A strong employee experience leads to a stronger client experience, ensuring sustainable success and differentiation in the market.
Repeat business is vital for the bottom line, and it often stems from exceptional project execution and an outstanding customer experience. But here’s the secret: it becomes almost effortless when you have happy, engaged employees. Did you know that companies with highly engaged employees experience 21 percent higher profitability and are 17 percent more productive? It’s no coincidence – engaged employees deliver exceptional client experiences.
A powerful tool for measuring both employee and client satisfaction is the Net Promoter Score. This is a success metric that measures both customer and employee satisfaction and loyalty. It was created by Bain & Company in 2003 and is widely used by both B2B and B2C businesses. Client’s answer, “How likely are you to recommend our firm to a friend or colleague?” while employees respond, “How likely are you to recommend this organization as a great place to work to your family or friends?” on a scale from 0 to 10.
NPS responses fall into three categories:
- Promoters (9-10). Enthusiastic supporters.
- Passives (7-8). Satisfied but not necessarily loyal.
- Detractors (0-6). Unhappy and likely to discourage others.
NPS benchmarks range from -100 to 100, with scores from -100 to 0 indicating a negative experience, and 1 to 30 being acceptable but with room for improvement. Scores from 31 to 50 are typical for most companies, while 51 to 70 shows above-average performance, and 71 to 100 reflects industry leaders who significantly outperform competitors. However, NPS varies by industry, so you’ll want to take that into consideration when measuring success.
Why have a client experience program? Client experience encompasses the entire customer journey, beginning with how clients first interact with your firm – your brand, or what people say about you. Remarkably, 92 percent of people trust word-of-mouth recommendations over advertising. CX includes everything from navigating your website and the ease of hiring you for a project to how you handle project closeouts and follow-ups. Despite its importance, only 14 percent of large B2B companies are client-focused versus product-focused, according to Blake Morgan, author of The Customer of the Future. Companies with superior customer experiences generate 5.7 times more revenue than their competitors.
In the AEC industry, firms typically differentiate themselves in one of three ways: lowest price, offering a niche service, or delivering exceptional customer service. Since most firms don’t aim to compete on price, and true niche services are rare in a crowded market, the most viable path is focusing on CX. Differentiation lies in anticipating your clients’ needs before they even realize them, making their lives easier, and delivering outstanding service. Some examples could include acting as an extension of their team by working out of their offices or offering to be available 24/7. A McKinsey study found that 70 percent of the customer journey is shaped by how clients feel they are treated. To truly excel in CX, ask your clients: What would exceed your expectations when working with us? Their answers will often surprise you – and provide the insights needed to stand out.
How to track client experience? Tracking client experience ensures your firm is meeting and exceeding client expectations. Here are a few effective methods to gather and measure feedback:
- Client focus groups. Gather direct feedback in a collaborative setting, allowing for in-depth conversations about your firm’s strengths and areas for improvement.
- In-person check-ins. Regular, personal check-ins provide an opportunity to engage with clients and thank them for their business while gaining valuable feedback.
- Surveys. Surveys are flexible and can be customized to specific points in the client journey, such as after proposal submissions or key project milestones. Always include the net promotor question.
Why have an employee experience program? Employee experience encompasses everything an employee encounters at work – from onboarding and daily interactions with colleagues and supervisors to the tools and technologies they use to perform their job. While a positive employee experience is great for morale and culture, it has significant financial benefits. Companies that invest in strong EX programs experience improved performance, innovation, productivity, and higher retention, all contributing to increased profitability.
Every aspect of your business should be optimized to create the best possible employee experience. One often-overlooked area is technology. Since CX is closely related to EX, it’s important to consider the technology that employees have at their disposal. Employees with zero-friction experiences at work are more likely to deliver seamless service to clients. As Blake Morgan writes, “Culture isn’t just about feelings – it’s about optimizing efficiency so employees face fewer struggles and can focus on delivering exceptional work.”
How to track employee experience. Measuring employee experience is critical to ensuring you’re meeting your team’s needs and expectations. Here are several effective ways to gather feedback from your employees:
- Stay interviews. These one-on-one conversations help identify what keeps employees engaged and what could be improved in their experience.
- Exit interviews. Insights from departing employees can uncover opportunities for growth or changes in your firm’s culture or processes.
- Affinity groups. Create employee groups, such as an early-career professionals’ group, to gauge the pulse of specific segments of your workforce.
- Employee surveys. Pulse surveys are an effective way to gather quick, actionable feedback. For example, Amazon asks employees daily questions like, “Do you have the tools you need to do your job?” or “Rate how well your manager listens to your ideas.” This kind of constant feedback helps drive continuous improvement.
Walking the employee experience talk. One impactful way to prioritize employee experience is by hiring an employee experience manager, a role that signals to employees that their feedback matters. This person is dedicated to improving the work environment, and at our firm, we’ve seen firsthand how this role has helped cultivate a positive, supportive culture.
When I spoke with our employee experience manager, Victoria Verlezza, Ph.D., she shared the following: “Employee experience starts with relationships. To truly understand how folks are being impacted by the company culture, developing relationships is key. Culture is about how folks feel on a Sunday night before the start of the work week. If that feeling is dread, you know something in their experience is off and it could be anything from negative clients, to micromanagement, to negativity about whatever topic. If they don’t feel some type of way on a Sunday night, most likely, they are experiencing a culture that is developing them and keeping them satisfied. When our employees feel like they are seen, valued, and heard at work, their satisfaction is translated to positive client experience, therefore, increasing positive impact regardless of the business or organization. A key element of that is fostering psychologically safe environments that all employees feel like they belong in their environment.”
What’s next? To improve both employee and client experience, start by establishing a baseline for your firm’s NPS scores and setting goals for year-over-year improvement. While happy employees don’t always guarantee happy clients, engaged employees are more likely to anticipate client needs and deliver exceptional service, building trust and loyalty.
Employee and client experiences should no longer be treated as separate initiatives. Our client survey revealed that responsiveness was the most important quality they sought in a consultant. Many of us have gained clients after competitors failed to deliver excellent service. Recognize that a strong employee experience leads to a stronger client experience, ensuring sustainable success and differentiation in the market.
Kathy Nanowski, MBA, CPSM is vice president and director of marketing and business development at Fuss & O’Neill. Contact her at knanowski@fando.com.