Research objectives
Hanson has a strong commitment to customer satisfaction and has commissioned regular tracking surveys of both packed and bulk cement every six months for more than five years. The company has also undertaken several benchmarking surveys over the years.
The tracking survey measures customer satisfaction in terms of Net Promoter Score (NPS), along with a set of other very specific measures relating to the quality of the products and services Hanson provides.
Methodology
Telephone interviews with a specifically tailored questionnaire ensure quality data and a robust basis for quotas.
The experienced telephone research team at MRA Research interviews Hanson’s customers every 6 months to measure how customer satisfaction levels change. As well as getting a good measure of any trends over time, it allows Hanson to pick up on any temporary issues that may affect customer satisfaction or areas that may need further investigation.
In addition to finding out how satisfied customers are with what the company already provides, Hanson asks customers what they think Hanson could do to exceed expectations and add value to their own businesses. This insight is crucial for informing Hanson’s strategy and helps shape the future direction of the company.
Results & recommendations
The results have shown that overall satisfaction improved markedly over time. In the Spring 2019 instalment of the Bulk Cement survey, 78% of all customers were ‘very satisfied’ – the highest level since the research programme started in 2014.
Hanson’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) for bulk cement was up from an already good +20 to +55 in the Spring, which is exceptional by any standards. Overall service levels had also improved, with over 98% of independent ReadyMix companies surveyed saying they are likely or extremely likely to continue to use Hanson.
Any areas for improvement are reviewed in detail with the heads of each department involved, such as sales, customer services or distribution, and an action plan developed to overcome the issues raised. Progress is followed up on a regular basis to maintain focus on continual improvement. Hanson also reports on the resulting NPS scores to its executive team as well as to the wider Heidelberg Group.