“Thriving in this business is all about our ability to provide better customer service than our competitors,” she said. “If we get that right, we can stand out from the crowd.”
Viviane Reichert
Director, Customer & Market Intelligence
TNT Express
Viviane Reichert delivered a clear understanding of customer satisfaction.
Hoofddorp, Netherlands Viviane Reichert knows what customers want. As director of Customer & Market Intelligence for TNT Express, Reichert leads the ongoing process of measuring customer satisfaction and incorporating those findings into business strategy. And thanks to a comprehensive approach that cascades customer feedback across the organisation, Reichert makes sure that all TNT Express managers also know what customers want. The ultimate aim of the process, she said, is to give TNT Express a competitive edge in the marketplace.
On-time delivery, of course, consistently claims the number-one spot among customer demands. Timely, proactive notification of issues that may cause delays comes in second. For instance, said Reichert, when customers ship a package to another country, they want to be informed upfront of any special customs requirements or upcoming national holidays that may delay delivery of their package. Rounding out the top three customer demands is an ability to solve such problems when they arise and to follow through on those commitments.
Reichert and her team use a three-step, ongoing process. “Our first objective is to measure customer satisfaction with our services – to understand what they regard as important and how well we live up to that,” she said. That’s done with a survey sent to a selection of 90,000 customers around the globe three times a year. For each returned survey, TNT Express makes a donation to the World Food Programme, and response rates consistently average around 17%, a significantly high rate for such mailings. Results are compiled using a web-based analysis system that can be accessed by managers around the world, who can monitor customer satisfaction within their own regions or business areas.
The second step of the process is benchmarking results against competitors. “This gives us the ability to fill any gaps and to capitalise on our strengths,” said Reichert. The third step is inviting customers to take part in focus groups to provide specifics about what they need and want from TNT Express.
In 2004, the process revealed steadily increasing levels of customer satisfaction. But linking the results back to the business is the most crucial step. When that happens, according to Reichert, TNT Express can gain a competitive advantage. “Thriving in this business is all about our ability to provide better customer service than our competitors,” she said. “If we get that right, we can stand out from the crowd.”