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OVERVIEW

At the start of the millennium, Oregon had the dubious distinction of being the hungriest state in the country, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). At the time, many Oregonians were eligible

Understanding the Client Experience: The “Secret Shopper” Approach

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Nancy Weed, SNAP Outreach Coordinator at Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, for providing the information contained in this case study.

FEDERAL STATE LOCAL

for, but not receiving, benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, known as Food Stamps until 2008), which resulted in the state losing billions of dollars that could have helped to reduce hunger and its consequences.

Determined to reverse this trend, a group of concerned community members and organizations have made it their mission to increase SNAP enrollment. They are led by Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon (PHFO), the nonprofit arm of the Oregon Hunger Task Force, which was created by the State Legislature to collaborate with state agencies, businesses, nonprofits, public officials, and local communities to end hunger in Oregon.

LOCAL LeveL

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To complement a comprehensive statewide outreach campaign, Oregon uses several methods to better understand and reduce the barriers to participation in SNAP. The “secret shopper” approach is one of these, and can be easily adapted to other contexts to help identify barriers to program participation.

CLIENT PERSPECTIVES ARE IMPORTANT

“It does nothing to get clients in the front door if you push them out the back.” That observation from advocates in Oregon em-phasizes the importance of understanding why some people who approach SNAP of-fices do not complete applications to receive benefits.

In an effort to better understand the client experience, PHFO borrows an approach from retail. Just as secret shoppers in stores observe employee practices and interactions with

clients, PHFO staff feels that using a similar approach to observe local SNAP offices on an ongoing basis can reveal potential ways to improve the experience of applicants.

The method is straightforward: a staff member from PHFO visits SNAP offices in various areas of the state. Sometimes the staff person poses as a client or caregiver who happens to be visiting the area and wants to inquire about SNAP and the application process. Other times the staff member identifies herself as an advocate. An important part of the approach is simply sitting in the office, observing processes and what materials are available to clients, and talking to the receptionist about application requirements. The person acting as the secret shopper is keen, however, to find an appropriate balance that will not take away time from actual clients.

The approach is in no way meant to trick or stump the office worker with difficult questions, nor to get any individual into trouble. Instead, it seeks to find out how information is conveyed at the office and to identify any potential (and easily correctable) confusion or burden on the client.

HOW SECRET IS IT?

To ensure that local offices understand the purpose of the secret shopper approach (and later are receptive to recommendations), someone from PHFO typically advises state administrative staff a month prior to the visit. The staff does not specify the exact timing or location of the visit. PHFO does not worry that this might lead to an inauthentic or rehearsed situation in the local office since the desired outcome would be the same—a positive experience for the client.

Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon

Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon (PHFO) is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to complement and aid the work of the Oregon Hunger Task Force in strengthening Oregon’s families and communities. PHFO documents the extent of hunger, coordinates and publicizes existing services, and advocates for programs and policies to eliminate hunger.

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RESULTS

Utilizing the secret shopper approach in local SNAP offices in Oregon helps to identify the discrepancies between official program policy and actual practice. In one round of visits using the approach, PHFO found that several SNAP offices were calling for excessive documentation, and that this was potentially confusing and burdensome for applicants. PHFO staff shared their observations in open conversations with both local office managers and state administrative staff. As a result, the state created a simplified verification poster which informed applicants about what documents they needed to apply for SNAP. Subsequent visits to the local SNAP offices revealed that these were frequently displayed in the waiting area. Another positive outcome was that local offices received training to do same day/next day interviews to move the application process forward quickly, which most offices are now doing.

PHFO offers the following advice to organizations or agencies who may want to borrow the secret shopper approach:

n Visit your own local branch offices. The secret shopper activity can be equally useful to examine your own practices and how they can be improved.

n Work with your local branch offices. The objective is not to impose new procedures but to offer helpful suggestions based on your observations that can ease the process for clients, but that take into consideration the local circumstances.

Since Oregon began heavily investing in SNAP outreach and study of program participation barriers, SNAP participation has increased dramatically. In October 2010, 1 in 5 Oregonians received SNAP benefits. As a result, more than $1 billion in federal funds has been infused into the state economy, stimulating more than $144 million in local economic activity. The state also was recognized by USDA in 2010 with an award for Best Program Access.

But the work is not over. Getting underserved groups to actually come into the local SNAP offices to apply for the program—especially seniors and legal immigrants—remains a challenge, and thus PHFO continues to hone its outreach activities to be able to connect underserved communities with the food assistance they need.

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National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment

National Council on Aging1901 L St. NW, 4th FloorWashington, DC 20036

(202) 479-1200centerforbenefits@ncoa.orgwww.centerforbenefits.org

For more information about strategies to increase enrollment

in public benefits programs:

About This Report

This report is a product of the National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment of the National Council on Aging (NCOA), supported in part by grant No. 90MI0001/01 from the Administration on Aging, Department of Health and Human Services. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to freely express their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official Administration on Aging policy.

The National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment (www.CenterforBenefits.org) helps organizations enroll seniors and younger adults with disabilities with limited means into the benefits programs for which they are eligible so that they can remain healthy and improve the quality of their lives. The Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Aging and operated by the National Council on Aging (www.ncoa.org), a nonprofit service and advocacy organization that works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently and remain active in their communities.

Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon

Nancy Weed, SNAP Outreach Coordinator712 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 202

Portland, OR 97214(503) 595-5501, ext. 208nancy@oregonhunger.orghttp://oregonhunger.org

For more information about SNAP in Oregon: