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comprehensive feedback on performance and client satisfaction levels. Regular client meetings were slightly less
effective and informal social settings were considered the least effective method.
Client Feedback Process.
Top performers regularly solicit feedback from their clients. They make it easy for the client to ask for assistance,
provide criticism, or offer praise. Regardless of process formality, feedback was solicited at least quarterly and often
on a monthly basis. The project owner was most often solicited for assessment of performance, but the owner’s
senior management and project representative were also typically involved in the feedback process. Feedback was
also solicited upon completion of the project. Post project meetings with clients are conducted to evaluate
performance,
review
satisfactory
and
unsatisfactory
service
and/or
production,
and
brainstorm
areas
for
improvement.
The most successful contractors view one-on-one conversations with the client as the most effective way to solicit
feedback. Soliciting client views over the telephone was the next most common method, but its effectiveness was
rated a distant second. Use of the postal service and the internet to obtain client feedback were rated ineffective
methods to gain insight on client satisfaction regarding
the firm’s performance.
Primary responsibility for obtaining client feedback rested with senior management and the president/CEO of the
firm.
Senior management and company leadership stayed ‘close’ to their clients.
Project management was involved
in the process, but did not typically assume a primary role. Third parties were rarely involved in soliciting client
feedback.
Feedback Evaluation and Action.
Top performers share client feedback on performance and satisfaction with every level of the organization,
especially the project team. Low satisfaction with any facet of performance commands quick and decisive action.
The project team expeditiously develops and executes a plan to improve client satisfaction.
They make the client’s
needs an organizational priority. Client satisfaction is a key element in the evaluation of project management and
field supervision performance. Customer satisfaction is linked to management financial reward and advancement.
Influence of Contractor Size, Type & Contracting Method.
The general company data that was collected from the respondents during this study also permitted a comparative
analysis based upon contractor size, type of work, and contracting method. The results of the comparative analysis
are summarized below (level of significance of 0.05).
Company size.
Comparing companies with an annual volume of $50 million or greater (large firms) with those
companies having an annual volume of less than $50 million (small firms) yielded the following results:
Large firms have a more structured feedback process. In addition, the process is more formal. The majority
(57%) of large firms had a formal process while only 41% of small firms had a formal process.
Large firms believe that their formal process is more effective than an informal process.
Large firms are more likely to conduct post-project meetings with their clients to evaluate project
performance.
In small firms the president/CEO has primary responsibility for obtaining client feedback, whereas senior
management has primary responsibility with large firms.
Private vs public sector work.
An evaluation of the approach between companies performing a majority of
their work for the public sector versus those with the majority of their work for the private sector provided two
statistically significant differences.