Asking your clients to give feedback on their satisfaction and areas for improvement can be an anxious experience for any business, but customer loyalty is incredibly important to CreateIP, so in May 2012 we set out to benchmark satisfaction levels. We commissioned a survey of 20 senior client contacts to objectively assess our performance and help set priorities for future business strategies and investment. The results were nothing short of remarkable, and we are incredibly appreciative of everyone’s participation. Not only were the detailed comments and observations a heartwarming confirmation that we’re on the right path to success, but they also helped give us focus and enable us to improve our offering for all clients.
In the telephone survey of 20 CreateIP clients (which enjoyed an 85% participation rate), clients were universally positive about how CreateIP compares with other IP firms. The company earned an average of 4.6 (scale 1-5) on the questions around professionalism, proficiency and overall satisfaction and every single client said that they would be likely to recommend CreateIP to others if they hadn’t already.
Participants remarked on CreateIP’s better responsiveness, greater adaptability and pragmatism, and more helpful communication over other IP firms they’d worked with in the past, noting that the firm’s laser-sharp focus on what they are good at means they are capable of better results.
Clients gave kudos to CreateIP’s speed, technical competence and commercial savvy as well as personable and practical service, approachability and solid communication. They said:
“I like the fact that I meet with the principle and have a direct relationship with the person who’s going to do the work. That means less scope for slippage in terms of time or understanding of the purpose.”
“CreateIP is nimble, focused and selective and what they do – and the output is better as a result. They know their expertise and their limitations, and when outside their depth, they will refer me on. That’s a good thing.”
“The pricing structure is negotiated and reasonable, and they don’t try to make a fast buck out of every deal. They give commercially sound, pragmatic advice.”
In terms of room for improvement the only theme was ‘to grow’ – and that’s exactly what CreateIP aims to do, especially with the help of many strong referrals from such happy clients.
The client discussions also confirmed interest in a new feature CreateIP is currently developing: a secure customer login on their website to provide access to their IP documents, from patent and design applications to correspondence and invoices. It will reduce reliance on email correspondence and problems around version control plus cloud-based storage will provide anywhere-anytime access and reduce risk in the event of disaster. Look for more on this development soon!
The survey also helped clarify clients’ expectations of what IP services should or should not include, and where communication and social media efforts are most effective.