Customer satisfaction research: Could it be a bit more fun?

Charlotte de Kam,
Van Leeuwen Pipe and Tube, Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”. Bill Gates said that, underlining the importance of researching how (un)happy your customers are. Some customers will tell you themselves, but that doesn’t happen often. For that reason, it is essential to ask your customers how they feel about you every now and then. The challenge lies with asking them in a positive way. Even better, a way that takes up little of your customer’s time.

I am the marketing manager at the Van Leeuwen Pipe and Tube Group and mainly focus on our companies located in the Benelux. One of my responsibilities is to find out how satisfied our customers are. Happy customers, after all, are your finest ambassadors. The results of this research are an important input for our company policy.

E-mail surveys

Oh no, another survey! We used to hear that response a lot when we asked customers to fill out a customer satisfaction form. For the past 12 years, we used an online survey to carry out our research. We asked customers through e-mail for their cooperation, sent them a link and thoughtfully gave an estimate how long it would take to fill out the form. Answering 30 questions would take about 10 minutes of their time. Afterwards, we would share with our customers the results of the survey and the points of improvement we had formulated based on those results. We wanted to prove that the data was actually being used and that we regarded their input as very valuable.

Response rate decreased

Nevertheless, the response rate decreased little by little. Customers get buried in emails and face ever increasing work pressure. Filling out customer satisfaction forms is simply not at the top of their list. That is, if it even makes it to the list, seeing as we get asked over and over to write reviews and fill out forms, even during our private time at home. My guess is we are collectively growing weary of researches. I feel it too, even though as a marketing manager I know how valuable this information is to a company.

Measuring customer satisfaction continuously

At Van Leeuwen the decision was made to measure customer satisfaction continuously instead of periodically. Customer visits are an excellent opportunity to carry out this research. Some of our offices already did this, but they would bring a paper questionnaire to fill out, which would then be processed in a spreadsheet. I was convinced that there had to be a better and more efficient way to do this. In my search I quickly came across the company One-2-Ten, which has developed a modern and clever software tool for tablets. The application is often used on fixed screens placed on columns at exhibitions and by the food service industry. Recently, the app was made available for mobile devices. Exactly what I was looking for!

On the road with an iPad

During their visits, our account managers hand the iPad to their customer. We reduced the number of questions from 30 to 10, with one follow-up question if necessary. This means the customer clicks and swipes through the survey within 2 minutes. Besides a rating between 1 and 10 we now also measure our NPS score. This “net promoter score” indicates how many customers would recommend your company to others. Your ambassadors, in other words. This is very important to us.

The results are processed automatically and can be viewed 24/7 on an online dashboard which features useful overviews and infographics. In the end, we don’t just save our customer’s time, but our own as well.

Then it was my turn

When One-2-Ten asked me to write a testimony for them, I didn’t hesitate. The interview they conducted here on location was used in a case study and a video. That’s what you call a great chain reaction!

Conclusion

Measuring customer satisfaction continuously grants us an insight in the customer experience which is always available and allows us to adapt our services very quickly. By looking at the long-term results, we can spot trends and identify which aspects of our service consistently receive lower marks. As a result, we recently changed our company policy to respond to quotations faster, and to communicate more clearly when dealing with complaints.

We also enjoyed finding out that our customers are very happy about our product range. The question concerning satisfaction with the sales department receives the highest NPS score. Here we see the pay off for our company policy: to digitize an increasing number of services, but to keep giving personal attention to our customers.

Information

Locations

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Lindtsedijk 120
3336 LE Zwijndrecht
Plan route
Phone: +31 78 6252525
E-mail: vlptg@vanleeuwen.nl
Lindtsedijk 100
3336 LE Zwijndrecht
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Phone: (078) 625 25 25
Fax: (078) 625 20 20
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.nl
Industrieweg 26
4153 BW Beesd
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Phone: +31 345 687777
Fax: +31 345 683304
E-mail: sales.stainless@vanleeuwen.nl
Hamburgweg 6
7418 ES Deventer
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Phone: +31 570 500700
Fax: +31 570 500777
E-mail: info-precisie@vanleeuwen.nl
Lindtsedijk 100
3336 LE Zwijndrecht
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Phone: +31 78 6293340
Fax: +31 78 6293350
E-mail: sales@teulingstaal.nl
Ettenseweg 7b
7071 AA Ulft
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Phone: +31315236884
E-mail: ulft@vanleeuwen.nl
Schaarbeeklei 189
1800 Vilvoorde, België
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Phone: +32 225 54000
Schlütershof 30
47059 Duisburg
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Phone: +49 203 99340
Berner Str. 38
60437 Frankfurt am Main
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Phone: +49 69 904322-0
E-mail: Distribution.frankfurt@vanleeuwen.de
Industriestrasse 21
71665 Vaihingen/Enz
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Phone: +49 7042 101-0
Fax: +49 7042 101-55201
E-mail: distribution.vaihingen@vanleeuwen.de
Chemnitzer Straße 8
14612 Falkensee
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Phone: +49 3322 277-0
Fax: +49 69 904322 110
E-mail: distribution.berlin@vanleeuwen.de
Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 29
04103 Leipzig
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Phone: +49 341 - 231037 0
Fax: +49 341 231 07 720
E-mail: Distribution.leipzig@vanleeuwen.de
Havellandstrasse 10-14
68309 Mannheim
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Phone: +49 621 3940
Fax: +49 621 394-255
E-mail: Distribution.mannheim@vanleeuwen.de
Am Moosfeld 26
81829 München
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Phone: +49 89 78046-0
Fax: +49 8978099-13
E-mail: Distribution.muenchen@vanleeuwen.de
Heisenbergerstr. 17A
33104 Paderborn
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Phone: +49 172 2901748
Hammerbrookstraße 92
20097 Hamburg
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Phone: +49 40 600384-0
E-mail: Distribution.duisburg@vanleeuwen.de
Grugaplatz 2
45131 Essen
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Perfektastrasse 69
1230 Wien
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Phone: +43 19346222-0
2, Avenue des Pays-Bas
69881 Meyzieu (Lyon)
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Phone: +33 4 72 451515
Fax: +33 4 72 451520
E-mail: vlfrance@vanleeuwen.fr
32, rue de Mogador
75009 Paris
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The Deckhouse, The Waterfront, West Midlands
DY5 1LW Brierley Hill
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Phone: +44 (0)1384 487600
Fax: +44 (0)1384 487619
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Brunel Road, Skippers Lane Industrial Estate
TS6 6JA Middlesbrough
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Phone: +44 (0)1642 056450
Fax: +44 (0)1642 457914
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Crompton Way, Bolton
BL1 8TY Lancs
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Phone: +44 1204 301 611
E-mail: sales.vluk@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Unit 1A, Rotunda Business Centre, Thorncliffe Park
S35 2PG Chapletown, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
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Phone: +44 (0)114 2577577
Fax: +44 (0)114 2570639
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Amstrong Road, Daneshill industrial Estate
RG24 8NU Basingstoke
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Phone: +44 1256 811 121
E-mail: sales.vluk@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Tullow Industrial Estate
Bunclody Road Co. Carlow, Tullow
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Phone: +353 (0)59 9181120
Fax: +353 (0)59 9181124
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Via Leonardo Da Vinci 97
20090 Trezzano sul Naviglio MI
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Kratka 753/3b
682 01 Vyskov
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Phone: +420 515 532 201
Fax: +420 515 532 200
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.cz
Průmyslová 1666
263 01 Dobříš
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Phone: +420 318 533 420
Fax: +420 318 533 450
E-mail: info.production@vanleeuwen.cz
Areal ATPED, Na Brne 1972
500 06 Hradec Kralove
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Phone: +420(0)491610010
Fax: +420(0)491610199
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.cz
Nabrezi Dr.Edvarda Benese 20
75002 Prerov
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Phone: +420 585 312 764
E-mail: info.production@vanleeuwen.cz
Jurajov Dvor 523
925 28 Pusté Úľany
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Phone: +421 31 7711 500
E-mail: vlp_info@vanleeuwen.sk
Mikovíniho 4
91701 Trnava
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Phone: +420 491 610 081-2
Fax: +420 515 532 200
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.cz
ul. Roździeńskiego 17
41303 Dąbrowa Górnicza
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Phone: +48 32 765 36 00
E-mail: distribution.poland@vanleeuwen.pl
Otiski Vrh 25A
2373 Šentjanž pri Dravogradu
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Phone: +386 2 878 78 52
Fax: +386 2 87 87 860
Lörinci ut 139
2220 Vecsés
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Phone: +36 29 889 190
Fax: +36 29 889 191
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.hu
Rodūnios kelias str. 11
LT-02189 Vilnius
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Phone: +370.523.204.51
E-mail: vytautas.kausas@vanleeuwen.eu
17 C.A. Rosseti Str.
020011 Bucharest
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Phone: +40 372 499 330
Fax: +40 372 499 319
E-mail: sales.romania@vanleeuwen.ro
Soseaua Draganesti, nr 32
230119 Slatina
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Phone: +40 372 499 330
Fax: +40 372 499 319
E-mail: info.romania@vanleeuwen.ro
TOSB Otomotiv Yan Sanayi İhtisas Organize Sanayi Bölgesi
1.Cadde, 15. Sokak, No:12, 41420 Şekerpınar-Çayırova, Kocaeli
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Phone: +902627230200
Fax: +90262 658 98 01
131, Zelena str.
79035 Lviv
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95-113 Lee Holm Road
NSW 2760 St. Mary´s
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Phone: +61 2 9896 1111
16 General Macarthur Place
Queensland 4301 Redbank
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Phone: +61-7-3413 8200
Fax: +61-7-3381 9591
E-mail: vlbrisb@vanleeuwen.com.au
1/82 Greens Road
Victoria 3175 Dandenong South
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Phone: +61-3-9701 3999
Fax: +61-3-9706 7588
E-mail: vlmelb@vanleeuwen.com.au
31 - 35 Vulcan road
W.A. 6155 Canning Vale
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Phone: +61-8-9455 2882
Fax: +61-8-9455 2828
E-mail: vlperth@vanleeuwen.com.au
Unit 1 lot 261 Schumacher Road
SA 5013 Wingfield
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Phone: +61-8-7002 5100
Fax: +61-8-7002 5111
E-mail: vladel@vanleeuwen.com.au
4, Pioneer Place
627893 Singapore
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Phone: +65 68979301
Fax: +65 68979318
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.com.sg
No 3, Lot 5, Jalan I Park 1/1
Kawasan Perindustrian I Park 81000 Bandar Indahpura
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Phone: +60 766 060 76
Fax: +60 766 066 07
Suite 11-02, Level 11, Menara IGB, The Boulevard, Lingkaran Syed Putra
59200 Kuala Lumpur
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Phone: +60 (0)322873358
Fax: +60 (0)322845771
E-mail: malaysia@vanleeuwen.com.sg
Chonburi Industrial Estate (Bo-Win) 341 Moo 6 Highway no. 331 KM 91 District Bo-Win Amphur Sri Racha
20230 Chonburi Province
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Phone: +66 (0)38345765 or 66
Fax: +66 (0)38345247
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.com.sg
25 Alma Link Building, 10th Floor, Soi Chidlom, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan
10330 Bangkok
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Graha Pratama Building, Floor 14, Jl. M.T. Haryono Kav. 15
12810 Jakarta
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Intiland Tower 3rd Floor, Service Office Suite 02, Jalan Panglima Sudirman 101-103
60271 East Java
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Room 1708, You You International Plaza, 76 Pu Jian Road, Pudong New District
200127 Shanghai
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Phone: +86 (0)2158311866
Fax: +86 (0)2158311900
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.com.cn
Qiao Bei Xin Rui 3rd Floor, Rm 311, No 10 Jintang Road, Dongli District
Postal 300301 Tianjin
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Phone: +86 22 84878680
OilField Supply Center, Exec-03
P.O. Box 261145 Dubai - UAE
Plan route
Phone: +971 4 8833872
Fax: +971 4 8837974
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
Al Ghaith Tower - Office #1202, Hamdan Street
P.O. Box 47144 Abu Dhabi
Plan route
Phone: +971 (0)26271840
Fax: +971 (0)26271244
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.ae
Prince Sultan St, Qurtoba Sehamiya Tower, Office 602
Al-Khobar 31952
Plan route
Phone: +966 1 3 845 4438
Fax: +966 1 3 845 4439
E-mail: sales@ubsco-piping.com
West Bay, Palm Tower 2
Suite 3003 Doha
Plan route
Phone: +974(0)97444533150
Fax: +974(0)97444533101
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
Building No. 1060, Plot No. 15, Way No 3709
South Ghubra, P.O. Box 835, PC 115 Muscat
Plan route
Phone: +968 2450 5524
Fax: +968 2448 3832
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
Block No. 2, Plot No. 284
Al Ardiya Industrial Area, P.O. Box 4819 13049 Safat
Plan route
Phone: +965 2225 4545
Fax: +965 2434 4610
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
2875 - 64th Avenue
T6P 1R1 Edmonton Alberta
Plan route
Phone: +1 (0)780469 7410
Fax: +1 (0)780466 5970
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.com
1225 North Loop West, Ste. 810
Texas 77008 Houston
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Phone: +1 281582 3150
Fax: +1 281582 3151
E-mail: usa@vanleeuwen.com
Olofsdalsvägen 32, Box 101
SE-30104 Halmstad
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Phone: +46.70.64.10.122
Koesmosevej 48-58
5500 Middelfart
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Münchwilerstrasse 37
CH-9554 Tägerschen
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Phone: +41719299393
E-mail: info@kindlimann.ch
Avenue des Baumettes 3
1020 Renens
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15 route de Merville
27320 La Madeleine de Nonancourt
Plan route
Phone: +33 2 32 58 01 54
Fax: +33 2 32 58 16 60
E-mail: distribution.france@normydro.com
Luchthavenlaan 4
1800 Vilvoorde
Plan route
De Limiet 15
4131 NR Vianen
Plan route
Phone: +31 (0)347 361911
Fax: +31 (0)347 361730
E-mail: info@combulex.nl

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Customer satisfaction research: Could it be a bit more fun?

E-mail surveys

Response rate decreased

Measuring customer satisfaction continuously

On the road with an iPad

Then it was my turn

Conclusion

Information

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