Recently, a logistics and transportation company partnered with Drive Research to conduct an annual customer survey. For information on the 2021 iteration, click here.
When it comes to Voice of Customer (VoC) research, we’re all about the process.
The steps of a transportation VoC study include:
- Quote/proposal
- Kickoff meeting to discuss the goals and objectives
- Designing the VoC study
- Executing fieldwork
- Analyzing and reporting on the results
While those are the steps of a continuous customer feedback survey in a nutshell, designing the study and executing fieldwork are major areas pieces.
Learn more about how to conduct an annual VoC study below.
Identifying the Logistics Company Objectives
Conducting the survey annually allows the company to see how key performance indicators (KPIs) change each year.
For this client, the objectives of the survey were to address gaps in service offerings, measure satisfaction levels, measure likelihood to recommend (NPS), identify issues, and measure awareness of service offerings.
These KPIs were identified through discussions with the client regarding goals and objectives. Ultimately, the survey covered various other topics of interest.
💡 The Key Takeaway: When conducting customer survey as a logistics company, it is important to be clear about the main objectives of the study and how the company intends to use the results. This informs the market research team on how to craft questions effectively while keeping the end goals in mind.
Recommended Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Customer Satisfaction Surveys
How to Design a Customer Survey
A customer survey has three key pieces:
- The pre-survey notice sent to all customers directly from the sponsoring study
- A strategy for invites and reminders
- A survey designed to meet the goals and objectives of the study
Pre-Survey Notice
The pre-survey notice sets the tone for the market research, adds credibility to the survey, and lets customers know a survey is coming and who to expect the invite from.
It is sent from the client a few days before the first survey invite is sent.
Here’s an example of a pre-survey notice:
“[Insert Company] has partnered with Drive Research, an independent market research company, to conduct an important survey. Within the next week, the market research company will email you a short 5-minute survey to request feedback.
The survey will be conducted with current and past customers. Your feedback will provide relevant insights to help us improve as an organization, shape future service offerings, and better understand your needs.
Your responses will remain confidential with Drive Research, and your feedback will be combined with other respondents to be reported in aggregate.
I want to thank you in advance for your participation in this upcoming survey. The invitation will come from Drive Research with the subject line, “[Insert Company] Needs Your Feedback”.
If you have questions about the survey, feel free to contact our team by contacting [Insert contact and contact information].”
Survey Invitation
The survey invite is also essential! There are so many different strategies that can be used in a survey invite (i.e., short and sweet, calling out the incentive for completing, embedding the first question of the survey).
Ultimately, a study may include several email strategies to boost the response rate.
Here’s an example of a survey invite:
“We are conducting a short, 5-minute survey on [Insert Company]
Start the Survey Here
Your feedback will provide relevant insights to help us improve offerings and services. Your responses will remain confidential with Drive Research, and your feedback will be combined with other respondents to be reported in aggregate.
Thank you in advance for taking a few minutes to help!
Survey Managed by Drive Research
Writing the Logistics Company Customer Survey
Lastly, we know writing the customer survey itself is crucial.
When crafting the survey, consider ways to keep the survey as short as possible without sacrificing missing objectives, the order of questions to eliminate bias, and how to draft questions knowing it will be readministered yearly.
Here are example questions for an annual VoC Study:
- Which of the following factors are the most important when deciding on a [Insert Industry] company? Select up to 3.
- What word or phrase comes to mind when you think of [Insert Company]? Enter your response below.
- Based on your experiences, how likely would you be to recommend [Insert Company] to a friend or colleague? Select a rating.
- Please explain why you rated [Insert Company] as [Insert Response] out of 10. Enter your response below.
- How has your satisfaction with [Insert Company] changed over the past 3 years? Select one.
- How easy is it to do business with [Insert Company]? Select a rating.
- How can [Insert Company] make itself easier to do business with? Enter your response below.
- Which of the following services are you likely or interested in using in the next 12 months from [Insert Company]? Select all that apply.
- Do you use any other rail transportation companies other than [Insert Company]? Select one.
- How does [Insert Company] compare to the competition? Select one.
- Briefly explain why [Insert Company] is/was [insert response]? Enter your response below.
- Do you use a vendor other than [Insert Company] for any of the following services? Select all that apply.
For more of the best VoC questions our team recommends, watch the video below.
💡 The Key Takeaway: The pre-survey notice, survey invites, and the survey itself are three key pieces to a successful annual VoC study. The pre-survey notice adds credibility and sets the tone for the research, the survey invite needs to capture the attention of customers, and the survey needs to be clear, concise, and effective.
Findings from the Customer Satisfaction Survey
Market research results always remain confidential with the logistics and transportation company.
For this particular study, the deliverables included background and methodology, infographic, KPI scorecard, an executive summary with insights/recommendations, respondent persona, and next steps for market research.
The report featured findings such as:
- What’s most important when customers decide on a transportation company
- The NPS for the company and context for changes
- Where the company excelled and could improve based on customer feedback
- Perceptions of the company
- Top services used at the company
- How the company compared to competitors
- Communication preferences among customers
💡 The Key Takeaway: When it comes to the results, it’s crucial not to underestimate the survey design process. Essentially, the insights featured in the report will need to come from the survey, so it’s important to be clear about the goals and objectives of the study and how the company plans on using the results.
Contact Drive Research for VoC Survey Research
Drive Research is a market research company located in Syracuse, NY. We specialize in Voice of Customer (VoC) research with various organizations and industry types throughout the country.
Interested in learning more about our market research services? Reach out through any of the four ways below.
- Message us on our website
- Email us at [email protected]
- Call us at 888-725-DATA
- Text us at 315-303-2040
Emily Taylor
As a Senior Research Analyst, Emily is approaching a decade of experience in the market research industry and loves to challenge the status quo. She is a certified VoC professional with a passion for storytelling.
Learn more about Emily, here.
