Escalating Customer Satisfaction and Driving Business Growth in the Chemical Industry
Escalating Customer Satisfaction and Driving Business Growth in the Chemical Industry for a Chemical Trading Company in East Java
Case Details
Clients: Atlantic Intraco
Tags: Research
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Objective
The primary objective was to escalate customer satisfaction and drive business growth through increasing business revenue. The aim was to identify the underlying causes of customer dissatisfaction towards the brand and understand the rationale behind the decline in business revenue for the past couple of years.
Background & Context
As the epicenter for international and regional trade, Surabaya is home to a diverse array of companies across various industries. The escalating industrial activities have led to a heightened demand for chemical products, necessitating the services of chemical distributors and importers.
Our Client is one of the central players in Surabaya, providing various domestically and internationally produced chemical products for multifaceted industries.
However, this company faces challenges in meeting customer satisfaction to fulfill their needs and must innovate strategies to expand their market share and boost business revenue.
Research Methodology
The research employed qualitative and quantitative research methods, which comprise in-depth interviews and online surveys sent to existing customers of the company
In an in-depth interview, the different stages of customer journey, from brand awareness, purchase consideration to product delivery were explored. This process highlights customer’s critical points prior to purchase decision and the importance of sales representatives’ role in upselling products and grasping the company’s product knowledge. This interview was conducted to 11 respondents from various industries.
In addition, the survey aimed to assess customers’ experiences with the company’s products and services, monitor the effort required to acquire the products, and gauge the level of satisfaction that would prompt recommendations. The survey was distributed to a sample of 19 existing customers in multiple cities who have previously transacted with the company.
Sample and Data
The total study sampled 30 respondents from existing customers of our client. They were recruited from various industries, ranging from plywood, furniture, farm, to ceramics.
Key Findings
The findings revealed that customer satisfaction is primarily influenced by the flexibility of payment options, product availability, specifications, and the range of prices provided. Concurrently, sales representatives lacked comprehensive product knowledge, thereby falling to effectively match customer needs for chemical products with the company’s offerings.
Data Analysis & Interpretation
The data was analyzed using three distinct research frameworks: the Customer Effort Score, Customer Perceived Value, CX Performance, CSAT score, and Net Promoter Score.
The findings discovered that customers were required to expend more effort and time during the transaction process due to inadequate technical assistance and the lack of proactiveness from the sales team. Thus, the findings proposed three actionable strategies: enhancing the proactiveness and product knowledge of the sales team, standardizing payment terms based on the customer’s partnership period to strengthen their loyalty to the company, and revising the product’s variation, availability, order and shipment quality.
Conclusion
The research concludes that the different research frameworks successfully complement one another, specifically in measuring customer’s experiences and satisfaction with the company’s products and services. The insights suggest a thorough improvement on the quality of human resources, especially the sales team as well as offering a vast variety of product offerings and payment terms that better suit customer’s needs and industry. This research contributes to strengthen the existing literature by demonstrating how key factors on service dimensions play a considerable influence on the overall customer satisfaction.
Limitations
This study is confined to the specific case of our client and does not serve as a representative sample for the broader chemical industry Additionally, it lacks comprehensive feedback, which could have offered more profound insights into customer’s expectations and satisfaction.
Impact
The research offered the company precise insights into customer expectations and purchasing experiences from their own perspective. By examining these expectations and experiences, it highlighted the company’s shortcomings in meeting customer needs, thereby initiating the development of enhanced sales team performance. Ultimately, the research contributed to the improvement of service quality and product offering customization, better aligning with customer requirements.
Summary
This research employed measurement to identify the primary drivers of customers satisfaction and willingness to recommend, as well as to provide insightful recommendations for the company to enhance its offerings and services, thereby increasing customer satisfaction while maintaining profitability and sustaining its business in the chemical industry.
