q16 if Q15 is Yes, otherwise go to Q21)
16	Thinking about the letter, was it clear and easy to understand? (Mark only one)	Benefit Experience Requirement	Allows us to measure the efficacy of the letter in terms of the letter's usability	Veteran satisfaction may differ based on whether they had difficulty understanding the information provided in the standard form letter. Since information in the letter is intended to assist Veterans, this information will also help us understand if the letter is serving the intended purpose.
	a. Not at all clear
	b. Somewhat clear
	c. Completely clear
17	Did you contact VA to obtain clarification about the letter?	Contact Assessment	Allows us to determine if the Veteran had an additional level of engagement with VBA related to the letter	Veterans who felt the letter was not completely clear may reach out to VBA for clarification. This question will be evaluated based on the Veterans' level of satisfaction to determine whether or not the additional level of contact impacts the Veterans' experience positively or negatively.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
18	Did VA require you to provide additional medical evidence beyond the information you provided in your original claim? (Mark only one)	Benefit Experience Requirement	Allow us to determine if the Veteran had an additional level of engagement with VBA related to having to provide additional or duplicate information	Veteran satisfaction may differ based on whether or not they have to provide additional information as a supplement to their original claim. This will help us identify an area of potential improvement based on a comparison of levels of satisfaction between those who did have to submit additional information versus those who did not.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
	(Ask Q19 if Q18 is yes, otherwise go to Q21)
19	After you submitted your claim, did VA schedule a medical examination for you to be re-evaluated? (Mark only one)	2004 C&P Satisfaction Study	Allows us to determine if the Veteran had an additional level of engagement as a result of having to schedule a medical examination	Veteran satisfaction may differ based on whether or not there were additional requirements that had to be completed in order to process the claim.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
	d. Not applicable
	(Ask Q20 if Q19 is Yes, otherwise go to Q21)
20	Did the exam seem appropriate and/or address your claimed condition(s)?	2004 C&P Satisfaction Study	Measures Veteran perception of the relevance of the exam	Veteran satisfaction may differ based on whether they perceive the exam to be appropriate to address the claimed condition(s). Current need from the line of business to understand perception of the exam as related to CPAP.
	a.      Yes
	b.      No
	c.      Don’t know or not sure
21	Have there been any interruptions to your benefit payments in the past 6 months? (Mark only one)	Benefit Experience Requirement	Measures receipt of benefit payments	This question is used to determine if there is variation in Veteran satisfaction based on whether or not interruptions to benefit payments occur.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
	(Q22 if ‘Yes’ to Q21, otherwise go to Q23)
22	Did you receive a letter notifying you as to the reason why your benefit payment was interrupted and/or terminated? (Mark only one)	Benefit Experience Requirement	Measures receipt of information related to interruptions or termination of benefit payments	This questions is used to determine if satisfaction is different between those who receive information about interruptions/termination of benefit payments versus those who do not receive information. This may be an area where a best practice and or benchmarks related to payment interruptions can be identified.
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. Don’t know or not sure
	The following question asks you to rate various aspects of your experience with benefits, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average.
23	Please rate your compensation benefit on the following items: (Mark only one per row)		These items will be used in the development of the index model, which will determine the factors that have the largest impact on the overall Veteran experience with the Servicing of their benefit.	Satisfaction with the benefit entitlement represents one of the main elements of Veterans' experience with the ongoing servicing of their benefit. These items represent key attributes in the ongoing servicing process and will be compared to other factors to determine the areas of improvement with the greatest overall impact. These metrics will also allow us to compare the experience of Veterans with different levels of engagement with VBA during the ongoing servicing of their benefit.
	a. Combined disability evaluation rating percentage (eg. 10% disabled)	VBA Performance Metric
	b. Timeliness of receiving benefit payment	VBA Performance Metric
	c. Clarity of your disability rating	VBA Performance Metric
	d. Overall rating of benefit payment	VBA Performance Metric
	Overall Experience with Benefit Program
24	Thinking about ALL aspects of your experience with your compensation benefits, please rate VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	VBA Performance Metric	This item will be used in the development of the index model and will assist in creating an overall satisfaction score at the benefit servicing level.	All factors will be assessed in the context of the overall satisfaction score to understand the relative importance of each factor on Veterans' overall satisfaction.
	Overall Experience with VA
25	Taking into consideration all of the non-medical benefits (e.g., education, compensation and pension, home loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation and employment, insurance, etc.) you have applied for or currently receive, please rate your experience with VA overall, using a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Unacceptable, 10 is Outstanding, and 5 is Average. (Mark only one)	VBA Performance Metric	This item will be used in the development of an index model for VBA overall across benefit lines and benefit status types (enrollment and servicing).	Overall satisfaction with each benefit line at the enrollment and servicing level will be evaluated in the context of the overall experience with VA to understand the relative impact of different experiences across benefit lines.
26	How likely are you to inform other Veterans or beneficiaries about your experience with VA benefits or services? (Mark only one)	VBA Performance Metric	Assess Veteran advocacy of VA benefits or services	Veterans with a more positive experience with the benefit line and VA overall may be more likely to positively advocate VA to their peers. This question will help identify changes in advocacy based on changes in the level of satisfaction over time.
	a. Definitely will not
	b. Probably will not
	c. Probably will
	d. Definitely will
27	Do you have any other comments or concerns about your experience? (Open Capture)	Benefit Experience Requirement	Allow Veterans' the opportunity to provide additional information related to their experience	Veterans' may have additional information related to their experience that will help understand and interpret their overall experience. This may include elements of the experience that are not easily captured in quantitative form.
	Optional Respondent Questions
	The following questions are optional.
28	How are you currently using your benefit payment? (Mark all that apply)	Socio-Economic Differentiator for Congress/VA Leadership	Assess the usage of the benefit payment	Veterans who have different experiences in the ongoing services of their benefit may have different levels of satisfaction or exhibit different needs based on how they are using their benefit payment. For example, someone who is using their benefit payment for savings may be less impacted than someone who is using it for a rent/mortgage payment. This helps assess Veterans' needs.
	a. Rent/mortgage payment
	b. Paying bills
	c. Paying down debt
	d. Medical expenses
	e. Education expenses
	f. Establishing savings
	g. Other (Specify) ___________________
	h. Prefer not to state
	i. Don’t know or not sure
29	Would you like to provide an e-mail address so VA can contact you with general information about VA benefits and services? (Mark only one)	Contact Assessment	Opt-in for future contact by VA	Consent to contact respondent with more information on benefits and programs
	a. Yes
	b. No
	c. I do not have an e-mail address
	d. Prefer not to answer
	(Ask Q30 if Yes in Q29)
30	Please enter your preferred e-mail address where you would like to be contacted: (Open Capture)	Contact Assessment	Email contact information	Send additional information from VA to veterans - i.e. eBenefits information
	a. E-mail:

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Sheet 6: Benchmark Sample Plan

	Preliminary Sample Population - Defined	Total Population Size (Annual)	Additional breakouts received for total population	Pilot Sample Size	# Pilot Completes
1) Edu Enrollment	Beneficiaries who have received a decision on their application within the past 90 days (i.e., the original end-product has been cleared within the past 90 days) and classified in one of the following buckets: (1) Accepted and enrolled or (2) Accepted and not enrolled	126,236	(1) Benefit type (2) Type of program (3) Training time (part time, full time, etc.)	10,000	3,000
2) Edu Servicing	Beneficiary who has been enrolled and receiving benefit payments for at least 2 consecutive school terms	564,487	(1) Benefit type	10,000	3,000
3) Compensation Enrollment	Individuals who have received a decision in the past 30 days (includes those who were found eligible on a new or subsequent claim and those who have been denied and are not appealing the decision)	222,694	(1) Type of beneficiary (2) Age (3) Period of service	10,000	3,000
4) Compensation Servicing	Individuals who received a decision or were receiving benefit payments between 6-18 months ago	3,410,766	(1) Type of beneficiary (2) Age (3) Period of service	10,000	3,000
5) Pension Enrollment	Individuals who have received a decision in the past 30 days (includes those who were eligible on a new claim, and those who were denied and are not appealing the decision)	63,571	(1) Type of beneficiary (2) Age (3) Period of service	10,000	3,000
6) Pension Servicing	Individuals who have currently been receiving benefits for at least 6 months or individuals who received a decision 12 months ago	508,348	(1) Type of beneficiary (2) Age (3) Period of service	10,000	3,000
7) LGY	Individuals who closed a VA home loan in the past 90 days (includes purchase loans, interest rate reductions, and cash out/other refinancing)	325,690/ 151,490	(1) Type of homebuyer (first time/previous) (2) Type of loan (purchase/refi/interest rate reduction) (3) Down payment (4) period of service (5) age (6) gender (7) race/ethnicity	10,000	3,000
8) SAH	Individuals who are eligible for an SAH grant, and in the past 12 months have including (1) received an approval on their grant and are currently somewhere in post-approval, (2 have had all their funds dispersed and final accounting is not yet complete, and (3) have had all of their funds dispersed and final accounting is complete	4,042	(1) application status (under review, established, denied)	5,000	1,500
9) VR&E Enrollment	Veterans who had an initial meeting with their VR&E counselor and were granted a decision regarding their entitlement in the past 60 days (includes those who apply/do not show up for initial appointment/never receive an entitlement decision, apply/show up for initial appointment/entitled to program and pursue, apply/show up for initial appointment/entitled to program and do not pursue, apply/show up for initial appointment/not entitled to program)	77,998	(1) Age (2) prior education level (3) branch of service (4) period of service (5) length of service (6) combined service-connected disability rating (7) severity of employment handicap	10,000	3,000
10) VR&E Servicing	Veterans who have entered and been enrolled in one of the five tracks for at least 60 days (may include veterans who have been rehabilitated, veterans who did not fully complete program, and veterans who have reached maximum rehabilitation gain and could not proceed in program)	121,772	(1) Age (2) prior education level (3) branch of service (4) period of service (5) length of service (6) combined service-connected disability rating (7) severity of employment handicap (8) Type of vocational training program participated in (9) earnings pre- and post- rehabilitation	10,000	3,000
11) VR&E Escaped Beneficiary	Veterans who dropped out of the program prior to completing a rehabilitation plan (may include applicants who never attended the initial meeting with a counselor, applicants who were determined to be entitled and did not complete a rehabilitation plan, and applicants who started, but did not complete rehabilitation (i.e., negative closures))	11700	(1) Age (2) prior education level (3) branch of service (4) period of service (5) length of service (6) combined service-connected disability rating (7) severity of employment handicap	5,000	1,500