Listening to customers - a case study

When we listen to our customers we learn what is important to them and whether we meet their needs. Sometimes they tell us what they don't like, and we can use their comments to fix problems and make improvements.

Often they say what is good and we must protect what they like and build on it. Other information helps us develop ideas to innovate. My recent project for the Enscite programme at the University of Derby uncovered all three types of feedback.

The Enscite Programme provided support to SMEs in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. During three funding cycles, it supported over 150 businesses, helping them grow and make operational improvements. Support took the form of workshops and 1:1 activities with leading experts and academic staff.

As funding drew to a close in June 2023, the team asked me to help them understand the perceptions of their clients. They used this insight to demonstrate the value delivered by the programme to many stakeholders and funders. They also recommended changes to enhance the customer experience of University programmes.

We agreed a four-pronged approach

• Collect quantitative and qualitative data by survey.
• Interview key businesses to gain deeper insights.
• Review 'could be better' items and make recommendations.
• Document all findings and recommendations for use by the University.

To design the survey, I agreed a simple client journey map with the Enscite team. This helped us understand the information they needed from clients and how to ask questions from the customers' perspective. Creating the survey was a doddle using one of the Voice of the Customer platforms I review on my website.

To celebrate the success of the programme, and thank contributors and clients, the team held a celebration event at Derby Cricket Ground. There I spoke with representatives of ten businesses (15 people) to add colour to the written responses.

As I reviewed the survey data and interviews, I identified four 'could be better' themes. They highlighted key opportunities for existing and future programmes at the University.

But it is not enough to ask customers what they want and how they feel, employees have great ideas too. So, in a facilitated workshop, I led the team in building recommendations to enhance client experience and value.

I gave the team a report describing the feedback and recommendations, which they shared within the University.

The happiest clients?

Clients rarely value free products as highly as those they pay for. Yet, the Enscite clients who contributed to the survey and interviews were very happy. In fact, I had to encourage them to tell me what could have been better.

When searching for an overall measure of the experience, I leaned into the Net Promoter Score - also called NPS. This score measures client loyalty. You are probably familiar with the question - would you recommend us to a friend or colleague?

However, as the programme was ending, rather than asking 'would you recommend', I asked 'did you recommend'. As you can see from the header image, this immediately showed the value and trust felt by Enscite clients.

The results

With a simple intervention, I helped the team recognise and communicate a range of opportunities to enhance client experience:

• Fix - resolve an issue which prevented clients from attending workshops.
• Improve - collect, analyse and use feedback to improve continuously.
• Transform - automate administrative tasks and better manage customer data, so future teams can deliver more of the support valued by clients.
• Differentiate - build a customer journey that can be tailored to the needs of each client, thus delivering greater value.

Is it easy to hear customer feedback?

No-one likes to be told their baby is ugly and we all react to feedback instinctively. By working with an independent Customer Experience Consultant you can hear what customers are saying. Then respond with empathy, compassion and action.

But that only matters if you are rewarded for your efforts. Together we can explore how to make the most of customer feedback in your business. Learn more about the value of listening to customers by visiting my website or getting in touch via email or LinkedIn