44% Increase in Customer Confidence for DARA
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DARA’s ‘Talkback’ Customer Review Programme
The company
The Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) was formed in 1999 and became a fully commercial operation, owned by the UK MOD, in 2001. DARA repairs military jets and helicopters along with associated electronics and components for customers such as the RAF, and for its first three years focused on developing its commercial position, including conducting customer satisfaction surveys in order to assess progress.
Getting closer to customers
In 2003, DARA highlighted three main problems with their surveys. Firstly, they were unable to provide enough information about what customers thought that DARA needed to do to improve; secondly, it was difficult to tell how DARA fared in comparison to competitors; and thirdly, some results implied that customer service was good in areas where there was significant anecdotal evidence that there were problems.
DARA engaged Bsquared Consulting, who they knew had conducted successful customer reviews for similar organisations, and in 2004 a joint steering group launched the ‘Talkback’ Customer Review Programme.
DARA approved of the depth of insight that Bsquared’s CRp Customer Review process allowed them: far more than a survey, the programme was based on face-to-face interviews lasting one to two hours with all of DARA’s main customers by DARA employees, each of whom had received training from Bsquared.
The customer review programme
Interviews were structured into the key areas that affected the customers’ perceptions of and relationship with DARA. Customers were asked about DARA’s performance and comparison to competitors. Every interview was analysed by Bsquared – with the benefit of their being not only experts in the process but, crucially, an independent third party - and a detailed report produced.
Evaluating customer feedback
Using a robust and proven process, an evaluation of DARA was produced which highlighted low (likely to result in loss of business) levels of customer confidence as well as high (where referrals, project extensions and even new opportunities could be captured) levels of customer confidence.
The 2004 results were comprehensive yet disappointing. In response, DARA took a wide range of improvement actions which were clearly identified as needed by the customer (many of them simple things like having one clear point of contact, and others more complex, such as re-engineering processes and improving turn around times, but all vital nonetheless).
When the review programme was repeated twelve months later, DARA’s customers said they recognised these actions and there had been a demonstrable step change in their confidence in DARA. However, this was still some way from what DARA deemed satisfactory with its relationships.
Moving quickly, DARA increased the actions needed to address the issues highlighted and ran further workshops at all their UK sites. Nearly 300 discrete actions were identified and the leadership team set about fulfilling them – reporting back monthly to the Chief Executive on progress and achievements.
Improving customer satisfaction by 44 per cent
The 2006 review took place at the beginning of this year and produced a pleasing assessment more in line with DARA’s aspirations for customer confidence in them as a supplier. These represented a 44 per cent improvement in confidence levels over three years, and it is one of the most significant achievements of an organisation in its sector.
More importantly, in the eyes of both their public and private sector customers, DARA has gone from strength to strength, not only investing time and energy into how it serves them but regularly identifying areas for improvement, tackling issues, resolving them and continuously improving.
DARA’s Chief Executive, Archie Hughes said:
“I am delighted with the efforts that have gone into delivering this result and I recognise that we could not have achieved it without the support of our customers. There remain many areas where we still need to improve and we shall continue to focus our efforts on growing customer confidence in us as we move forward in the Rotary, Large Aircraft, Electronics and Components businesses.”
Managing Director of Bsquared Rob Brickle said:
“DARA’s extensive action planning, careful follow-up and, most importantly, commitment to improve were the keys to the remarkable level of progress they have made.”
Learn more about the Bsquared CRp® - Customer Review process
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