satisfaction-dial

Many companies measure customer metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), as well as other loyalty and customer satisfaction metrics through short surveys sent to their customers. In fact, many Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems integrate with tools to collect data and report on those metrics.  Data for customer experience metrics can be transactional or conducted periodically at regular intervals. Some organizations simply collect this data because they know they should, but are not sure where to begin with the data they have on hand. Other organizations take this a step further by reviewing all data that comes in, ultimately using it to guide operational management and measure the performance of front line employees on a case by case basis.

Speaking with many organizations, it is clear that in many circumstances this data isn’t being used to its full potential. While it is useful to ascertain customer feedback and follow-up in some cases, organizations may be selling themselves short by only monitoring these metrics on a day to day basis. Customer experience metrics are extremely valuable when examined at a high level, looking for overall trends in the data, as well as the driving forces behind low or high experience ratings. Metrics are important for strategic purposes and long-term goal development, allowing organizations to ensure a continually engaging and positive customer experience. The data needs to be tabulated and analyzed to establish context. It should also be reviewed in intervals, allowing organizations to spot trends and measure the effectiveness of changes in strategy.

Ask yourself larger and more exploratory questions when analyzing the data. Here a few example questions that you may consider:

  • What factors are the driving force behind customer satisfaction and loyalty?
  • How does customer experience vary by audience?
  • What are the top reasons for customer dissatisfaction?  How can we correct those issues?
  • How do customers think we can deliver a better experience?
  • Does customer experience vary over time?  Is there a seasonality to the data, or does it correlate to internal changes?

The goal of this high level analysis is to find opportunities to improve the organization and deliver the ideal customer experience. In some cases, organizations may not collect enough information to answer all the questions they may have. In those situations, they may opt to conduct a full customer experience study. This will give them more in-depth reliable results, and set a benchmark for future customer experience studies.

Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. has experience working with organizations to delve into the customer experience, and ultimately identify actionable findings based off that data. If your organization is looking for further guidance on this topic, or looking to conduct a customer experience study, please contact Sandy Baker by e-mail at SandyB@RMSresults.com or by phone at 315-635-9802.