RCM Improvement Survey: Response Summary

RCM Friends,

Recently we sent out a link to a survey on Facebook and through the RCM email system, requesting your feedback about how to improve RCM for the future. We greatly appreciate your feedback, and want to say a big “Thank you.” to all who took the time to give us your feedback.

The summary of answers is below. As promised, no individual answers will be shared.

1) What do you most often buy on RCM?
a. 33.3% responded “Vegetables”
b. 26.4% responded “Meat”
c. 13.3% responded “Baked Goods”
d. 13.3% responded “Eggs”
e. 13.3% responded “Other”

2) How do you feel about the prices of RCM products?
a. 53.3% responded “The prices are fair.”
b. 13.3% responded “The prices are too high.”
c. 33.3% responded “Other.” This meant that respondents usually felt like some prices were too high while others were fair.

3) Are the ordering times a convenient option?
a. 80% responded “Yes.”
b. 6.7% responded “No.”
c. 13.3% responded “Other.”

4) Is the current pick-up location a convenient option?
a. 86.7% responded “Yes.”
b. 6.7% responded “No.”
c. 6.7% responded “Other.”

5) Is the pick-up time a convenient option?
a. 93.3% responded “Yes.”
b. 6.7% responded “No.”

6) Do you face any barriers to ordering from RCM?
a. 46.7% responded “I sometimes forget to order.”
b. 33.3% responded “Other”
c. 13.3% responded “I do not understand how to use the website.”
d. 6.7% responded “The current email reminders are not sufficient for reminding me to order.”

7) How would you like to be reminded about ordering from RCM?
a. 46.7% responded “Email reminders.”
b. 26.7% responded “Facebook reminders.”
c. 20% responded “Text message reminders.”
d. 6.7% responded “Other.”

As questions #8, #9, and #10 were open ended, we will not be sharing individual answers, but instead will summarize some of the more frequent responses.
8) How can RCM improve its offerings to the community?
a. Problems with orders not being filled
b. Improved product choices

9) What would keep you as a regular customer of RCM?
a. More product choices
b. Venue change

10) What other improvements would you like to see RCM make?
a. Ensure that farmers deliver what has been ordered.
b. More product choices

We would like to offer some responses to the concerns we heard in your feedback:

A) Inherent within farming and farmers’ markets is the idea of unpredictability. What this means in practice is that it is nearly impossible for a farmer to predict growing patterns, weather patterns, and life circumstances. Unfortunately, this can cause some orders, or even parts of some orders, to be unavailable for pick-up. We do know that our farmers make every effort to deliver what has been ordered, and want their customers to have high quality products.

B) RCM accepts many different forms of payment for orders. This includes: cash, check, SNAP/EBT, credit and debit card options.

C) You, as customers, are our greatest asset for spreading the word about RCM. We have tried many avenues of advertising, with little success. However, our word of mouth advertising has been successful.

Thank you again to those who participated. Your feedback will give the RCM board of directors some ideas to consider as we discuss the future of RCM.