www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS AT INTERSERVE ALSO INSIDE… Latest UKCSI results How consumers create brand meaning Online communities How to walk the CX tightrope Economics in the age of COVID-19
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EDITORIAL
Foresight Let’s not mention the C word. In this summer
from page 28, reveal how customer satisfaction has
issue we’ve got a range of articles covering
evolved over the past tempestuous few months,
everything from B2B customer research, to
with fieldwork straddling lockdown.
techniques which will help you get more from your
With the current restrictions on face to face
qualitative work, and advice on getting the most
meetings, online qualitative research is looking
from your social media posts.
like an increasingly attractive option. Debs Binks
On page 6 Chris Barnham outlines his approach
from TLF Research makes the case (page 22) for
Stephen Hampshire
to “qualitative semiotics”, and explains that it
ad-hoc online communities as a qualitative tool
Editor
means that semiotics can be used as a practical
that is here to stay.
tool to understand how individual customers
In another insightful article (page 20) Andrew
develop their associations for brands. But
Davis reveals some of the secrets of the social
semiotics is not just useful in branding, and on
media algorithms that increasingly rule our lives.
page 12 I discuss how it might be applied to the
If you’re wondering whether an emoji or a like is
world of customer experience, to help you make
more valuable, and what you can do about it, then
sense of the ways in which customers form their
this is the piece for you.
attitudes.
Our book review this time (page 32) looks
Our case study from page 14 is a fascinating
at an analysis, which MIT Press produced with
interview with Iain Shorthose of Interserve,
astonishing speed, of the economic implications
looking at the challenges of conducting and using
of COVID-19. Particularly insightful is its
customer research in a B2B sector that can seem
consideration of the myth that public health and
highly commoditised. The reality, as Iain reveals,
the economy need to be traded off, and the idea of
is that it is anything but; and that relationships
the “testing economy”, which is what we’re all in
remain the key to long-term success.
the process of entering.
Many of you will know that the UKCSI from the
Enjoy the articles, and please drop us a line
Institute of Customer Service is the best indicator
if you’ve got an interesting story to share for a
we have for how well UK organisations are meeting
future issue.
the needs of their customers. The latest results,
ADVERTISING Marketing Manager Richard Crowther
Customer Insight is the magazine for people who want to deliver results to employees, customers and any other stakeholders as part of a coherent strategy to create value for shareholders. We publish serious articles designed to inform, stimulate debate and sometimes to provoke.
DESIGN & PRODUCTION Creative Director Rob Ward
We aim to be thought leaders in the field of managing relationships with all stakeholder groups.
Designers Becka Crozier Jordan Gillespie Rob Egan
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CONTACTS
EDITORIAL Editor Stephen Hampshire
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Customer Insight C/O TLF Research Taylor Hill Mill Huddersfield HD4 6JA
NB: Customer Insight does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in the articles by contributing writers and/or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form
or by any means without prior written consent of the publisher. © CUSTOMER INSIGHT 2020
ISSN 1749-088X
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 3
C O N T E N T S
06
CONTRIBUTORS
14
-
S U M M E R
How Consumers Create Brand Meaning Using “qualitative semiotics” to understand how individual brand associations form
2 0 2 0
12
Qualitative Semiotics for CX
Now, next, and later: Customer Relationships at Interserve Iain Shorthose explains how Interserve are using research to build stronger relationships with customers
Nigel Hill
Debs Binks
Stephen Hampshire
Wine-lover, Munroist and customer satisfaction guru
Talkative box set binger, coffee snob, and online qual guru
Conference speaker, book-lover and occasional climber
4 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
CONTENTS
GUEST FEATURE How Consumers Create Brand Meaning 06
20
Understanding Algorithms What are the social media giants looking for?
22
Online Communities & The Benefits of Engaging Digitally
26
How to Walk the Customer Experience Tightrope
29
UKCSI Summer 2020 How has the pandemic affected customer satisfaction in the UK?
32
Book Review: Economics in the Age of COVID-19
34
How Hard Can It Be? Customer service during the lockdown: the good, the bad and the ugly
RESEARCH Qualitative Semiotics for CX
12
CASE STUDY Now, next, and later: Customer Relationships at Interserve 14
DIGITAL Understanding Algorithms
20
RESEARCH Online Communities & The Benefits of Engaging Digitally
22
GUEST FEATURE How to Walk the Customer Experience Tightrope
26
RESEARCH UKCSI Summer 2020
29
BOOK REVIEW Book Review: Economics in the Age of COVID-19
32
HOW HARD CAN IT BE? Customer service during the lockdown: the good, the bad and the ugly
34
DESIGNERS
Published by
Becka Crozier
Jordan Gillespie
Rob Egan
Right brain mastermind, music enthusiast and have I told you I’m vegan?
Creative magus, genuine tyke and 20ft wave rider
Beer drinker, pixel pusher and dour Yorkshireman
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 5
G U E S T F E AT U R E
The marketing world has a peculiarly ineffective way of thinking about how consumers make meaning. This failure is particularly surprising because marketing, of all professions, believes it is in the very business of meaningmaking. To draw an analogy, the situation in the marketing profession is akin to the car industry making cars, but not being able to build an internal combustion engine. Of course, as marketing professionals, we use meanings all the time and we assume, on this basis, that we are making meaning. But, in fact, all we are doing is assembling pre-formed meanings (in the form of words and images) in the service of the brands. This article will show how we are failing to address the central issue of meaning-making itself and the possible solutions to this problem. We will do this in the company of the world’s first, and probably greatest, semiotician Charles Peirce. Writing in the nineteenth century, he created a semiotic system that explains how our meanings are created from scratch (e.g. not merely re-assembled) and, by extension, how these meanings develop into the kind of symbols that we call brands.
6 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
G U E S T F E AT U R E
Meaning Creation - The Missing Link in Marketing
The central argument of this article is that
Of course, we can ask the question:
the marketing profession focusses almost
why is this important? Surely marketing
all of its efforts (and money) on movement
professionals can just ‘make do’ with
‘B’ (from symbols to communication) whilst
dimension ‘B’? Peirce would reply that this
black hole, can be best understood as shown
entirely ignoring the importance of the other
is to neglect how consumers themselves
in the diagram below.
dimension: movement ‘A’ from our raw
make meaning and how they make sense of
perceptions to symbols. It is of considerable
their world. This is a fundamental oversight
interest why we do this. Some of the reasons
on the part of the marketing community,
are linked to marketing theory, but there
because it is this process that ultimately
are other, deeper seated reasons rooted in
creates the meanings of a brand in each
Western culture itself.
consumer’s mind. Consumers make brand
What is missing in marketing, its secret
symbols/brands
A
perceptions
B
communication
If we look at the marketing reasons first,
meanings, albeit with the materials that
our industry is dominated by the belief that
brand owners supply to them. If we don’t
brand owners, and their creative agencies,
take cognizance of their role in the process,
are the sources of meaning. In their model
then we will only grasp at a partial level
of meaning-making it is the brand owner
how consumers understand brands. The
who adds value to the brand and their
model that views the consumer as a ‘landing
creative agencies help them in this task.
ground’ for brand messages fails to realise
Consumers are often positioned, as a result
that meaning-making is, as it were, a ‘joint
of this, as passive ‘receivers’ of branding
venture’.
messages. They have no active role in the There are three positions on this triangle.
meaning-making process and are framed
In the bottom left hand corner we have our
simply as potential ‘landing grounds’ for
raw perceptions; these are how we experience
the creative activity of the brand. At one
the world. At the top of the triangle are the
level, and quite paradoxically, it is accepted
symbols that we use to understand and to
that the consumer can sometimes play an
navigate the world – these can be words,
interruptive role in meaning-making, but
concepts, and, importantly for marketing
this, significantly, is only acknowledged
purposes, brands. The latter should be treated
if they misinterpret an intended brand
as symbols because they stand, as shorthand,
message. If a meaning is ‘correctly’
for the sets of values that we associate with
communicated to the consumer, then the
them. In the bottom right hand corner, we
brand owner is able to pat themselves on the
have communication. This is either normal
back for a job well done.
forms of communication – where we use
At a deeper, cultural, level there are
spoken or written words to communicate with
other reasons at work. Dimension ‘A’ is
each other – or, in the marketing sphere,
never interrogated because we adopt a lazy
where we use words, images, symbols, and
way of thinking about meaning-making.
branding devices (such as logos) to convey
In our dominant psychological model, we
meaning in a commercial context.
assume that the meaning-making process
“Brands should be treated as symbols because they stand, as shorthand, for the sets of values that we associate with them.”
“We will be in a position to help brand owners change the meanings of their brands, because we will understand the processes that create those meanings.”
is very simple indeed: the consumer simply
If we can understand how consumers
interprets what they experience. This model
make their own contribution to meaning-
assumes that there are no processes, or
making, then a number of benefits follow
stages, involved in meaning-making and
for market researchers. We can identify how
that, as a result, there is no activity that we
brands come to possess their meanings, how
can interrogate or evaluate. The consumer
these meanings are structured, and we will
just interprets ‘x’ or ‘y’ as ‘a’ or ‘b’, and
be able to identify how communications have
we simply have to accept that this is the
impacted on brand meaning in the past. As a
case. Charles Peirce was adamant that
result, we will be in a position to help brand
this set of assumptions is flawed and that
owners change the meanings of their brands,
there is a particular process we go through
because we will understand the processes that
when moving from our perceptions to our
create those meanings.
symbols. It is this process that determines the meanings which we make.
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 7
G U E S T F E AT U R E
Cultural Semiotics vs Individual Semiotics
In the diagram on the previous page, we
Moreover, from the point of view of
find that Saussure, mirroring marketing
qualitative research, Peircean semiotics
professionals, is entirely focused on the
also opens up the possibility of identifying,
movement from symbols to communication
with consumers, how they construct their
make a key distinction between the two kinds
(arrow B). He does not consider how signs
own meanings and how they, therefore,
of semiotics that exist in academia. These are:
are created in the first place. Saussurian
construe their world. We no longer have to
• The semiotics of Saussure
semiotics still works within the traditional
accept that consumers ‘interpret’ things in
• The semiotics of Peirce
communication paradigm. It assumes that a
different ways, we can identify how they have
set of cultural codes exist, and commercial
reached certain specific conclusions about the
semioticians are able to advise their clients
meanings of brands. This qualitative research
recently, the most popular in academic circles
on how these codes can optimise brand
approach is potentially new in consumer
and it is the one that has been promoted most
communications. This form of semiotics
research. I would suggest we should call it
strongly in commercial research. Saussure
should be thought of, therefore, as cultural
‘qualitative semiotics’ because it combines
argued that signs should be seen as cultural
semiotics.
both Peircean semiotic theory and the
Mention of semiotics demands that we
Saussurian semiotics has been, until
artefacts. Different cultures give meaning to
In contrast to Saussure, Peirce argues that
different objects (or events) in ways that are
meaning-making is an individual activity.
entirely arbitrary. It follows from this that the
His main focus is the left-hand side of our
meaning of a sign is culturally dependent. So,
model, although he also explores how our
a red light may mean ‘stop’ in one culture,
symbols are subsequently combined to
but it may mean something entirely different
create meaning. Critically, he offers a way
in another. For Saussure, semiotics is a study
of understanding how meanings are created
of how signs operate within culture.
from our raw perceptions of the world.
traditional qualitative research methodologies of respondent interviews.
The Peircean Model – How Do Consumers Create Meaning? The full extent of Peirce’s semiotic theory need not be discussed in any detail here.
This opens up a new territory for market
But we must identify how it differs from the
we shall see, consumers do read the signs
researchers. In the context of marketing, Peirce
conventional model of perception, dominant
they encounter in their own culture. This
demonstrates how consumers make sense
in marketing, that simply assumes that
has a considerable impact on how they make
of brands. Although Peirce would certainly
we see things in the world and interpret
meaning. But there are also several drawbacks
acknowledge that brands do have a major
them. Peirce maintains that this model of
to Saussure’s approach, which have been
input, through their brand communications,
perception is entirely flawed. Instead of
highlighted in the literature. Saussure is
he also insists that we need to understand
assuming that we observe something which
unable to give any account of how signs are
how the consumer makes sense of such
is known, and then interpret it, he argues
created in the first place. For him, they simply
communications. Critically, his semiotic system
that we should begin by acknowledging that
exist in our culture and Saussure provides no
is also dynamic; this means that we are also
we do not know what it is. This hardly ever
account of how they are created. Secondly,
able to understand how the meanings of brands
happens in our day to day lives because
and following on from this, he cannot explain
can change over time and how we can engineer
we have already gone through the semiotic
how signs change their meanings. It is obvious
changes in meaning in the future.
process of understanding what something
This approach has many merits, and, as
that signs do evolve their meanings and yet
is. But if we are going to understand the
Saussure cannot explain how this happens
activity of sign formation, we should assume
because, for him, our signs are fixed by our culture. Thirdly, his account also excludes the role of the individual. This means that his form of semiotics cannot attempt to understand how individuals form meanings and this limits his form of semiotics in a commercial environment. Lastly, Saussure also assumes that each person is able to learn, quite magically, the cultural codes that surround them. He gives no account of how this might happen, and this is a glaring weakness of his approach. We seem to be able to learn the meaning of the signs within our culture and we must in some way do this ourselves. Has anyone ever explained our
“Qualitative semiotics’ combines both Peircean semiotic theory and the traditional qualitative research methodologies of respondent interviews.”
cultural codes to you?
8 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
that we do not know the identity of things around us. Critically, this means that when we observe something for the first time, we experience what Peirce calls a ‘vague’. We do not know exactly what something is, but the human mind makes a guess as to what kind of thing it is. This means that we observe something, not as an individual thing, but rather as the member of a putative class of things. In consumer world, for example, we might encounter a new bottle in the supermarket and guess that it is a kind of beer. Importantly, at this initial stage, our minds classify things on the basis of what they have encountered before – this is where
G U E S T F E AT U R E
our reading of culture signs plays a key part. In Peircean language, what we do is to
bright yellow. I form an icon of these cars and hypothesise that they share an identity.
Applied Meaning-Making: The Branding Process
‘posit’ the existence of a putative identity
Over time I learn that these cars are only
(which he calls an ‘icon’) when we encounter
associated with New York. I link them in
something for the first time. This identity
my mind with Central Park, Times Square
making to branding? When we encounter
is indeterminate, and we guess what it is
and films with Robert de Niro. At some
new products, or when we walk into a pub,
on the basis of how it is similar to other
point sublation takes place and, when I see
shop, or café for the first time, Peirce argues
things that we have encountered before. This
a yellow car, I now associate it with New
that, without knowing it, we immediately
‘guess’ may prove to be correct, or it may
York. What has happened, at this point, is
classify these things as members of classes.
turn out to be mistaken, but this identity is
that these yellow cars have become a sign of
We do this on the basis of our previous
what we run with at this initial stage.
New York.
experience and our existing perceptual
In the second stage of sign formation,
classes. In so doing, the identity that we create is always, in some way, a qualification
we begin to learn how this putative identity interacts with the rest of the world. We learn, for example, where this beer is found, who drinks it, what it tastes like, and how expensive it is. Peirce calls all of these qualities ‘indices’ of the identity and this stage—where indices accrue to the identity— is called the indexical stage in sign formation. The third, and final, stage of sign formation is where meaning is created, and this involves a technical concept that Peirce calls ‘sublation’. Sublation is the way in which a concept is turned upside down (literally ‘lifted up from under’) and it is this process which creates meaning. In order to
How can we apply model of meaning-
“Peirce thus outlines a theory of meaning creation that is both operating at the individual level and which is able to account for changes in meaning.”
understand this process, we move from:
of our existing knowledge. It is of enormous significance, therefore, how we initially frame a putative identity. We are likely to work with it for some time as we qualify it and try to find out what sort of thing it is. This is precisely why first impressions are so important in human interactions. In marketing, this means what is key to meaning generation is how the consumer initially frames a brand. What sort of thing do they think it is? This is, of course, critical if a brand owner is trying to position a new product as a ‘healthy’ fruit juice, a ‘premium’ lager, or a ‘youthful’ carbonate. Getting the consumer to frame it in the
• Iconic Stage: A putative identity (X) is
right way initially, with the right kind Very importantly, of course, this act of
of icon, is a critical task. The next stage
meaning formation is my own; it works at an
is one of providing a brand with a set of
indexical associations. These are, for
individual level. I form icons in a way that
indexical associations that qualify it and
example, ‘p’, ‘q’, ‘r’.
is particular to myself and this means that
make it unique. It is the task of advertising
different objects, events, or brands, will have
to provide a brand with these indexical
‘q’, and ‘r’ now become signs of X (e.g. a
different meanings for me when compared
associations, although, of course, how
conceptual reversal occurs). So, when we
with other people. I might, for example, form
the brand is encountered by consumers in
see ‘p’, ‘q’ and ‘r’ again we assume the
an icon of a particular subset of yellow taxis
their day to day experience will also create
potential presence of ‘X’ – especially if we
and this could be the identity that I run with.
additional indices. For example, who uses
observe ‘p’, ‘q’ and ‘r’ together at the same
Equally, the experiences I have of yellow
a brand, where it is sold etc will create
time.
taxis could create a set of meanings which
indexical associations that may be beyond
are entirely different from another individual
the control of the brand owner.
created based on similarity • Indexical Stage: This identity (X) accrues
• Symbolic Stage: Sublation takes place. ‘p’,
It is the action of sublation that creates
who has different experiences of them.
At the third stage, where the brand
meaning. Meaning is not formed by acts of
Moreover, the process of sign formation is
becomes what Peirce calls a ‘symbol’, the
(brand) communication that state that ‘X’
never ending. What a yellow taxi means to
brand is then able to stand (as a sign)
means ‘p’, ‘q’ or ‘r’, or some agreement
me today will be different from what it may
for the set of values that have become
amongst individuals that ‘X’ means these
mean to me in ten years’ time when I have
associated with it at the indexical stage. It
things. It is the act of sublation in the
more experience of them. Peirce thus outlines
starts to have a meaning. Peirce does not
individual mind of the perceiver that creates
a theory of meaning creation that is both
tell us exactly what triggers sublation. It is
the meaning of a brand.
operating at the individual level and which
something that happens in the mind of each
is able to account for changes in meaning –
consumer and will vary by individual. Taking
example. I am in New York and I notice that
something that Saussure’s semiotic model is
a leaf out of neuroscience, it is probably
a number of the cars driving around are
unable to explain.
when the mind has become wired in such
So, let us apply this analysis to a real-life
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 9
G U E S T F E AT U R E
a way that a ‘pathway’ is created between
making process: what identities have been
different elements.
formed by consumers; how do different
semiotic model to analyse individual brand
It is also possible to use Peirce’s
Peirce is clear, however, that this is
consumers see the same brand in different
communications, analysing the identities
how meaning is created. We cannot make
ways, and which parts of a brand have been
that are being formed in an advertising
meaning by simply sending messages to the
included (or not included) by them in its
execution and also how they are qualified
consumer, or by telling them the rational
meaning. Moreover, it is also possible to
within that context.
and emotional benefits of a brand. We need
identify whether sublation has taken place;
to engage them in the concept forming
is it a true identity or is it no more than a
these questions are already familiar in a
process (e.g. icon, index, symbol) and to do
name with a set of associations?
qualitative context (e.g. mapping exercises are
It will be noted by readers that some of
this in a way that encourages them to make
Without going into too much detail, it is
a way of asking the classification question),
a sign out of the elements of whatever brand
possible to talk to consumers in a qualitative
but what ‘qualitative semiotics’ provides is
they encounter.
setting (usually depth interviews or paired
a systematic theory, and approach, which
depths, not in groups as they are too large)
reframes conventional qualitative techniques.
about a number of key dimensions in the
This allows us to open up a world that has
Peircean model. These are:
hitherto been closed to market research:
Qualitative Semiotics: Researching Meaning-Making One of the great strengths of Peirce’s model is that it provides a completely new
• How is a brand classified?
the possibility of understanding how brand
• What sort of thing is it? What is its posited
meaning is made by consumers. This, in
identity?
turn, presents commercial research with the
way of understanding consumer thinking.
• What are its associations (e.g indices)?
possibility of a significant role in the core
In conventional market research we make
• Has it reached the stage of being sublated?
marketing activity of adding value to brands.
little attempt to understand how consumers form their concepts, or their meanings. We assume that these meanings are simply present in their minds and they have been determined by their interpretations of the world. But the trouble with the interpretation model is that it is a ‘black box’ – we cannot follow how consumers have reached these interpretations.
“In conventional market research we make little attempt to understand how consumers form their concepts, or their meanings.”
Chris Barnham Chris Barnham Research Ltd
Chris has run his own qualitative consultancy since 1996. He works on brand identity, brand communication and design projects in the
In contrast, Peirce provides us with
UK, Eire, Europe and North America. He read philosophy at Oxford University and has a PhD
a clear three stage process that enables
in Peircean Semiotics from University College,
us to identify both how consumers form
London. He has published a series of papers in
their concepts and where they are on
the International Journal of Market Research
their journeys from perception to symbol
(IJMR) and he is writing a book on Peircean
formation. This means that it is possible
Semiotics - to be published in 2021.
to identify several aspects of the meaning
10 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
Are you looking to bring your team up to speed, build skills, or start a conversation about the customer experience? We can develop a bespoke 30 or 60 minute webinar for up to 500 of your staff. Prices start from just ÂŁ500 Or, if you prefer, commission one of our existing webinars exclusively for your staff at a date and time convenient to you, complete with Q&A. ÂŁ200 Find out more about our existing webinars at tlfresearch.com/webinars or contact richardcrowther@leadershipfactor.com to discuss your requirement
RESEARCH
QUALITATIVE SEMIOTICS FOR CX We’re fascinated by the potential of qualitative semiotics, and Chris Barnham’s article does a really good job of explaining what it is, how it works, and how you can use it to explore the way consumers build their images of brands. In this short article, I want to look at how that same approach might be used when thinking about the way meaning is created in the customer experience.
12 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
RESEARCH
A world of meaning
of other aspects of the customer experience that can otherwise seem quite mysterious. Let's start with our most used quote:
“Man lives in a world of meaning” – George Herbert Mead
In order to get all the details right, you need to put together a clear sense of the experiences you want to create with an understanding of customers that will help
“Perception is reality”
you to know how to do it. It's something that is at the heart of "design thinking”, and I think taking a semiotic view of the customer experience goes hand in hand with good service design thinking.
- Tom Peters
One famous piece of research, described
Semiotics is a tool you can use with
in Gerald Zaltman’s book “How Customers
customer insight to help you interpret why customers are thinking and feeling the way
be working from the other side.
Taking a semiotic approach to the
Think”, found that removing the clock from
they do, and therefore to help you design
customer experience makes this hard-won
a waiting room wall made a big difference to
experiences that work better for everyone.
truism immediately obvious. Reality, for the
customer satisfaction with the waiting time,
We live in a world of meaning, and I’ll
customer, is their interpretation of what they
because it took away a subconscious cue that
argue that we have to understand how that
see, the meaning they derive from it. Another
was making customers feel that the wait time
meaning is created and communicated in
way of thinking about it might be “reality is
was longer than it really was.
order to design effectively.
perception” – all any of us knows about the
This is a great example of something
world around us is based on the work our
which customers would never ask for. So
that is focused on consumer markets,
brains do to extract meaning from the signals
how do you spot things like this? Well the
particularly FMCG, but actually it’s
pouring in through our senses.
first step is to go to where the experience is
Semiotics is often taken to be something
happening, and you might happen to think of
important in business to business markets
Semiotics also helps to explain the idea
as well, and in the public sector. Semiotics
of the "total customer experience", and why
it. But more systematically, the answer is to
comes into play whenever we’re trying to
small details can have such a profound effect
analyse the environment with a semiotic eye.
understand how meaning is communicated.
on the emotional experience for the customer.
What signs are operating here? What
When you understand that every little clue
concepts may those signs trigger? What
studying how we communicate meaning to
in the environment, every choice of word, or
potential layers of meaning do they have?
each other, and "meaning" is the crucial
image, or typeface, conveys meaning, then it
word. It's a word that’s central to culture, to
begins to make a lot more sense why process
understand this, but talking to them isn’t
design thinking, storytelling, and customer
maps have so little to do with what customers
enough. If customer insight, particularly
experience. Semiotics helps you understand
actually experience.
qualitative insight, is going to be of any
Semiotics, from my perspective, is about
You need to talk to customers to
value at all we have to do this type of
meaning.
Meaning in Customer Experience
Using Semiotics in Customer Experience
interpretation, and it’s helpful to work within a framework to give us structure (what Wendy Gordon calls “mindframes”).
What has all this got to do with customers? It's a skeleton key that unlocks a whole load
With so much to consider, where do you
To get communication and customer
start? The most important point is that what
experiences to work as well as possible,
you say, and even what you intend, is only
you need to understand the meaning that is
part of what influences how the customer
currently being created for customers, and
feels about you. There are thousands of
how and why that's happening. By analysing meaning, qualitative
Stephen Hampshire
small moments in your relationship with
Client Manager
customers that should be examined with this
semiotics can help you understand and
TLF Research
meaning-making lens to see how they might
improve the customer experience.
stephenhampshire@leadershipfactor.com Our free webinar on Semiotics & CX is available at https://www.tlfresearch.com/webinar-semiotics-cx/
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 13
CASE STUDY
Now is a good time for all businesses to reflect on our priorities, our ways of working, and the nature of our relationships with customers. Will the pandemic change things forever, or will we go back to business as usual? How may customer needs, both practical and emotional, have shifted? What do we need to do to make sure that we meet those needs and keep our people safe? We caught up with Iain Shorthose, Director of Customer and Workplace Experience at Interserve, to find out what their approach has been, to talk about how they use their customer research to build stronger relationships with customers, and to understand why it’s so important to their business.
We Can Work It Out Inevitably, COVID-19 loomed large when I asked Iain about what’s occupying his time at the moment, as Interserve work to support their customers and make sure that they’re in a position to serve their own customers in turn. A “now, next, later” approach helps to clarify where each customer is in their thinking. “We don't have any customers that aren't impacted in one way or another. The ‘now’ is the critical stage, it's about working with them to do whatever needs to be done with the backdrop that we've been dealt. The ‘next’ is how do we work with them to either reoccupy their workspaces or to start
Now, next, and later: Customer relationships at Interserve
improving their productivity, to make sure they're able to service their customers. ‘Later’ is thinking about things like
14 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
repurposing estates and what to do with corporate buildings.” I was interested in what Iain was able to tell me about what the future
CASE STUDY
of workspaces may look like. Are we looking at permanent, seismic, change; or will things return to normal as soon as the threat of infection is over (whenever that may be)? Most likely it will be somewhere in the middle. There’s no question that the pandemic and lockdown have forced a step change, but that many of the adjustments we’ve made align with trends that were already in progress, such as increased
of managing a culture
flexibility of working. As Iain says,
remotely? Not completely,
“The fundamental purpose of a workplace is twofold. It's around supporting your productivity as an individual, and it's about office space
but it does change the basis for the discussion: “I think employers will be more
To use
supporting your wellbeing. Now the challenge
accommodating. I think they might be brave now
that budget,
is quite straightforward when you say, ‘How
and take advantage of the commercial benefits of
use that conversation time
productive can I be working differently? How
this way of working. And I think employees might
with your customers, to understand something
does that flexibility support productivity, but also
be a bit more assertive about how they would like
a bit different. By having that conversation, they
how I feel both physically and mentally?’.
to work.”
feel you’re switched on, you understand them, you’re connected to them, and you're not just
During lockdown, as well as the challenges we all know very well, organisations have
Ask Me Why
going through the motions.” So the point is not to delay your
seen benefits to productivity and employee health and wellbeing from the increased time
We moved on to talk about research, and
relationship survey until it seems like the right
spent at home. As it stands, those benefits
in particular the question of whether or
time, but to adapt your customer research so
have not been equally spread—we know,
not now is a good time to do research with
that it’s fit for purpose in the current climate.
for example, from our panel research that
customers. We’ve found that clients who
“If we do something this year, maybe we'll
parents with young children have found
have kept their surveys going have seen
do it a little bit differently. We'll try to reflect the
working from home much more difficult—
customers more than happy to take part, in
current situation, where people are and what
but they are real. At the same time, many
fact they often appreciate the fact that clients
they're feeling, and maybe position the research
organisations have seen that moving to a
are reaching out to them at this time, but for
in a slightly different way, so it's being more
model in which far more people spend much
some there is a danger that steaming in with
empathetic to what's going on. I still want to
more time working from home can lead to
a standard questionnaire might seem a little
answer my usual five main questions for the
benefits in terms of sustainability (e.g. by
tone-deaf. As Iain says,
purposes of benchmarking, but I also want to
reducing carbon footprint) and cost savings
“I'm trying to get back to business as
understand how you've experienced us and how
that accrue from reducing the size of their
usual, but many of our customers are facing
we’ve supported you through this, and then I
estate, recruiting from a wider (and often
considerable head winds still as a direct impact of
would want to understand how your priorities
cheaper) talent pool, and less travel.
COVID-19. So, do you really want to talk to them
have possibly changed. It's back to this ‘now, next
about how they feel about their FM provider?
and later’.”
Judging the impact on physical and mental wellbeing can be tricky, and the two don’t always go hand in hand:
In terms of timing, Iain’s view is we
Probably not.” So, is now the right time to run your
should now be proactive in seeking the views
annual survey with customers? Operational
of our customers to ensure we are able to add
than ever before as I’ve been predominantly
teams are working with customers very
maximum value for the client:
homebased - I'm not traveling here, there, and
closely to make sure they have the support
everywhere. Equally, even though that supports
and expertise they need, but is it a good time
current focus is reoccupying building space. We
my physical wellbeing, in terms of my mental
to run your normal research? Maybe not, for
are now starting to see restrictions in most sectors
wellbeing I am an extrovert, so I’m missing
a lot of businesses, but by the same token it
being reduced or even removed. In the majority of
face-to-face interaction and collaborating with
would be a mistake not to engage with your
cases, Interserve is playing a key role in the safe
colleagues and customers.”
customers at all. Iain comments,
utilisation of buildings and the outdoor spaces of
“I find myself able to exercise more now
Put it all together, and are the potential
“The question for me is, right now in the
“It is now time to start the conversations. The
our customers.” Using research with customers is essential
gains enough to overcome concerns about
current climate, what is the role of insight?
the negative impact that isolation may have
Should we be sticking to our usual calendar? Or
in order to understand their needs and
on our mental wellbeing, the challenges
should we be brave enough to adapt and be a bit
priorities properly, particularly in times of
that many have in creating a good working
more agile, and accept that what we've measured
crisis, and that’s important for Interserve
environment at home, or the difficulty
for the last five years we won’t be able to track.
to find opportunities to add value for
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 15
CASE STUDY
was beginning to feel unloved. We
customers. Facilities Management contracts
they
often find that this is a vital hurdle to clear
support
in the first year of a survey, to demonstrate
account managers
to the business the immediate, practical,
rather than simply blaming
utility of customer insight:
them when things go wrong. The
“Our clear purpose for our relationship survey
research is the beginning of an opportunity
is about retention. It's about not getting caught
to work together, not a stick to beat people
a commodity, but Iain believes
out at the last minute, and it's about identifying
with.
that it’s by adding value to the basics
opportunities to grow contracts. Now we've got
“There's a responsibility as a leadership
to that point where everyone's aligned and see
team that you support the insight, but you also
that there is real value in it. People are engaged
support the account directors, and don't just
with it now because it has a very clear purpose,
immediately go to ‘right, you're doing a bad
and everyone's now had time to see the benefit
job’. That's what, as a customer experience
of it.”
team, we do with our account leads. We work
can very easily be seen as
of the contract that they will be able to retain customers and build stronger relationships with them. “For us as a service provider, we deliver a contract which is about Service Level Aagreements and Key Performance Indicators;
This is great, but there’s a common
with them on the customer, because however
the reality is you've got to do that to be paid.
challenge in B2B research which Iain
it looks, it won't be the first account to look like
What we do in order to retain our customers
has been wrestling with: what to do
that. We've been here before; we know what
is deliver incremental value. What else have
about customers who choose to respond
needs to be done.”
we got in our locker we can bring to you and
anonymously? Their comments, however
demonstrate value above and beyond? It's not a
insightful, don’t permit you to take this kind
account lead in terms of building and
commodity anymore. And that is the space that
of account-specific action. From a purist
maintaining relationships with customers.
we need to properly understand now in terms
research point of view, that’s fine—we treat
They are the main point of contact, and they
of, if we used to add value for you in this way,
those customers as representative of wider
have more influence on that customer’s
if your priorities change are you looking for
trends in our customer base. Fine. But, that
perception of Interserve than anyone
something else?”
kind of answer doesn’t tend to go down very
else, but it’s about using the resources
well in the board room (and believe me, I
and experience that Interserve can bring
know exactly how uncomfortable it can be
to bear to make their job easier, and to
to face the incredulous glare from the CEO
work alongside them to add value for each
when you tell them you can’t reveal who
customer in the most appropriate way.
Understanding those changing priorities is crucial, because, as Iain says, “If we are to create incremental value, I need to understand what your priorities are.”
gave a particular negative comment).
Come Together Business to business (B2B) customer research is different from business to consumer research in some obvious
“My biggest frustration is how to not have
That’s not to diminish the role of the
“Those account leads are absolutely fundamental. You have to get to a point where
these anonymous customers, because I want to
they're able to get closer to the customer, to be
be able to do something with it and I can't do
able to have the right kind of conversations,
anything that’s targeted and specific to them.”
to talk about the issues and not just having to
Good B2B research means linking the
field problems. We now have a module in the
ways, but there are some less-obvious
insight to account management, and that
leadership program purely around customer.
differences that many researchers can fail to
requires everyone within Interserve to be on
It's about relationships. It's about how can
understand. Perhaps the most important is
the same page.
we get the account leads to do the things
that, in order to be effective, B2B customer
“There needs to be a level of professional
research has to dovetail with account
maturity from the account leads, to say ‘this is
management.
insightful and useful, and I want some help to
One of the immediate benefits of
understand what to do with it’, rather than ‘I
conducting a relationship survey in a B2B
can't believe my customer said that - you must
market is that it often highlights at-risk
have got them on a bad day’.”
customers that no-one knew about, and
Many organisations, understandably,
conversely customers who represent a great
experience resistance from account
opportunity for growth. It’s not uncommon
management, and it’s the role of
for a B2B survey to pay for itself after a
whoever is leading on customer
single follow-up call to a key account who
experience to make sure that
16 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
CX do, so we’ve got more scale.”
CASE STUDY
Fixing a Hole A customer survey is a significant investment. How do you prove that it’s worth the money, time, and effort spent on it? One thing that will
to ask
guarantee that it’s a waste of money is if
customers. I
you do nothing with it, so make sure you’re
know what my customers want’.
committed to taking action before you
What you have to do is to demonstrate how they
depending on what the customer chooses to do,
launch your survey.
can use this and how it compliments existing data
further conversations and meetings to move
in terms of decision making. The way that we do
through the gears in terms of understanding a
should be able to quickly prove the benefit of
our research, we connect it to the commercials
bit more and then making sure that we have the
intervention in three crucial ways:
and we connect it to retention, so it becomes
right answers and improvement plans. The MDs
an indicator. Whether you’re looking at a Net
will get involved, my team would get involved, I
Promoter Score, an effort score, a satisfaction
would get involved.”
Assuming that you do take action, you
• Saving customers at imminent risk of defection • Finding further opportunities with customers • Proving the impact that interventions have on customer scores
in touch. Then they would have,
score or a trust score - fundamentally the real
Following up with customers is crucial
benefit is to say, ‘it looks like that customer
to give the survey credibility in their eyes.
account is in jeopardy’.”
Iain sees part of the job of his team to make
The research doesn’t fix that of course, but
sure that customers are followed up, and
it does highlight the customers who may be
that the communication they receive about
at risk and, just as importantly, it helps you
what has been done helps to convince them
ensure that all of his internal stakeholders
to understand the reasons that they are at
that the survey will result in change.
are now bought in to the importance of
risk, and gives you the opportunity to discuss
More important than communication,
customer research:
it with them.
though, is their own experience:
Iain has taken advantage of all of these to
“When we first started doing this as an
“Whether you like it or not, research is only
“I'd rather that the responses
organisation, you had a mixed bag. You had those
step one. The first layer for me is the Hot Alert
they see can be physically
that were saying, ‘thank goodness, we're going
process that we've got in place, which means
or operationally
to bring a customer lens to this’, and you had
that, good or bad, we get in touch. We also give
those that said, ‘I don't need
the customer a choice about if they don't want the account lead to be the ones getting
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 17
CASE STUDY
the real value of that research, one of the things is to say, ‘here's the customers who we intervened with this year, here's how their scores have experienced because of a change in standard or
changed.’ I did that for the board last May, and our NPS for accounts in which we intervened was 59 points higher. There's your business case.”
performance.” Much of the time,
Getting Better
building stronger relationships with customers means Iain and his team working alongside the account teams to make sure that Interserve
One thing that Iain comments on is the way in which, particularly for their NHS contracts, the COVID-19 crisis has brought together Interserve employees and the
understand the customer well enough, and
people they work with in NHS buildings. There’s no
can bring in ideas from the wider Interserve
question that a crisis helps to sharpen our focus on
business:
the things which really matter:
“The impact sometimes of just me, or my
“In the last three months you've got real shared
team, or a member of a different team, going to
purpose. No matter who pays your salary, if it's the
the account and spending that time with them,
UK Government or if it's Interserve, as key workers
bringing some expertise or talking about what
they've all come together. They probably haven't
we've done in another account, is immense. We
written it [purpose] down. They haven't come
try to bring best practice from an account that’s
together to ask, ‘right guys, what is the shared
very similar, and also one from a completely
purpose here?’ It's easy, right? It's save lives,
different sector, but one which has some synergy,
and look after each other.”
and thirdly to bring best practice from us as an
So what does the future look like for customer experience at
organisation.” Does that process work? That’s something
Interserve, and what lessons can
that can be easily demonstrated by looking at
we learn from them? I think there
the way scores for individual accounts change
are a few key points:
from year to year:
• Demonstrate the value of
“We took the score they gave us the year before. Then we recorded which accounts we, as a CX team, went in, listened, understood, and supported our account team to improve delivery. And every time we do that, we see an uplift. Understanding
customer research in saving and developing accounts • Make the bridge between research and account management • Prove the benefit of
Iain Shorthose
investing in customer
Director of Customer &
relationships through
Workplace Experience,
changes to scores from year
Interserve
to year • Most important of all,
For 15 years, Iain has been developing and delivering Customer strategies for organisations ranging from those focused on specific sectors, to those with diverse propositions and Global operational footprints. He has established CX Strategies that are sustainable, offer a compelling reason for change, and are engaging for people.
understand that relationships are what lift you above commoditisation: “I do think customer experience in B2B is more and more about relationships. Without that what you’ve developed is a commodity, because all you'll ever do is meet the rational needs and not the emotional needs.”
18 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
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Targeted surveys We can find the people you need
In depth reporting and analysis Demographic splits as standard
Want to try us out? We’ll give you 2 free questions (worth £375) – email tom@tlfpanel.com for details Visit tlfpanel.com
D I G I TA L
UNDERSTANDING ALGORITHMS: HOW CONTENT GETS INTO YOUR NEWSFEED AND WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS. There are 5 ways people will find your
Affinity to a post
• Searching with keywords or phrases. • You shared something and it appeared on
your stories feed or subscribers page respectively. This is because the
content on the Internet: Almost every platform will look at how much engagement happens on a post to see
platforms prioritise the type of content people use.
their timeline.
if it is worth pushing out to more people.
If a new feature has been added to a
• Paid advertising
As it’s the machines for each social media
platform, they need more people to use it
• Going to a direct URL
platform that decide what piece of content
to see if it works or if it is of interest. The
gets exposure, they look for indicators, and
best way to do this is to expose it to as many
engagement is a starting point.
people as possible so they can try it. By
i.e. www.yourwebsite.co.uk • They found it by accident, or in other words: the algorithm of the platform showed it to them. What is important about the last point is if we have an understanding of how algorithms work, then it can dictate the type of content
When it comes to engaging with a post
exposing it to more people, the platforms
you can usually do one of these things:
have to increase the reach so if a new feature,
‘like/dislike’, ‘view’, ‘share’, ‘comment’, or
like live video, is introduced then it can take
‘reaction’. That essentially is what people do
priority over an older feature.
when being asked to engage with a post. However they are not all treated equally.
Most platforms love videos and images because they get the most engagement,
we produce and ultimately the action we want
Right now a reaction is worth more than a
and let's be honest here, they make a lot of
people to take.
like. The reason is because it is difficult to get
money from the adverts. With images they
Understanding algorithms over the years is
true emotion from a like. If somebody said
know people will click through them quickly.
tricky because we have to know that there are
‘Feeling sad as my dog just died’ and your
Every click is a page impression and every
hundreds of factors that affect them and the
only engagement was to ‘like’ the post then it
page impression they can put an ad, which
platforms will never give away their secret
might not feel appropriate. But now we have
means they are making money. With videos,
recipe. However, not every factor is equal,
reactions so we can leave a crying face.
it is well known you can charge more for a
so it is important to know the main things
The platforms can find out more with
video advert than any other type of advert. So think about the type of content you
that affect the algorithm on social media
reactions and that is why they are currently
platforms, right now.
pushing this. This can also help the creator of
create if you want more exposure of your
the post to get a gist of the feeling towards it.
content.
Here are 4 factors that will help you understand it, especially important with
However this can also be taken advantage of
online usage increasing due to COVID-19.
(Cambridge Analytica).
Type of content
Time Decay You can create a live video that gets amazing engagement but if this was last week,
Andrew Davis
If you have been on Facebook for more
it is very unlikely to appear in people’s news
than five years, you’ve probably noticed
feed. Timing is everything on these platforms
that you’ve been seeing more videos in your
and you have only a short space of time to
andrew@twks.co.uk
timeline in the last couple of years than ever
get the most out of a piece of content. On
www.thinkingoutsidetheblog.com
before. If you are on Instagram and YouTube,
Facebook and LinkedIn you have around 19-26
you are probably seeing more live videos on
hours to get the most out of your content,
Digital Consultant & Workshop Leader
20 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
D I G I TA L
so you need to
especially on Instagram. The
have a check list of things to
machines will look at hashtags
do once you click publish. On
you use, the type of posts you
the likes of Twitter and Instagram you
engage with, types of posts you post, and similar profiles
have minutes to grab people’s attention before another piece of content does.
so, the reason they are doing this is because
you like. Familiar People: If you
Have a plan of what to do once it goes live.
the platforms restrict your reach when you
Will you put ad spend behind the content? Do
post a link sending them off their platform
engage with the same people
you have influencers involved? Will you be
and to someone else’s.
often, then you are likely
doing press releases? Do you have interviews on
They want to keep you on their platform
to get them featured within your feed.
podcasts to support this content? Do you have
as long as possible, so having a link in your
anyone that is likely to engage quickly? Did
main posts is something that we have seen
you post at the best time of day knowing when
restrict reach. Also, if you think about it,
main metric for YouTube,
people are online to engage? These are just
having a piece of content with a link sending
which is to do with how
some of the questions you need to ask yourself.
you to another site is essentially what an
many hours people watch
advert does so they would want you to ‘boost
your content on your
the post’ rather than give you it for free.
channel. The more
Sending people off the social media platform
people watch, the higher
Other factors
the likelihood that you will be featured within
Have you ever seen somebody post a piece of content on Facebook or LinkedIn and state: “You can find the link in the comments”? If
Watch Time: This is the
Relevancy: Plays a big part in what content can be featured in your newsfeed,
related videos and search.
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 21
ONLINE COMMUNITIES & THE BENEFITS OF ENGAGING DIGITALLY
22 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
RESEARCH
For good or ill, there’s no escaping that the internet has changed the way that we interact with the world. Where once talking to people, whether in person or by telephone, used to take precedence; many of us now feel it natural to message people instead, using email or text messages. In more recent years we’ve also experienced a shift
Online communities
to communicating digitally, whether it be
first” approach,
through social media platforms, Facebook
whether for consuming information,
Messenger, or WhatsApp – tools which rely
communicating, or just the boring essentials
on data to convey our messages. Statistics
of life admin. So, when designing our
seeing how people interact and share
from the ONS in 2019 showed that 91% of
research projects, we need to consider all
information on social media platforms.
adults in the UK were recent users of the
these shifts in behaviour and preference, and
Sites such as Facebook and Instagram have
internet, the third-highest rate in the EU.
consider: is what we’re planning the best
allowed researchers to really see the benefits
This high penetration in internet usage
and most appropriate way to communicate
of engaging digitally, and the proposition
tells us not only that there is access to the
and understand this audience? Rather than
of online communities is based and shaped
internet for the majority of society, but also
just opting for repeating the norm, we need
around the aim of piggy backing on these
that there’s an appetite to engage with digital
to challenge ourselves to find the techniques
routine and habitual behaviours that we see
platforms in a variety of different ways.
that are right for the customers of 2020.
on social media platforms. Can research use
Our internet usage feeds through to other behaviour. When considering buying a mobile phone on a monthly contract, the emphasis now is on the data included within the tariff
Online communities have evolved through
When we consider social media usage, we
the power of community, interaction, and
see a similar picture emerging. According to
gamification to create a better experience
Avocado Social ‘The Latest UK Social Media
for customers, and richer insights for
Statistics for 2019’ (published in February
organisations?
2019) in the UK there are 45 million social
When we think about the broader trends
media users, so around 2 in 3 of the entire
that we’re seeing in society, research
UK population. Further to this, 39 million
techniques have very much followed these
users consume social media using their smart
trends. Over recent years, we have seen a
phones and 96% of UK social media users
huge growth in web-based research being
visited a social network or messaging service
used as the main research methodology.
This goes some
in the past month. Every day, the average UK
Ongoing online communities are now a key
way towards
based user spends 1 hour 50 minutes scrolling
component of many voice of the customer
highlighting
through social media sites. So not only are
programmes, particular for companies who
how, as a
people using social media, it is becoming a
deal with consumers. The programmes
nation, we
bedrock of their interaction with the wider
providing a constant stream of rich
really are
world, whether reading or watching the
information, in an agile and engaging way.
moving in
news, catching up with friends and family,
as a key differentiator, and the call minutes and text messages are givens within the package.
Ongoing communities are a great way
many ways
or following a celebrity or brand. Some of the
to provide a snapshot of customers and
towards a
benefits of social media are that it’s dynamic,
their thoughts, feelings, and interactions in
engaging, agile, and responsive, and it is
real time. However, ongoing communities
because of these features that the principles
might not be acceptable or appropriate for
of social media have been adapted and applied
all businesses, as they do require significant
“digital
to other uses, especially in qualitative research through the use of online communities
investment, of both time and cost, in order to get the community set up and also keeping a high level of engagement with customers.
RESEARCH
•
Multimedia. It’s easy to
upload and share media for both participants and moderators e.g. images, photographs, videos; especially from a mobile or tablet device. • Flexible and convenient. Allows participants to complete the tasks at a time of the day to suit them and their needs – it is this Based on our experience, some
This is really important—if engagement is lost, then you have to work even harder when you need insights quickly, incurring
of the practical benefits of using online communities in this way are: • Time. Quick set-up. Especially if you’re
more cost and often finding that you’re
wanting to cover a number of locations,
unable to get results as quickly as the
fieldwork can start within 1-2 days of
business needs. This does often mean that it
recruitment or whenever stimulus is ready.
can be hard to manage ongoing communities
• Costs. Negates the need for any fieldwork
flexibility that further helps to create engagement by ensuring that the tasks don’t feel too arduous and fit around people’s lives and schedules. So there are practical benefits to conducting research via an online community for the researchers, clients, and
in-house. Many organisations outsource their
travel, accommodation, and venue costs; and
participants; and there are further benefits
communities, unless they have an established
often the cost of the platform hire is similar to
as well from adopting an online community
and very well-resourced insight team.
a viewing facility for one session.
approach.
• Feasibility. Especially for a disparate customer
Ad-hoc Communities Building on the benefits that we’ve
• The platform is expandable in terms of
base where interaction is required, this
its usage and suitability, meaning that
removes geographical considerations/biases.
the uses are endless, whether it's diary
Further to these practical benefits, there
experienced with ongoing communities, but
are many other benefits to conducting an
trying to reduce the time and cost impact, we
online community, especially for participants
have started to apply communities to shorter,
who are engaging in the research.
keeping to understand “in the moment” experiences through to proposition and concept testing. • A mix of individual and group tasks,
ad-hoc projects, lasting anything for a couple
Participant benefits are:
providing personal reflection through to
of days to a few weeks.
• Responsive platform. Can be used on a
interacting with other participants on other
number of different devices with ease and further to this the participant can switch
tasks, can help remove group bias. • Builds engagement over time, especially
between a mobile, tablet and computer
beneficial if there are co-creative elements
Debs Binks
depending on what is most suitable. We
– pre-sensitises participants to the topics
Client Manager
find that this helps to build engagement
being discussed, which helps to foster
TLF Research
as the research is less of a chore and helps
debsbinks@leadershipfactor.com
to facilitate “in the moment” feedback for projects such as customer journey research.
24 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
creativity over time. • “Cleaner” and quicker analysis which is sometimes difficult when analysing group
RESEARCH
discussions and time consuming when
users spiked to 200 million in
carrying out a number of depths.
March, compared to just 10 million
• Can evolve during the project, e.g. adding in new stimulus, creating stimulus based on the earlier customer feedback. • Can be used alongside other methodologies and approaches as and when required.
in December. As a nation we are seeking more meaningful ways to interact with each other and fill the void that social distancing measures have created. The movement towards video calling
These are just some of the benefits that we
remains pertinent across both business
have found from using online communities
and personal communication. There is
for shorter and more focused research
comfort in seeing people’s faces, their
projects. Whilst there is a natural fit between
reactions, and expressions, whether
online communities and consumer audiences,
it be family, friends, colleagues,
it isn’t solely for use with consumers.
clients or suppliers. So again when
Depending on the seniority of the audience,
thinking about the “sell” of an
the relationship, and practical aspects (e.g.
online community into both your
equipment to engage on the communities), it
organisation and also the audience,
can be a great tool when conducting business
the methodology has probably
to business research. There is just a need to
never felt more appropriate.
ensure that tasks are appropriate in content, length, and frequency, and the participants
Life after COVID-19
will get something out of taking part in the community, whether it be sharing some of
One thing that we need
the findings or just enjoying sharing their
to consider is what will
views with peers or other professionals.
be the long term impact
We would advise talking to the audience
of COVID-19 in terms
beforehand in order to establish what would
of our acceptance of
and wouldn’t work, before the community is
different channels
designed and launched.
and preferences when communicating.
The impact of COVID-19
Further to this, when thinking
In March this year the UK entered into
specifically about
lockdown as the nation began its fight against
research, when will
COVID-19. The main strategy, until a vaccine
it be appropriate
is found, is the principle of social distancing.
to conduct face-
Social distancing has massive implications for
to-face research?
research projects and, in terms of qualitative
Bearing this in
research, the benefits of online communities
mind, online
became even more pertinent as a way to keep
methodologies
that rich dialogue going with customers.
and specifically
For some companies who have never used
communities are likely
or considered using online communities
to become an ever
for research purposes, and who may doubt
increasing methodology
whether it would be appropriate for their
of choice, yielding deeper
audience, it is worth considering the trends
and richer insight but in a
we have seen since entering lockdown. For
safer, and potentially more
example, CNBC reported that Zoom daily
engaging, manner.
G U E S T F E AT U R E
HO CUSTOM For most of us, the idea of
the end of the line unscathed? It’s similar to
walking a tightrope with no safety net to
organisations asking their IT departments to
break our fall would be our worst nightmare.
successfully deliver customer experience (CX)
Add to the mix unwelcome noises, a
projects without the right skills to be able to
strong wind, and other distractions, and you might think, even for the most
do so effectively. A recent Pega study found that IT
experienced performer, that getting to
departments are leading more than a quarter
the other side is nearly impossible. The
of global CX projects (26%) versus 13% by
key to not tumbling into the abyss is to
dedicated CX functions. Without the right
block out the distractions. Similarly,
expertise and focus, it’s easy to understand
those individuals in charge of their
why many of these IT projects fail. Although
business’ customer experiences (CX)
IT can be critical to supporting these projects,
could learn a lot from a tightrope
problems can arise when IT folks are forced
walker.
to make business decisions that require those
Both need perfect balance. The
in other departments – many of whom have
same way noise can disrupt a tightrope
a completely different set of metrics – to buy
walker, businesses must strike the right
in and adopt a new approach or solution. It
balance in communicating with their
might not be as dangerous as asking a lion
customers. Too much noise can alienate a customer for good, while too little can leave them feeling undervalued. The rope beneath your feet can feel pretty thin when
tamer to walk a tightrope (or vice versa, for that matter), but the chances of success are just as bleak. The ability to prepare well extends beyond
trying to strike this balance, which is why the
making sure you match the right skills with
right approach cannot be underestimated.
the right projects. Any major undertaking,
For the tightrope walker, this can take
whether it’s a high-wire agility act or a
any number of forms. Imagine what would
successful CX initiative, relies on people
happen if a lion tamer was asked to walk to
26 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
delivering what is asked of them. Our study
G U E S T F E AT U R E
HOW TO WALK THE OMER EXPERIENCE TIGHTROPE found that just 35% of businesses currently
in chatbots, and 26% planned to invest in
interact with. Organisations have to nurture
have a C-level sponsor for CX projects, and
inbound contact centers, suggesting a focus
that relationship every day by offering
in 36% of organisations, these initiatives
on short-term outbound gains instead of the
relevant, tailored experiences, which requires
are led at the director level or below. It’s
inbound channels customers typically use to
change driven by empowered C-level leaders
easy to underestimate the value of C-level
communicate.
who are willing to re-architect their core
backing, and the truth is without it projects
Similarly, while analytics software
business around the customer. If they don’t,
can falter. A lack of expertise, leadership, and
evolves at lightning speed, far too many
they could learn the hard way that it’s easy
awareness of the CX program can lead those
organisations rely on outdated and less
to lose their footing and come crashing
working on it to question the organisation’s
effective analytics solutions. For example, a
down.
commitment. C-level involvement can help
quarter or more still rely on customer journey
break down barriers between IT and business
mapping (27%) or micro-segmentation
departments and result in a more carefully
(25%), while almost one in five (19%) still
balanced overall approach.
perform arduous A/B testing. Even more
Tom Libretto Chief Marketing Officer
For tightrope walking, as well as those
telling is that customer-centric analytics
embarking on CX initiatives, investing in the
that can jumpstart CX, such as propensity
most relevant equipment is critical. The same
modelling (37%), customer lifetime value
way you wouldn’t expect a tightrope walker
projection (34%), or performance simulation
Tom is responsible for global marketing
to improve their performance with a suit of
(33%), are still far from prevalent.
initiatives and functions. He has more than
armour, spending in the wrong areas can only
When all is said and done, organisations
and Senior Vice President at Pega
20 years of marketing leadership experience
have to realize that implementing new
in global technology organisations. His mul-
technology without due diligence is like
ti-disciplinary background includes B2B and
customers determine their marketing focus,
taking a giant leap into the unknown. They
B2C marketing and sales experience as well as
those companies named email (43%) and
need a more holistic, strategic approach, in
product management, corporate strategy, and
digital ads (42%) as their top two channels,
which businesses look at their customers
business development roles.
despite increasingly low customer response
in a new way – as individuals with unique
rates. On the other hand, only 28% of
needs and preferences who have a complex,
companies said they were planning to invest
real-time relationship with every brand they
hinder CX projects. Although 68% of companies say their
https://www.pega.com/
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 27
RESEARCH
The UKCSI is an independent, national benchmark of customer satisfaction published each January and July across 13 sectors of the UK, conducted by The Institute of Customer Service. The UKCSI measures customers’ experiences and relationships with organisations on 26 metrics which are based on customer priorities. For over a decade it has provided us with a biannual snapshot of how UK consumers are feeling.
Latest Headline Results The latest UKCSI report was released at the beginning of July 2020. We’ve pulled together some of the highlights. The full report, published by The Institute, is available to download free on their website: https://www.instituteofcustomerservice.com/uk-customer-satisfaction-index For more detail, including scores for all named organisations, it is also possible to purchase in-depth reports on each sector.
The July 2020 UKCSI is 77.0 (out of 100), 0.1 points lower than a year ago and 1.2 points below the highpoint recorded in July 2017 The research for this UKCSI is based on 45,000 customer responses conducted in 2 waves of research: the first wave was conducted between 10 September and 7 October 2019; the second wave was conducted between 16 March and 13 April 2020. 78.2
77.9 77.4
77.1
77.8
78.2 78.1
77.0 76.3 76.0
77.9
77.7
77.1
77.0
76.9
76.2
69.4
Jan-08
Jan-13
Jan-15
Jul-17
Jul-20
Customer satisfaction with Public Services has improved but has fallen in the Tourism sector • Leisure is the highest rated sector, with a UKCSI score of 80.2 • Retail (Non-food) is the second highest rated sector but its UKCSI score of 80.0 is its lowest for 10 years. Similarly, while Retail (Food) has fallen by just 0.5 points compared to a year ago, its score of 79.6 is its lowest since January 2015. • The Public Services (Local) sector has improved by 1.4 points compared to July 2019. The biggest improvements are for satisfaction with complaint handling and the number of experiences rated as being right first time. • Customer satisfaction in the Tourism sector fell by 1.6 points to 78.6, the sector’s biggest ever year on year fall and its lowest score since 2009.
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 29
RESEARCH
The highest rated organisations for customer satisfaction are John Lewis (85.3), Nationwide (84.4), first direct (84.2),M & S (Non-food) (84.0) and M & S (food) (83.5) July-20 Rank
Organisation
Sector
July-20 Score
July-19 Score
July-19 Rank
Change in score July -19 to July -20
1
John Lewis
Retail (Non-food)
85.3
85.3
4
0.0
2
Nationwide
Banks & Building Societies
84.4
84.2
8
0.2
3
first direct
Banks & Building Societies
84.2
86.8
1
-2.6 q
4
M&S
Retail (Non-food)
84.0
83.4
11
0.6
5
M & S (food)
Retail (Food)
83.5
80.5
49
3.0 p
6=
Amazon.co.uk
Retail (Non-food)
83.3
84.4
6
-1.1 q
6=
Subway
Leisure
83.3
81.3
31
2.0 p
8=
LV=
Insurance
83.0
83.6
10
-0.6 q
8=
Nationwide Insurance
Insurance
83.0
81.6
26
1.4
p
10 =
Aldi
Retail (Food)
82.9
81.9
24
1.0
p
10 =
Premier Inn
Tourism
82.9
83.0
13
-0.1 q
p Increase in UKCSI score of less than one point
q Fall in UKCSI score
p Increase in UKCSI score of one point or more
The extraordinary context of COVID-19 16 March and 13 April 2020. Customers who
feedback we have received suggests that
in the extraordinary context of the COVID-
participate in the UKCSI research are asked to
many organisations have seen a boost in
19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown. In
rate a recent experience they have had with
their customer satisfaction ratings since the
this UKCSI, we have reviewed data from the
an organisation. Therefore, while not all the
lockdown was introduced but the situation is
specific time periods in which research was
customer experiences recorded in this UKCSI
volatile and evolving. The evidence from the
conducted in order to assess the impact of
took place during or around the lockdown
UKCSI suggests that while the overall trend in
COVID-19 on customers’ experiences with
period, it is likely that the extraordinary
customer satisfaction has remained flat, the
organisations. The July 2020 UKCSI is based
context of COVID-19 will have influenced
COVID-19 environment has produced variable
on customer research data gathered between
customer attitudes and UKCSI responses
impacts across sectors, organisations and
10 September and 7 October 2019 and between
given during March and April. Anecdotal
customer groups.
The July 2020 UKCSI has been produced
Based on the evidence in this UKCSI, The Institute have identified 8 key areas of focus for organisations in the
1 Reset business and customer experience objectives
2 Protect the health and well-being of employees
30 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
3 Support, develop and empower employees
4 Prioritise the needs of vulnerable customers
RESEARCH
The impact of COVID-19 and the lockdown on customer satisfaction is most apparent in the Insurance, Tourism and Public Services sectors
Sector
July 2019 UKCSI
Responses given 10 Sept – 7 Oct 2019
Responses given 16 – 23 March 2020 (Pre Lockdown)
Responses given 24 March – 13 April 2020 (Lockdown)
July 2020 UKCSI
Change: Lockdown and Pre Lockdown
UKCSI yoy change
UK all-sector average
77.1
77.1
77.1
76.8
77.0
-0.3
0.1
Leisure
80.0
80.2
79.9
80.4
80.2
0.5
0.2
Retail (Non-food)
80.9
79.9
80.4
79.9
80.0
-0.5
-0.9
Retail (Food)
80.1
79.8
79.3
79.5
79.6
0.2
-0.5
Banks & Building Societies
79.7
79.5
78.5
79.2
79.1
0.7
-0.6
Insurance
78.8
78.8
78.8
77.6
78.6
-1.2
-0.2
Tourism
80.2
79.1
78.0
78.1
78.6
0.1
-1.6
Automotive
78.5
78.7
77.4
78.4
78.3
1.0
-0.2
Services
76.6
76.8
77.5
77.1
77.1
-0.4
0.5
Public Services (National)
75.4
75.2
77.2
76.0
76.1
-1.2
0.7
Public Services (Local)
73.9
74.5
75.2
77.0
75.3
1.8
1.4
Telecommunications & Media
74.7
74.5
74.2
73.2
74.2
-1.0
-0.5
Utilities
72.1
72.9
71.9
72.6
72.6
0.7
0.5
Transport
70.8
71.9
70.9
71.1
71.4
0.2
0.6
Customers believe that protecting employees and vulnerable customers should be top priorities for organisations Do the right thing to protect their employees 40.1% Prioritise the needs of vulnerable customers 39.8% Keep customers updated 39.7% Maintain availability of the products/services they provide 38.3%
context of the evolving COVID-19 crisis
5 Make sure your customers know how to access services and contact your organisation for help and advice
6 Understand how customers’ needs and priorities are evolving
7 Focus on improving service productivity
8 Develop your capacity for innovation and agility
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 31
BOOK REVIEW
ECONOMICS IN THE AGE OF COVID-19
When I saw, at the end of April, that MIT Press had published a book on the economics of COVID-19 I was both impressed and alarmed. Impressed by the sheer speed with which all concerned must have acted in order to research, write, and produce (albeit digitally) an entire book in that time. “This is the fastest we’ve ever moved a book through our system due to the immediacy of the content. The launch of the MIT Press First Reads series and the swift publication of Economics in the Age of COVID-19 reflects our ambition to address important topics in a fast yet responsible and authoritative manner." - Amy Brand, Director, The MIT Press The key question, though, is whether the book is actually any good. I feared the worst when I noticed a typo on page 2 of the preface, but from then on it was all good news – the book is excellent. No doubt by the time you’re reading this some things will have become much clearer than they are as I write this review (in May 2020), or when the book was published, but I suspect that we’ll still be wrestling with the impact of this pandemic, the decisions we need collectively to make, and what our best route out of it looks like. Joshua Gans takes an economist’s view of the pandemic, but resists the urge to paint public health and economic welfare as being in opposition. His argument is important enough that I think it’s worth giving a detailed summary of the whole book…
Health before Wealth Pandemics dramatically shift the relationship between public health and the economy, so seeking to find a balance is a mistake. Under normal circumstances, because production is finite, public health and the economy is a trade-off, with diminishing returns. A pandemic changes that; it hollows out our ability to produce. That changes the balance, meaning we now need to give up a large degree of health to improve the economy. We must prioritise public health (for example by locking down swiftly) for both social and long-run economic reasons.
BOOK REVIEW
“…pursuing public health can be consistent with superior long-run economic performance.”
want to continue business as usual when we it doesn’t mean you don’t have a good
Predictable Surprises
Rallying Innovation
can. If customers aren’t turning up today, business.
Because of the enormous public interest in making any vaccine, or other health
Economic policy, therefore, should be to
innovations, widely available, there is a
Cumulative processes (e.g. exponential
“pause” the economy, preserving busi-
danger that this may disincentivise inno-
growth) are hard to understand, but predict-
nesses and jobs, using some mixture of
vation for fear of potential profits being
able. The rate of infection (R0) is not just
approaches such as banning foreclosure,
squashed. Advanced Market Commitments
a biological number, but also a social one.
paying bills/wages, and making loans. The
or other similar tools that help to guarantee
Epidemiological models sometimes ignore
best solution may be income-dependant
minimum profits may help.
this, and it means that by taking action we
loans, to try to ensure the burden is allo-
can mitigate the maths.
cated relatively fairly. If no action is taken
“The difficulty for a vaccine maker is that a
to pause the economy, there is the potential
low price on the vaccine reduces their profits but
the country eventually, there are huge returns to
for a “dark recession”, more like a natural
generates much more value for other firms as
doing it quickly.”
disaster, caused by damage to production
the economy recovers.”
“…if you know you are going to shut down
capacity (i.e. workers dying or being too ill
A War Footing
to work).
We may want a new “Manhattan Project” to address this and future pandemics.
Markets are great, but in times of crisis
“We know exactly why businesses have seen
it’s necessary to move to a “war footing”
their customers disappear…Moreover, we know
of centralised control. Markets are effi-
that, ideally, we want people to go straight back
research is a fraction of that devoted to other
cient because they work even though people
to their economic activity afterward.”
threats – notably, national security. Our
within them don’t have full information, but that takes time. Should I convert my factory
“The funding for innovation for medical
experience in 2020 suggests that our attention
The Testing Economy
has been misfocused.”
to make ventilators or facemasks? What if we end up with too many of one and not enough
Testing is vital to recovery. Testing is
The Future
of the other? Maybe I should wait and see?
the only way to control the rate of infec-
Central coordination prevents duplication
tion without blanket bans. If there proves
and delay, because of the information avail-
to be no lasting immunity, then strict social
future we will need some kind of global pan-
able to government.
distancing, tracing, and testing will be nec-
demic response institution (similar to IMF),
essary for a long time.
and we should be prepared to spend 100s
Governments must adopt central control to coordinate both public health response and economy. Their health policy should
Perhaps most importantly of all, in the
of billions on it. We will need a global pan“The testing economy is what emerges when
demic response unit, which creates issues
be to “surf the curve” (i.e. to both flatten
you have the virus under control, but you do
to be resolved around national sovereignty,
the curve and temporarily increase health
not have widespread immunity…This means
costs, etc. There is a danger of compla-
capacity), then move to heavy infection
that tests, like post-9/11 security measures, will
cency, so it’s important to note that in some
testing until/unless widespread immunity is
likely be part of our daily lives for many years to
respects we got relatively lucky with COVID-
achieved. Other important central interven-
come…”
19 (it doesn’t stay alive in the air, it seems
tions include price controls on key goods, such as hand sanitiser.
This Time It Really Is Different The inevitable recession, caused by
relatively genetically stable, and so on). Next
Re-emergence
time could be much worse.
Opening up after lockdown will be stag-
“…spending hundreds of billions per year to
gered, for example to prioritise those who
mitigate substantially the risk of global pandemics
can’t work at home and who can work rela-
is as close to a no-brainer as we are likely to get.”
policy, is importantly different to other
tively safely, probably starting with workers
recessions, because it’s something we are
in construction and manufacturing. Hubs
choosing to do. Gans likens it to a public
such as offices, schools, conferences, and
holiday (e.g. the short recession we choose
especially public gatherings are likely to be
Stephen Hampshire
to have every 25th December). This is
locked down for much longer.
Client Manager
important, because it means that (unlike a
If a vaccine is possible, it will take at least
normal recession) there is nothing fun-
a year, and will inevitably require prioritis-
damentally broken in the economy, so we
ing and rationing at least in the early stages.
TLF Research stephenhampshire@leadershipfactor.com
www.tlfresearch.com | Summer 2020 Customer Insight 33
HOW HARD CAN IT BE?
CUSTOMER SERVICE DURING THE LOCKDOWN: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
so I could go straight through security and I spoke to a guy there who answered within 3 rings and sorted everything for me in a matter of seconds. Amazing service! Everyone has a bone to pick with banks these days but I think their service should be praised when they're working at reduced capacity and still providing awesome service. BRAVO Barclays!!!” “I contacted HSBC via the app. Although they took a long time to answer, they made me feel valued as a customer and they appreciated this difficult time we all face and understood my position. After a long conversation I was left feeling I had a bank that was there to help and would do anything to ensure I was happy and I knew they were only a call away. Money worries through these times and being furloughed
We have completed 3 surveys with TLF Panel during the lockdown, mainly to track how the lockdown has affected their lives and changed their attitudes and priorities. In the most recent survey we also asked panellists whether they had
has left us never wanting to book any future flights
with no idea when I’ll be back is worrying but
with them.”
mortgage payments will be on hold and I know I can
The customer experience with holidays has been just as variable: “I called Ionian Island Holidays when my holiday
talk to someone that will listen and assist as much as possible! This gives me some peace of mind”. There were many delighted customers including this over-65 year-old lady from East Anglia:
received any particularly good, or bad, customer
to Greece was cancelled. When they offered a voucher
service, asking them to provide details. Over
for future travel I explained my husband was likely
1,500 people from all over the UK completed the
to be made redundant. They told me I could have a
my granddaughter's flute stopped playing properly.
survey and on re-reading their stories over the
full refund of my deposit £300 if I waited until my
It had been a gift to her from us and she wanted to
last 2 days, what has hit me between the eyes
holiday start date. They were very kind. I contacted
continue to practice during lockdown although her
is the huge discrepancy in service provided –
them again and received an e-mail from the
lessons had to stop. The flute was purchased through
literally from one extreme to the other. Rather
Managing Director saying they hadn't been able
this company so I emailed and asked if they could
than reading about me describing their varied
to recoup their losses from either the airline or the
help at all. They replied promptly, arranged for the
experiences second hand, I’m going to use the
accommodation owner, but would refund me in
flute to be uplifted from us, repaired it, free of charge,
full flavour of their own words to contrast the
full. I wrote back, thanking him and the lady in the
and returned it to us after only 1 week. This company
superb response of some companies compared to
office I'd spoken to originally and I received another
would have had the same problems with staffing as
the appalling, I would say unethical, behaviour
e-mail from the MD saying he had passed on the
everybody else, but my experience with others has
of others.
message to her and he hoped my husband's work
been very poor, ranging from empty promises to no
situation improved. I thought that was top notch
response at all. I think most of us will have had the
customer service”. (55-64 female, Southampton)
same type of experiences and we will remember who
All industries have been affected by the pandemic and in every in every sector you can find contrasting examples of superb and appalling service. Refunds
“I had a cottage booked for April in Yorkshire,
“I nominate Gear4music who I contacted when
to do business with in the future.” This lady is by no means alone in thinking
have been a massive problem for many people during
and of course had to cancel it. The fuss that the
the lockdown. Let’s take airlines. Comments about
company put up, when I asked for a refund, was
very carefully about who she will do business
British Airways were overwhelmingly positive –
disgraceful, I explained that I have diabetes and
with in the future. And this young man from
“British Airways were very helpful and friendly even
cancer, but they were having none of it, they
Scotland is having very similar thoughts:
though they were busy and got the refund sorted out
said I needed to get a form signed by my GP, so I
quickly and easily. It felt like a pleasant experience so
downloaded the form, filled out my part, put in a
beginning of lockdown and it only arrived today
we won't hesitate to rebook with them.”
cheque for the cost of filling it and a SAE so that they
(23rd May). I tried to contact Homebase several
could send it back to me as neither of us wanted
times to chase up delivery but was unable to get a
to go to the practice. About a week later I got a
response of any kind. There’s nothing worse than
letter from NHS stating that I need to be shielded,
over-promising and under-delivering because you
people. Money back on flights! Ryanair has been
I emailed it straight away to the company, and
feel as though you’ve been robbed. I certainly won't
atrocious. After the first refund form (which they
they gave me back most of my money. They kept
be shopping with Homebase again.”
ignore) there is no way of getting in touch with
£78 for administration costs, which I felt was a bit
them. They have a webbot which seems to be
much!!!!!!” (55-64 female, South East)
Virgin, easyJet and Ryanair fared much less well. The 2 comments below are typical. “My main problem was the same as a lot of
designed to be as little help as possible. They have
The much maligned banks seem generally to
“I ordered some paint from Homebase at the
Next time the lady from Southampton wants to go on holiday to Greece I know which company she’ll be using. But why can’t companies
a phone number which costs 13p a minute so after
have provided a very good response during the
understand that there are lots of places to buy
wasting 6 hours with no answers or results it cost
lockdown. The comments of this 25-34 year old
paint, a host of other holiday cottage options in
you £46.80 for the privilege!” 25-34 female, Leeds
lady from South Wales followed by a 35-44 year
Yorkshire, other alternatives for most products
old guy from Yorkshire were typical of the reac-
and services. I know that customers’ behavioural
Faro was cancelled by the airline. It took us 2 hours
tion of many panellists who have needed help
intentions don’t always materialise in practice
in a queue to get through. They were extremely
from their banks over the last three months.
but I think the dramatic impact of COVID-19 will
unhelpful refusing to refund the cost of our flight
The provision of apps to enhance the delivery of
give customers much longer memories this time.
which was £324 and only offering an alternative
a seamless omni-channel experience seems to
flight for a future date. We eventually accepted a
have been particularly effective
“We did have to contact easyJet when our flight to
flight for next January and did expect they would
“I am a Premier banking customer with Barclays
allow us to use the full cost of our cancelled flight
and I have to say they have been AMAZING! I was
but again they refused and the flight we had booked
charged twice in the space of 2 minutes for an order I
only cost £140 leaving us out of pocket to the tune
made with Argos and after an hour on hold to them,
of £184. Really feel cheated by the company which
decided to ring Barclays instead. I rang from the app
34 Customer Insight Summer 2020 | www.tlfresearch.com
Nigel Hill Chairman TLF Research
Customer Insight Magazine is created and published in house by TLF Research. The magazine is our way of sharing features and latest thinking on creating an outstanding customer experience. We hope you enjoy reading the magazine as much as we enjoy creating it. If you’ve got an interesting customer experience story to tell and would like to feature in the magazine, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact our editor Stephen Hampshire for more information.
Email Stephen at stephenhampshire@leadershipfactor.com or give him a call on 01484 467014
ABOUT TLF RESEARCH We are a full service customer research agency. Specialists in customer insight, we help our clients understand and improve their customer experience. Get in touch to find out more about what we do.
Visit us online at tlfresearch.com or call 01484 517575
FREE WEBINARS Our range of free 30 minute webinars is designed to give you an introduction to key customer research subjects. From how to guides & what to focus on, through to best practice & the analysis of your results, our webinars will give you lots of hints & tips to help you get the most out of research.
WARMING UP RESPONDENTS TO MAXIMISE RESPONSE RATES 12th August 2020 11:00-11:30am
Whether you are trying to increase a low response rate or hope to encourage a few more customers to take part in your research programme, this webinar provides practical tips and ideas for communicating with customers before the survey and engaging their interest in your research.
BENCHMARKING RESULTS, CAN IT BE DONE RELIABLY & HOW?
DO YOU NEED TO MEASURE CUSTOMER EFFORT?
26th August 2020 11:00-11:30am
2nd September 2020 11:00-11:30am
We are all interested to see how our Customer Satisfaction or NPS scores compare to others, but how do we do it reliably and what do we want to get from benchmarking? Greg Roche talks through different approaches to benchmarking and how best to use this MI to drive action.
Customer Effort is a relatively new metric, but it is gaining in popularity as a headline metric and an effective measure of customer loyalty. If you are easy to deal with – customers are likely to come back. Chris Elliott is a big advocate of Customer Effort, in this webinar he will talk about the pros and cons of the metric and how it can add a different perspective to your customer research.
TURNING INSIGHT IN TO ACTION: THE IMPORTANCE OF ACTION PLANNING
B2B CUSTOMER JOURNEY MAPPING
9th September 2020 11:00-11:30am
16th September 2020 11:00-11:30am
There is no point doing customer research unless you’re planning to do something with the results. Action planning is the best way to ensure you are using the insight gained from your customer research to drive positive change to the customer experience. Greg will guide you through best practice when creating an action plan and show you some practical examples of how they can work.
Journey mapping is an important task to undertake for both B2C and B2B customers, but the outputs for these 2 groups will look significantly different. We’re focusing on B2B customer journey mapping in this webinar and how to ensure all the relevant insight is captured.
NEURO DESIGN FOR INFOGRAPHICS
ONLINE SURVEYS: A GUIDE TO SUCCESS
29th September 2020 11:00-11:30am
30th September 2020 11:00-11:30am
Infographics are popular because they can engage people with insight and make data stories memorable, but it’s not always clear how to achieve the biggest impact. In this webinar we discuss what Neuro Design, the field which applies lessons from cognitive science to the aesthetics of design, can teach us about making the right design choices.
Are you making the most of your online surveys? They are an effective way to gather feedback and can help you reach large numbers of customers, but they need to be carefully considered. In this webinar, Vicki will take you through her best practice guide to creating online surveys that deliver results. She’ll cover a range of topics, from maximising response rates and questionnaire design, to analysing and feeding back the results.
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