At the end of 2023, we conducted customer listening sessions in collaboration with Value Insights Oy and Valoa Digital Oy’s Customer Advocate, Tarja Lähdemäki. The main goal of these listening sessions was to examine our client relationships and understand our clients’ needs more deeply. Based on the results, we will be developing our services and operations as well strengthening our client partnerships.
Customer listening sessions are interviews where an external interviewer talks to clients about their experiences, expectations, and satisfaction with the partners services and client relationships.
“Customer listening sessions are in-depth interviews where the customer is genuinely listened to. During these sessions, the interviewer controls the pace, takes care of the schedule, and focuses especially on the topics the customer wants to discuss. The customer can share their experiences of the customer relationship without the interviewer attempting to solve or explain the issues that arise,” emphasizes Lähdemäki.
At Cloud1, we want to offer services and solutions that are created with our clients’ challenges in the forefront and be a long-term partner for our clients. We also want to understand our client’s business and what expectations and wishes they have for our client relationship. Lähdemäki highlights the importance of customer listening sessions.
“It's quite rare in B2B encounters to have enough time for more informal chats and the so-called 'putting your feet up' moments. That is, a time after the official matters of cooperation have been handled when one can discuss the state of the customer relationship and opportunities for development more freely.”
From the customer listening sessions, we gained extremely important information on what our clients expect from us, how we can improve our operations and relationship, and what our strengths are in the client relationship.
Implementation of the Client Listening’s
Ten of our clients participated in the listening sessions, involving a total of 21 people. Following the sessions, Lähdemäki compiled and analyzed the collected data and prepared a report containing key findings and recommendations. In addition to open-ended questions, clients were also asked quantitative questions. For example, clients were asked to share their opinions on the truthfulness of customer experience statements tailored for Cloud1 as well as about their likelihood of recommending Cloud1 as a partner.
Based on the answers of our clients an NPS (Net Promoter Score) was calculated. We achieved an NPS value of 71. NPS values range between -100 and 100, with a higher value indicating a more positive outcome. We are proud of our excellent result, but more important to us are the qualitative responses behind the value. Lähdemäki also emphasized in her report that the NPS as a single number is not sufficient; it is also advisable to follow trends and movements behind the number. We conducted customer listening sessions and NPS calculations for the first time, and the results obtained now will serve as benchmarks for the future.
Trends Behind the Numbers
Through qualitative and open-ended questions, we obtained valuable information about the state of our client relationships. Our expertise was highly appreciated, and moving forward, we will be even bolder in presenting ideas. Our clients also expressed a desire for even closer cooperation between us and their business. Additionally, our flexibility, friendly cooperation, and teamwork skills were praised. In some cases, customers even felt they were part of the Cloud1 team and learned a lot from working with us. However, even more important than the numbers and responses, is the dialogue that was initiated with our customers through the listening sessions.
“The goal of customer listening is to strengthen dialogue so that the customer and service provider can discuss the results together and collaboratively work on improving cooperation,” defines Lähdemäki.
Following the listening sessions, we have held development and steering groups with our clients and thought together about how to improve development targets. We will also be focusing more on advisory activities. With these results, we can improve our client relationships and cooperation and offer even more tailored solutions that add value to our clients.
We would like to thank all our clients and their personnel who participated in these listening sessions. Thank you also to Tarja Lähdemäki for her professional approach in conducting the interviews and analysis.