Organizations that have practiced for the live on-site event always do better for the real thing. Everything from notification of the survey to the process of escorting surveyors to the survey room is much smoother and more organized. The advantage of practicing live is that it provides you with an overview of how well your plan is implemented. It allows you to modify your plan. You can never practice enough. Familiarity can only lead to a higher level of consciousness and ease for the staff.

Schedule practice sessions for the interview-type group sessions. Amazingly, it is not unusual for staff members to attend mock survey sessions and seem totally unprepared. As a group, discuss your vulnerabilities and determine how they will be addressed. There is no excuse for not being able to address your data. Determine who is in the best position to respond to a specific issue, but avoid having a single person answering all the questions. This gives you the advantage of having your staff well versed in the findings while the surveyors need to probe.

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