1. Why should we use the Customer Relationship Auditing process?

The Customer Relationship Auditing process reveals exactly what a customer wants from you in terms of service and measures how well you are meeting their needs. The process is a face-to-face interview series using skilled and trained professionals. Customers interact with an unbiased interviewer to precisely define their wants and needs from suppliers.

2. What type of company would benefit the most from the Customer Relationship Auditing process?

Any company that deals in the B2B environment and has customers they deal with often. Also, companies that have significant competition, or that have a select, valuable customer base that provides them with the majority of their business.

3. How often should we use the Customer Relationship Auditing process?

This depends on many factors; how much change occurs in your industry, your company and/or your customer base, or in your current client customer satisfaction level. If there are substantial changes then you would need to conduct interviews often to ascertain client perceptions within the changing environment. Most companies use Customer Relationship Auditing at least on an annual basis.

4. What is important about a Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) and why should we measure it?

As they are often beyond your control, it is very important that your customers are pleased with your service. By using the Customer Relationship Auditing process you can identify your strengths and weaknesses from the customer's perspective. You can rectify problem areas ensuring existing customers remain - while at the same time attracting new customers.

5. What are the dangers of simply having a Customer Satisfaction Index?

Just having one measurement like a CSI means nothing on its own. A CSI without a benchmark or a goal lets management define that benchmark or goal with the associated risks - if the survey results are bad, they will lower the benchmark to make themselves look good.

6. How does Customer Relationship Auditing get around the dangers of only getting a CSI?

The Customer Relationship Auditing process gets around that specific problem by asking customers what their "desired" service level is (that which they would like to have), and then immediately asks what their "adequate" service level is (the lowest level they are willing to put up with before looking for an alternate supplier). We then ask what our client's (their supplier's) performance level is.

7. What are the advantages of a face-to-face versus a telephone or Internet survey?

The interviewers are specially chosen and trained to be able to professionally handle face-to-face interaction and pick up any nuances and subtleties that would be missed in a telephone interview. Phone interviews and Internet-based questionnaires are usually highly structured. This limits what the customer can talk about, which is often risky and results in misleading errors.

8. Will the Customer Relationship Auditing process help me with my sales force?

Yes. You will receive a report for each person interviewed so you can quickly discern client-service trends from many different members of your sales force. Some of your account managers may be good on the relationship side while others may be better at helping clients with problems. In the Customer Relationship Auditing Final Report we can segment the customers around your account managers or business units, depending on your company structure.

9. Our staff morale is bad - should we do a customer satisfaction survey?

Yes, often staff morale will affect customer satisfaction, as they are not willing to go the extra mile. This can be upsetting to your customer. The interviews would identify areas from the customer's perspective that need attention, enabling management to prioritise staff intervention.

10. How would the Customer Relationship Auditing survey affect our company structure?

Often company structures are created to ensure the most efficient workflow and utilization of resources, all intended to keep costs down. This structure could alienate customers if they feel they have to fit into their supplier's structure with no consideration given to their business needs.