A Framework for Measuring and Promoting Client Satisfaction

In a world where even complex IT services are being commoditized, client satisfaction is central to business success. Indeed, client satisfaction is today a primary driver for brand image, supplier selection, and repeat business in IT services.

In this context, demonstrating to clients and prospects alike that your organisation has a well-developed system in place to document satisfaction can be a key contributor to business success. Best-practice marketing organisations therefore treat client satisfaction programmes like any other critical communications effort where messages, means of communications, and target segments are clearly defined and creatively executed.

Developing a system to measure and promote client satisfaction relies on broad organisational cooperation and a clear plan. ITSMA's framework includes seven essential steps, as shown in Figure 1 and outlined in the following sections.

Figure 1. A Framework for Measuring and Promoting Client Satisfaction

Source: ITSMA, 2003

1. Gain organisational buy-in. It is crucial that marketers gain the support and buy-in of management and the wider organisation from the outset. Involve other departments outside marketing in setting objectives, designing appropriate measurements and tools, and determining measurement scope. This is critical to ensuring that client satisfaction becomes part of the culture and not simply a measurement project.

2. Set objectives and scope. The next stage is to decide on the goals, objectives, and outputs of the programme. Determine how client satisfaction can best support company objectives to increase revenue and profit and design the programme to align carefully with those objectives.

3. Design research approach. Create an aggressive but realistic research programme to measure satisfaction that ensures credible data that can be used to improve results at the level of individual clients, discrete lines of business, and the company as a whole. Research tools to uncover client satisfaction levels and their perceptions of service quality may include qualitative approaches such as focus groups or in-depth interviews, or more quantitative approaches such as survey questionnaires or key performance indicators.

4. Conduct fieldwork. The next stage of the process is to collect the required data. It is important to choose an appropriate method of data collection that is convenient for clients and lends itself to timely analysis. Using multiple methods of data collection will give clients a flexible choice, and this too can help increase response. Initiate pilot studies to gain experience on the most useful methods and adjust the research program accordingly. Consider the pros and cons of conducting the research internally versus using an outside contractor.

5. Analyse results. Once all the data has been collated, the findings must be interpreted, generating recommendations for service improvements or communications programmes. This is an important time to re-involve senior management and other departments, as they may have particular views on the interpretation of results or suggestions for action. Invest the time and creative energy to make sure you get useful insight into areas of potential service improvement. Raw data by itself doesn't often provide much direction.

6. Initiate service improvements. The service improvement (or realignment) stage is of critical importance. A programme may produce a diverse set of recommendations and actions, ranging from the appearance and behaviour of company staff to the quality of documentation or the usability of an extranet supporting the service, for example. The whole point of the research programme is to identify areas of improvement. Make sure the research and analysis doesn't just sit on the shelf!

7. Incorporate findings into ongoing promotion. We already know that clients look to their personal experience with suppliers before making purchase decisions. When they do not have actual prior experience, they look for the next best thing: testimonials and references from people whose judgement they trust. Therefore, the most successful marketers will be those that can demonstrate to clients that their organisation is giving a measurable, and therefore proven, quality service. Highlight success stories, overall scores, and areas of recent improvement in internal and external communications. Don't shy away from all bad news; in this age of transparency, it will emerge regardless of your efforts, so it is much better to acknowledge it and discuss plans for solving the problems.

Services buyers have always looked first to their own satisfaction with a provider (if they were already clients) or to referrals from colleagues and trusted advisors. But the stakes keep getting higher. Today, buyers increasingly want to know not only that you have high satisfaction ratings but that you also have a system in place to constantly monitor and improve performance to drive those ratings ever higher. Having a comprehensive programme in place is no longer a luxury but an absolute necessity.

For more information on measuring and promoting customer satisfaction, contact Bev Burgess, Managing Director, ITSMA Europe, at +44(0) 1892 523060 or info@itsma.com.

The ITSMA Toolbox includes models, guides, checklists, and other tools that marketers can use to strengthen their programs and organizations. Suggestions are welcome; send them to rleavitt@itsma.com.

For more research and marketing tools, visit http://www.itsma.com/research/research_rt.htm.