This blog post was written by our guest blogger Mark Dengler, President and Owner of Research & Marketing Strategies (RMS) – a market research agency in Upstate NY.  This article was also featured in a prior edition of the RMS newsletter.

Have you ever wondered, “Do I really understand how our customers perceive our company?  Do I know the key drivers in their selection process?  Do I really know what it takes to build satisfaction, and  more importantly—loyalty?” And lastly, “Do I know the true reasons why a customer stops buying my product or service?” With the answers to these questions, you have the key to a better understanding of your customers and your own internal sales and marketing process.  Customer feedback will allow you to take the steps necessary to increase customer loyalty, overcome price objections and facilitate your company’s growth. 

Telephone surveys are a timely, personal and effective way to communicate with customers.  RMS  recently completed such a telephone survey and analysis for a health insurance client interested in finding the answers to all of the questions raised above.  Conducted in the new RMS Telephone Call Center, the 10-minute telephone survey was statistically reliable within a ± 4.32 percent margin of error rate at the 95 percent confidence level. 

The final report detailed a number of specific recommendations based on the survey findings.  This list of detailed and actionable activities or processes was based on the responses from 400 survey respondents. Here are just a few of the recommendations provided in general terms: (1) The study identified specific communication activities with which the company could have intervened among disenrolling customers. This intervention could have allowed for not only continued, but additional sales; (2) Suggestions were provided for improving communications and contact with customers during their enrollment; (3) Opportunities for increased electronic interactions via the company’s website were identified whereby our client could gather critical information to improve service and value; (4) Specific low-cost customer relations activities were suggested that could help prevent customers from disenrolling, recapture customers who left and help build customer loyalty overall.  As a result of this survey our client has instituted a re-marketing plan to reduce disenrollment in the client’s health insurance plans.  The client understands how important customer relations are for building loyalty.

You cannot afford to leave a bad impression with your customers. Call RMS to find out how to optimize your customer relations at 1-866-567-5422.