Customer Experience Research

A central component of the customer experience in many organizations is the monitoring of the user experience as well as customer satisfaction and its drivers. Set up either as ad hoc studies, periodic tracking studies, or continuous transaction-based surveys, this type of research requires in-depth knowledge of the client organization and customer touchpoints.

We work with our clients to accurately capture all variables that have an impact on the customer experience and the business operation. Our goal is to provide insights to help develop customer acquisition and retention programs.

Why You Should Do It

More than ever, we are living in an experience economy. As technology helps to commoditize many products and services, and competing on price can lead revenue and profits to a spiral downward, companies need to find differentiation in the experience they offer their customers.

Customers, in turn, are exposed to diverse experiences across many different product and service categories. These become conscious or unconscious benchmarks for their expectations. The customer experience is often the result of internal comparisons of expectations against perceptions in the context of the emotions triggered during the experience. Consequently, relying on data analytics to monitor customer behavior through transactional data is not enough.

Data analytics will show what customers do, but not why they do it. In order to correct direction and improve the customer experience, companies need to monitor different satisfaction metrics by talking directly with their customers, using both qualitative and quantitative research.

A common metric many companies use is the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which was “the metric” to measure for quite a while. Fortunately, many organizations are realizing that the NPS doesn’t tell the complete story. When it comes to customer satisfaction and retention, we need to look at the customer from different perspectives along their customer journey.

The Approach

Ideally, customer satisfaction research should be conducted with a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods.

We can use qualitative research to explore needs, perceptions, and expectations. This type of research can enable us to investigate the key drivers of satisfaction, the likelihood for a customer to recommend a product/service and the prospect to buy again.

Alternatively, quantitative research using survey methodology is used to validate and identify the key drivers, and related satisfaction and retention metrics. These are customized for each client’s business structure, internal KPIs and customer journey(s).

In most cases, we recommend including a sample of customers and non-customers in the research to help us glean valuable insights into the different phases of the customer acquisition and retention cycle:

• Key  driver identification
• Development and implementation of the retention program
• Key performance metrics monitoring for own brand and competitors
• Development and implementation of the acquisition program
• Customer acquisition

Qualitative research is conducted as needed to identify and/or get a deeper understanding of key drivers. Among the qualitative methods we use are:

• Focus groups (online and offline)
• One-on-one interviews (online and offline)
• Text analytics

Target Audience Recruitment

Relevant Insights can recruit qualified B2C and B2B participants through our sample provider partners for both qualitative and quantitative research. With your permission, Relevant Insights can also recruit participants from your customer database. If we decide to include your customers or clients, we will implement procedures to protect their identifiable personal information.

Another option is for you to recruit directly from your own customer database if data privacy restrictions don’t allow for customer data sharing. In this case, we provide the necessary data collection tools or work with your data collection tools (i.e. survey tools) if the data is required to remain in the account.

After discussions with your team, we determine the sample parameters and assist with developing screeners. We also manage participant incentives.

Implementation

In direct collaboration with your team, Relevant Insights will:

1. Recommend the data collection mode depending on sample parameters and the industry in which your company operates. Surveys can be conducted online, by phone, by mail or with a hybrid approach.
2. Develop survey questions and metrics to support an analytical plan that meets the project’s business and research objectives.
3. Discuss recommendations for sample size and sample sources. Sample size requirements will depend on the product category, target audience, and incidence rates, among other factors.
4. Program, test, and host the surveys. In addition to testing the programmed survey for errors before launch, the survey is deployed in a “soft-launch” mode to a small sample to detect any potential issues with actual participants before its distribution to a large sample.
5. Monitor the field and provide daily reports on its progress and any issues that may arise.

If qualitative research is required, Relevant Insights will:

1. Recommend the most appropriate qualitative research data collection method for the target sample.
2. Develop discussion guides.
3. Moderate focus groups and in-depth interviews.
4. Rent facilities or online platforms.

Analytical Plan

Different multivariate statistical techniques are used to identify key drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, usage and recommendation (Net Promoter Score – NPS), which can be used as key metrics, monitored in scorecards.

Among the techniques we use are:

• MaxDiff.
• Regression Analysis.
• Correlation Analysis.
• Gap Analysis.
• Latent Class Analysis.

The most common metrics collected in this type of research are:

• Overall satisfaction.
• Likelihood to recommend.
• Likelihood to buy/use again.
• Satisfaction with product/service attributes.
• Preference for product/service benefits.
• Satisfaction with specific areas of the business, depending on customer touchpoints.
• Company and product perceptions.
• Customer behavior.

Reporting

Relevant Insights can provide different levels of reporting based on budget and time constraints including:

1. Raw data only.
2. Simulators (for MaxDiff studies).
3. Cross-tabulated tables by key variables.
4. A short summary report with key findings.
5. A full, detailed report with analysis, charts, tables, quotes, and graphics in an appealing format.

Typical Project Duration

Four to six weeks. If a preceding qualitative phase is included, add three to four weeks.

Factors that can affect project duration include:

• The incidence rate of the target sample: The lower the incidence rate, the longer we need to stay in the field to gather the required data.
• Client team responsiveness: A delayed response to requests for feedback at different steps of the project will stall a project and affect the delivery date.

Investment

The cost will vary depending on:

• Data collection method (online, phone, mail).
• The analytical plan selected.
• Sample specifications and sample size.
• Reporting requirements.
• Inclusion of qualitative research.