The past 24 months have been a turning point at Deep-Insight. Behind the scenes, we’ve completely rethought the way in which we deliver customer experience (CX) insights to our customers in the B2B space. As a result, we now have a (significantly) faster, more agile and more intelligent approach to enable you to understand your customers.
In 2024, we decided to re-establish the Product Management role within our organisation as a core strategic function. This was not just an internal shift, it was done as a direct response to a crystal clear message that we received from our clients:
Act faster to deliver even sharper insights.
Our customer’s feedback: the driving force behind our transformation
We’ve used your feedback as a driving force for all the changes we’ve made recently. Over the past 1-2 years we have worked closely with B2B leaders and conducted a series of in-depth interviews to really understand how they envision the customer experience landscape changing in the future. Our findings were consistent:
Businesses need real-time, actionable CX insights
Agility is no longer optional, but critical
Legacy tools are holding teams back
We took this feedback and advice seriously – and we acted on it.
What we’ve improved: CX platform innovations
As a result of everything we learned, we decided to first review the technical capabilities of the tools we were using. We wanted to relay the foundation on which we run our programmes and such we implemented the following:
A faster, more intuitive survey experience, providing respondents with:
A clean, modern interface
Simplified navigation between questions
Faster overall response time
The result? The same reliable customer feedback data but delivered with less friction.
The introduction of Deep-Dive Studio – our new CX analytics platform
This has to be the biggest leap forward that we’ve taken in years. This powerful analytical dashboard is specifically designed for understanding B2B customer experience insights. With this new platform, we have unlocked:
Real-time access to completion rates during the live survey period
Faster, flexible insight generation
Advanced analysis for in-depth understanding
AI-powered sentiment analysis
It helps us and our customers with actionable outputs for both account level changes as well as driving organisational strategy. In short, it transforms raw data into decision-ready intelligence.
Greater flexibility and customisation for complex B2B environments
No two B2B organisations are the same, and your CX tools shouldn’t be either. In the past, we used rigid tools, but that period has come to an end. Our new technology allows us to:
Adapt to bespoke client requests
Go beyond our standard frameworks
Respond quickly to the evolving market conditions
All in all, this means that you get a CX programme tailored to your business, not a one-size-fits-all model.
Why this matters for CX leaders
If you are responsible for CX in a B2B environment, you are likely feeling an ever-increasing pressure to:
Demonstrate return on investment (ROI) from CX
Deliver insights faster
Ensure feedback is aligned with strategic decisions
We have designed our transformation with this in mind and can help you from moving from data collection into driving real impactful change.
What’s next?
This is just the beginning. Our product team is committed to continuous improvement – testing, learning and evolving alongside our clients. You can expect further innovation as we continue on this journey to push the boundaries of what is possible at Deep-Insight when it comes to B2B customer experience management.
Get involved in our journey
If you’d like to:
See our new CX tools in action
Explore how CRQ and Deep-Dive Studio can support your business
Vreugdenhil conducted its first Customer Relationship Quality (CRQ) assessment in 2022, impressing us with their smooth adoption of the CRQ process, as if it had been a long-standing practice.
What stood out most was their commitment from the outset. They dived into the process with enthusiasm and maintained a strong momentum throughout all the phases of the CRQ process.
In 2022, strong client relationships were identified as a key strength. Determined to build on this foundation, Vreugdenhil developed an internal training programme for all colleagues who have contact with customers, to enhance their client communication skills. They employed a variety of creative formats like interactive training sessions customised for different departments.
These ‘customer contact training’ sessions emphasized proactive client engagement and addressed the nuances of dealing with different customer types.
We recognise these practices as ‘best-in-class’ in the communications area. It’s no surprise that communication emerged as a standout strength in the 2024 CRQ assessment.
Not only was Vreugdenhil diligent in following up with internal communications and training, during the most recent 2024 CRQ assessment they again displayed their strengths in this area. They have an ability to connect with their clients through their personalised communication plans. Their active marketing of the CRQ survey also helps them gain valuable insights from their customer base.
I also need to mention Fabienne Falvay who led the 2024 CRQ project with Vreugdenhil. Here is Fabienne’s view:
“It’s always a joy to work with the Vreugdenhil team, they are all actively involved and love brainstorming new and creative ways to give the survey more attention.
Not only was Vreugdenhil diligent in following up with internal communications and training, during the most recent 2024 CRQ assessment they again displayed their strengths in this area. They have an ability to connect with their clients through their personalised communication plans. Their active marketing of the CRQ survey also helps them gain valuable insights from their customer base.
The video on past results was fantastic and this year we’ve seen even more creativity from them in the form of banners raising awareness for the upcoming programme. I cannot wait to see what is next for them, I am sure it will be great!”
Working with the team in Vreugdenhil, namely Leonie, Erik and Jeroen was a pleasure! They embraced the CRQ process and made it a strong strategic initiative in Vreugdenhil and it showed in their amazing results. I truly think their internal communication activities like sharing the video with past results and raising awareness with the banners for this year’s assessment are best practices! Can’t wait to work with them again!
Alexandra Calugarici
Leonie Soetendaal is a Commercial Project Manager who has been working at Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods for nearly 10 years.
“At Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods, we believe in the power of connection and lasting relationships. This award is a wonderful recognition of our commitment to open and meaningful communication with our customers. Together with our partners, we make a difference!”
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About Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods
Vreugdenhil is a Dutch family business that has been active in the dairy market since 1954. Every day, we work hard to make all the goodness of milk available to everyone in the world. We specialise in milk powder, with four production locations in the Netherlands. Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods processes more than one billion kilograms of milk per year into thousands of tons of milk powder, which we export to 130 countries worldwide.
Deep-Insight is a leading European B2B Customer Experience (CX) company founded in 2000 by a small team of ‘magicians’ with one goal: researching a way to read customers’ minds. Today, Deep-Insight supports customers all over the world with the skills, tools and methodologies to establish and operate world-class Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX) programmes.
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to all our clients who took the time to complete our CRQ assessment this year. Your participation provided us with invaluable feedback.
We are truly humbled and thrilled by the positive scores and detailed responses you’ve given us. Thank you once again for your continued trust and partnership!
In summary: we received feedback from 85% of our customers, who gave us a CRQ score of 6.0 and a Net Promoter Score of +55.
We are incredibly proud of these scores and all the positive messages we received about our team.
Our greatest strengths are our exceptional team members
and their remarkable skills in forging enduring relationships
as CX consultants with our clients. Their dedication and expertise
truly set us apart. Big thanks to Fabienne Falvay, Kate Casey,
Fiona Lynch and Jade Flynn!
Our Commitment to Continuous Improvement
While we received a lot of positive feedback on our Products/Services, we are currently on a journey to explore how we can enhance our services and offerings. Navigating this change journey is a complex but rewarding endeavour.
We’re dedicated to discovering new opportunities for improvement and are eager to learn how we can better serve our customers.
How are we planning to do so?
‘Closing the Loop’ with our own clients.
The feedback process is not finished yet. We need to ‘close the loop’ with all clients and discuss their specific feedback. We will be in touch shortly with each one of our clients. We will be asking for time to discuss each client’s specific results and feedback.
Increase CRQ impact
Our customers appreciate the work we do, but they also see opportunities for CRQ to make an even greater impact across their organizations. We share this vision and are committed to enhancing our contributions. Over the past few months, our leadership team has spent significant time reviewing and refining our strategy, vision, and values. More details to follow on this, but in essence, our focus remains clear:
Deep-Insight – Providing innovative CX consultancy to global B2B organisations underpinned by a strong and competitive technical and data foundation.
We’re eager to explore how we can ensure this strategy delivers the maximum impact for your organization. Expect us to dive deeper into this topic during our “Close the Loop” sessions with you.
Before I conclude, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Jade Flynn for planning, organizing, and running this year’s client assessment. Jade joined us earlier this year and has quickly become an invaluable asset to our small but highly dedicated team. We’re grateful for her hard work and excited to see the continued impact she’ll make!
Alexandra Calugarici
Operations Manager, Deep-Insight
It’s time to announce the final winner in Deep-Insight’s “Excellence in CX” Awards this year.
Doing the right thing for customers means doing the right thing for your employees.
We award the “Best Focus on ERQ” prize to the company that shows the greatest interest in Employee Relationship Quality (ERQ), the sister methodology to CRQ.
Pelican Self Storage has been a client of ours almost as long as I have been with Deep-Insight, and it has been a privilege watching the Pelican management team take the views of its employees so seriously over that time.
Over the years, I’ve seen effective leadership and organisational success in Pelican. This is all due to the crucial aspect of managing relationships with employees who are able to provide valuable feedback through a safe platform. That has allowed the leadership team to evolve and grow the company while always thinking about their people.
Burkhart Franz is CEO of Pelican and has always been a huge advocate for his management team and all of his employees across Denmark, Sweden and Finland.
“Our twice-a-year employee satisfaction surveys, alternating the eNPS (employee Net Promoter Score) question and the more in-depth Employee Relationship Quality (ERQ) assessment are now in their 7th year.
They have clearly made Pelican a more employee-focused organization. Over the years we have addressed many issues that had previously wiped the smiles off the faces of our collaborators, from slow internet connections and faulty printer set-ups to significant changes in management style, workplace scheduling and internal communication. As a result, we have very low employee churn in what are otherwise red hot labor markets; a premium service proposition; and the happiest customers in our industry.”
Huge congratulations to everyone in Pelican for winning this award.
Alexandra Calugarici
About Pelican Self Storage
Pelican Self Storage is leading Nordic brand within private and business self storage. We have locations in Denmark, Sweden and Finland which are all centrally located and easily accessible.
Self storage is for everyone We strive to be the preferred service partner for people moving to and from the big city – for people moving abroad to work – for people moving in together or back home – for people getting married or having children – for people who don’t have a cellar or attic space at home. In short, we are there when life demands more space.
We take pride in good old-fashioned service Our job is to provide outstanding service so our customers experience the extraordinary when choosing Pelican Self Storage. Every day, we work hard to provide a service level beyond the ordinary, and our staff is dedicated to make customers experience that something extra at our stores.
We distinguish ourselves, among other things, by always having service-oriented staff on site 6 days a week, as well as providing warm and extra secure storage units. Our goal is to ensure that as a customer, you will experience good old-fashioned personal service and a high level of quality in our storage services. Find out more at pelicanselfstorage.dk.
About Deep-Insight
Deep-Insight is a leading European B2B Customer Experience (CX) company founded in 2000 by a small team of ‘magicians’ with one goal: researching a way to read customers’ minds. Today, Deep-Insight supports customers all over the world with the skills, tools and methodologies to establish and operate world-class Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX) programmes.
Some time ago, we posted a blog called Help! What do I do with my Stalkers and Opponents? It was about the actions that account teams need to take with clients where there are very poor relationships. This blog is about the accounts with the best, strongest and deepest relationships. We call these clients Ambassadors.
Let’s start with a quick recap of the five B2B client categories that we use at Deep-Insight:
Customer Relationship Quality – the Strongest Relationships
The most loyal clients are Ambassadors. They are your most valuable customers. Ambassadors have a unique relationship with you and will recommend you to others. They are also prepared to pay a premium for your products or services. Price is not an important consideration for them because of the quality of the relationship. Typically, a third of most company’s B2B clients are Ambassadors.
The next segment of clients are known as Rationals. They rate you positively but do not see anything unique in the relationship. Rationals will assess alternative sources of supply and the relationship can become unstable if good alternative offers exist. Typically, half of your B2B accounts fit into this category. Generally they are good clients albeit not as loyal as Ambassadors.
The Weakest Relationships
But wait! That doesn’t add up to 100%. What’s the story with the others? Well, the answer is that in all B2B client portfolios, there are accounts and individuals that don’t love you. We typically find that 10-20% of accounts have poorer relationships with you and fit into one of the following three categories: Ambivalents often have a “love/hate” relationship with you. In some instances, they love the way you solve their problems but hate the way you treat them. More often, you are killing them with kindness but failing to solve their business issues.
Stalkers are often only interested in price. Sometimes they can be large corporate accounts looking for discounts. Other times, they are smaller accounts with high service requirements and view your offering as poor value for money.
Opponents have the poorest relationships with you. They are deeply dissatisfied and often highly frustrated by what they see as consistently poor service.
Are ‘Ambassadors’ the same thing as ‘Promoters’?
If you use Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a performance metric, you’ll recognise the terms Promoters, Passives and Detractors.
Promoters are people who score you 9/10 or 10/10 when asked the question “Would you recommend [Company X] to a friend or colleague?” Passives score you 7 or 8. Detractors score you anywhere between 0 and 6.
Ambassadors are similar but here are the two crucial differences: First, an Ambassador is a company rather than an individual. Second, to become an Ambassador you have to get a good Net Promoter Score AND a good Customer Relationship Quality (CRQ) score. CRQ is our methodology for assessing the quality of B2B relationships and it is based on Trust and Commitment as well as some other factors, rather than Advocacy which is what the NPS metric is based on.
Think of it this way. Suppose you ask 20 people in a Key Account what they think of their relationship with you and would they be prepared to recommend you and your product or service. If the client is an Ambassador, 12 of the 20 individuals might be Promoters, six might be Passives and two might be Detractors. The overall relationship is great but there are still a couple of individuals who will not recommend you.
What do I do with my Ambassadors
For starters, sales and account teams should remember the following three things when they have an Ambassador client:
1. Recognise their importance and don’t take them for granted
The very first thing is to recognise that Ambassadors are generally your most profitable clients, for a number of reasons:
– They are typically less price-sensitive because they see what you offer as being unique.
– Ambassadors are generally willing to pay a premium for such uniqueness.
– Sales costs are lower. Less effort is required to extend existing contracts or negotiate new ones.
– There is less firefighting. Putting out fires can be expensive. Even when things go wrong, it’s generally easier to resolve operational issues with Ambassadors.
Don’t rest on your laurels. Don’t treat Ambassadors as cash cows. Invest time into the relationship to keep it fresh and exciting. It’s easy to get diverted to more problematic accounts where the shouting is the loudest. In our previous blog we talked about poor client relationships that are unprofitable. Unless there is a clear path to recovery, it is often better to re-allocate those resources to Ambassador clients where there is greater potential.
2. Ask them to recommend you
Remember that a high proportion of individuals in an Ambassador client are Promoters so they have already told you that they will recommend you. So take them up on the offer. Ask them for referrals. Those referrals could be the MDs of other divisions in the same company. This is important – it’s easier to expand your footprint in an existing client than to gain ‘new logo’ clients. Referrals could also be senior executives in other companies. Ask for testimonials or for case studies.
Trustmary is a Finnish company that helps clients do exactly that, by using Net Promoter Score as the key metric for identifying Ambassadors for their clients. Once the Ambassadors have been identified, Trustmary acquires testimonials in written or video format from those individuals.
Don’t be afraid to ask Ambassadors to talk at your next industry event or to be a guest speaker at your next conference. They want to help you. So just do it.
3. Start innovating and co-creating
As the account manager for an Ambassador client, you are probably in the enviable position of being a Trusted Advisor. You have the ear of the key decision makers in that account and the opportunity to bring new ideas and propositions to the table. Use that opportunity. Think of possible joint developments that you can do in partnership with the client. As well as adding more value and revenues, your next product line or service could result from such innovation or co-creation.
How many Ambassadors do you have?
The starting point for these decisions is an accurate and objective view of which category each of your major accounts fits into. Once you know that, you can start asking the right questions and taking the appropriate action.
Contact us if you want to find out how many Ambassadors you have!
