You just received an email from the chain hotel where you recently stayed. Along with offering their gratitude, the hotel seeks your feedback through a survey, no doubt in the interest of continuous improvement. And they ask you to provide satisfaction ratings for some very important categories they’ve chosen. Listed are food quality, staff friendliness, wi-fi dependability, room cleanliness, durability of shower cap, etc. A comprehensive list, but your room was across the hall from the elevator and next to the ice machine. And you didn’t sleep a wink. But, room noise was not one of the categories provided. Shaking your head and still a bit sleepy, you delete the email, knowing you’ll never return to that hotel.
While an approach so out-of-touch would be easy to write off as the domain of the B-to-C world, that would be very short-sighted. For very frequently, quality organizations in the enterprise are equally tone-deaf.
Think about it. Often, at the start of a business relationship, a sales team member shares with a new client contact that a customer satisfaction program is in place. It’s mentioned that, in six months or so, the client will receive a satisfaction survey to fill out. The relationship kicks off, the delivery team begins their work and the sales team focuses on growing the account or perhaps regrettably, with the dreaded handoff complete, sneaks off to land another client.
The first six months are filled with transactions, touch points, and the normal ups and downs of new partners working together. As promised, the survey is delivered, but filled with the same types of boilerplate categories as with the hotel. Of course, luck just might prevail and the categories will possibly hit the mark with the client. Or, as was the case with the shower cap, maybe not. For what’s really important to the client may not be on the boilerplate list. And yet, the client may still choose to provide ratings for the pre-selected categories. And when that’s done, who learns from ratings that have no relevance? For that matter, while the ratings may be positive, the client may, in fact, be very dissatisfied and be pondering other options. And, yes, of course you’d be involved in direct discussions with the client regarding significant problems. You’d likely have heard about them already and be acting on them regardless of any survey. But that’s not the point. The point is that while focusing on a rote, boilerplate process, you miss a golden opportunity to understand what’s really meaningful. And that very understanding could help you avoid big problems, drive service excellence, and grow the account.
Let’s imagine a different path. At the outset of the relationship, rather than informing the client that a survey is in their future, the sales representative suggests a discussion about what is most important to the client in the new partnership. Now, think about that moment in time. The contract is signed. The delivery team is engaged and everything is gearing up. Your previous prospect is now your client. What if you had asked the same type of question weeks ago during the pursuit, while you were still competing for the business? What would they have said then? “Cut your prices”, “shorten your delivery times”, “give us more pro bono services” or other demands typically made by prospects of competing “vendors”. But what’s different now? The business is won. Your prospect is now your client, whose goals and successes are your goals and successes. In many ways, you’re on the same side of the desk.
So, how do you proceed? Together, the sales and delivery team leaders meet with the client, in-person, sharing several common success factors, such as communication, knowledge transfer, productivity, responsiveness, etc., asking the client to choose those most important and then prioritize those chosen. If the client has ideas about factors not on the suggested list, they are welcome to add them. And the discussion that ensues, among partners, is incredibly impactful. Real learning occurs as the client, now openly sharing, provides knowledge that will lead to successful delivery and account growth.
Let’s imagine that the client chooses communication as the top success factor, a news flash, by the way, as no hint of its importance was mentioned in the pursuit, when the two parties were at arm’s length. Now knowing the importance of communication, you might tweak your program just a bit, increasing the frequency of status meetings and/or adding progress updates. Two small changes with minimal cost. But, two small changes that directly address what the client has clearly stated as most important. And when you communicate and act on these program changes, the client will feel great. But what does knowing the client’s success factors really do for your organization? First, it dramatically increases the chances of successful delivery because your path becomes clarified and enhanced with direct client input. But it also increases your likelihood of account growth. Because for the next new opportunity that comes up with the client, you’ll have the inside track. Of course, you’ll have a competitive advantage by already being a partner and delivering successfully. But also, while the RFP will inform you and your competitors about the specifics of the new business requirements, you’re the only firm with knowledge of how critical communication and the other explicitly chosen success factors are. And your proposal will make that resonate – all because you asked.
So make client satisfaction more than just a survey. Make it a meaningful, client-centric initiative that drives your successful delivery and account growth. For it’s not about you, it’s about the client. Just ask.