Before you begin, you need to know where you are. Many managers are surprised to discover that there is often significant consumer engagement occurring in different areas of their organisation, but it has never been properly assessed or centralised. If your organisation has not recently assessed its consumer involvement, this is the time to do it.

The organisational self-assessment survey can be used in a variety of settings. For example, you may wish to work through it at an organisation-wide strategy session or at a locally-based planning meeting.

Make a plan

Getting started involves planning. This may include surveys to ascertain consumer and staff needs, assessment of organisational responses and identification and scoping of priorities. If you are just getting started the following steps toward a consumer engagement plan may assist.

If you’re not sure how to assess the activity, look at these questions.

• Activity audit
• Steps toward a consumer engagement plan

In order to develop a sustainable and efficient consumer involvement program, you will need a series of policies for working with consumers. Take a look at some of the policies you might think about developing for your organisation, if they don’t already exist.

• Policies
• Terms of reference guide