Our 2024 CSAT survey: what lessons have been learned?

If you work with The Marketing Pod, you can rest assured that your voice matters, as our latest customer satisfaction (CSAT) survey attests.

As Client Services Director for Pod, listening and responding to the needs of our clients is my top priority. Every year, we run a CSAT survey to get invaluable feedback from our clients. It’s a chance to celebrate the overwhelmingly positive comments we receive, while identifying areas that might need a little extra love.

A lot of time and effort goes into carrying out this exercise - so why do we do it every year without fail?

For those less familiar with us, The Marketing Pod is a full-service B2B marketing agency that’s passionate about helping ambitious, sustainable businesses grow and succeed, all while championing positive change. We specialise in supporting B2B enterprises and high-growth, venture capital-backed businesses, particularly when it comes to addressing their sustainability marketing strategies and decarbonisation wins.

Here at Pod, every client relationship is viewed as a meaningful partnership. We’re all working towards achieving your strategic marketing goals and getting the right results. And this ambition is only made possible when we’re working together as one.

Our annual CSAT survey is a vital exercise to ensure we’re as closely aligned to our clients needs and expectations as we possibly can be.

Overall, reading the results of this year’s CSAT survey generally made me smile from ear to ear. Here’s what a handful of clients had to say about Pod’s fully integrated, expert-led approach:

Pretty incredible, right?

And the great feedback kept on coming. Here are five of the stats from the CSAT survey that we’re most proud about.

1. 90% said our team made their lives easier

You’re busy enough without the hassle and headache of an agency partner that takes time to manage. CWE, the leading supply and maintenance partner to the rail industry, said: “Brilliant, fast service - nothing is too much hassle.”

2. 86% gave us the highest marks for understanding their business needs

Without getting under the skin of your brand’s goals, how can you hope campaigns to be a success? Ambion, an innovative prodiver of infrared heating panels for low-carbon homes, commented: “A very professional team. I trust the advice they give our business.”

3. 87% rate us as flexible and adaptive to changing priorities

The world of B2B marketing is fast-paced, with competing and ever-evolving priorities. We know businesses need a partner that can react fast, which is why feedback such as this from energy giant E.ON makes for such pleasant reading: “Our account manager is wonderful and fully understands our needs.”

4. We scored 8.4 out of 10 for creativity and innovation

To stay ahead, you need a marketing partner tuned into the latest trends, hottest issues and industry debates. npower Business Solutions, a leading provider of electricity and gas for businesses, said: “Brilliant ideas and always on top of innovations.”

5. We scored 8.5 out of 10 for understanding their world

Here at Pod, we pride ourselves on immersing our teams in your business’ world. We aim for unparalleled sector knowledge, as echoed by a respondent from Xoserve, the central data service provider for Britain’s gas market: “The Marketing Pod team are experts in their field.”

Opportunities for further refinement

While it’s wonderful to read so much positive feedback, the real beauty of a CSAT survey lies in spotting opportunities for further improvement. Perfection is a fool’s errand, but myself and the rest of the team are committed to getting as close to perfection as we possibly can. In short, we love what we do, and want to make sure we’re doing it to the highest possible standard.

On that note, I’d like to take a moment to say a special thank you to each and everyone of our clients that took the time to respond to this survey. Without your considered thoughts, it can be difficult to pinpoint those areas that need that little more attention. At the end of the day, this endeavour aims to deliver the absolute best service to your business - a win-win for everyone involved.

• Getting the right people round the table early on

Every Podster is a specialist in their field. To make sure projects run as smoothly as possible, we’re placing more of an emphasis on getting the right people round the table from the start. This means they can hit the ground running, streamlining the steps involved with achieving your marketing goals.

• Renewed focus on QA

We’re tightening our quality assurance process, so you can have total peace of mind that every piece of work has received a second set of eyes. The result? Fewer rounds of amends and another line of defence, so you can feel confident our work hits the mark.

• Extra time spent on consultancy

We thrive when getting to the heart of a challenge. When working with Pod, you will always have access to the people you need. Pod’s talent has the skills and experience to question and thoughtfully consider a brief, and the authority and knowledge to advise on the best way forward. Our centres of excellence mean every Podster is a specialist, and we’re committed to carving out the time for insightful consultancy.

• Better onboarding process for data initiatives

For data projects, we’re building a more robust and refined onboarding process. This will provide more structure, so expectations can be made clear from the very beginning of every project, while giving you the chance and forums to ask questions and share queries. Ultimately, this lets you get the answers you need.

Hopefully you can see that while we enjoy celebrating the positive responses, we’re working hard to address the areas where Pod can enhance its offering too.

A winning strategy

Pod’s CSAT survey is undertaken every year, and I look forward to seeing the results of the next 12 months. Like any good marketing strategy, we’re committed to continuous improvement - the fruits of which can be seen in some of our latest accolades. We’re officially a Great Place to Work (for the second year running), won PR Consultancy of the Year at the most recent CIPR PRide Awards for the Midlands, and have been ranked in the top 100 UK B2B Marketing Agencies by B2B Marketing, placing 45th, as well as being named a top 10 rising star.

These are all reasons to celebrate but, as Pod’s Client Services Director, I can vouch that these results only make us more ambitious. When your efforts are rewarded, it gives you a renewed sense of purpose, as well as new-found energy. This is exactly why the takeaways and arising actions from our 2024 CSAT survey are so exciting, because we know what a difference they will make.

Finally, if you’re currently reviewing your B2B marketing tactics, the following resources may be helpful:

• Planning an event? Learn how to stand out and deliver true value at B2B marketing events

• Defining your brand’s story? Discover how to effectively tell your business narrative with strategic storytelling

• Assessing your brand’s visual presence? Check out our tips on how to master responsive logos and typefaces in B2B marketing

Or, if your B2B marketing strategy needs a fresh set of eyes, we’d love to talk. Who knows, you could be part of next year’s customer satisfaction survey. Get in touch now.