Case Study: Intertrust Group – a global client listening programme
Intertrust Group is a publicly traded international specialised administration services company headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. With over 4,000 employees in over 30 jurisdictions, the company is a market-leader for bespoke corporate, fund, capital markets and private wealth services that enable its clients to invest, grow and thrive anywhere in the world.
Intertrust Group is the preferred partner by 80% of the world’s leading private equity businesses and 60% of the top 50 Fortune 500 companies.
When Ian Bennison, Director of Marketing Operations at Intertrust Group, and just 3 months into the role, was looking to implement a widespread client listening programme, Meridian West came first to mind.
“I have worked with Ben Kent and the Meridian West team in my previous role developing a client listening and community programme,” explains Ian. “When looking to implement a country-by-country listening programme at Intertrust Group, they were the obvious place to turn.”
Technology-led
Using a market-leading data collection and visualisation platform, Meridian West and Intertrust Group devised a bespoke, large-scale client listening programme to be delivered in 24 different countries. The aim is to continuously monitor and improve performance, but also to shape the future strategy and service delivery.
“The country surveys are a drumbeat for the business,” says Ian. “They will ultimately be supported by a separate on-boarding survey for new clients and a more detailed survey of our top 50 clients in key jurisdictions.”
Client listening survey results are presented via an interactive platform, tailored to the Intertrust Group specific needs and informed by Meridian West best practice insights. Intertrust Group managing directors and senior client teams around the world are able to interrogate data in real time to easily spot trends and identify issues most important to their clients.
Cultural change
The power of large-scale client listening programmes to drive cultural change is valued by Ian and the senior management team at Intertrust Group.
From the early days of the programme, a closed loop process has been implemented, with managing directors and client teams being encouraged to track and act on the client listening survey findings directly.
“Where poor feedback has been received, we have been able to put steps in place to improve the way we work,” says Ian. “We are acting on the feedback given. Good feedback is celebrated.”
Intertrust Group’s client listening programme is part of a wider review of the firm’s marketing and business development activity.
A new website has been created providing a multi-million-pound pipeline, supported by a strong campaign-led marketing programme and a full brand identity refresh. It is, says Ian, laying the foundations for the next two years.
“The next two years will see momentum in our marketing and business development build. The client listening programme provides us with huge amounts of data that will help lay those foundations.
“Client feedback programmes can very quickly embed themselves in the heart of the senior management function. It can indicate areas of client growth or decline and employee engagement and drive meaningful and impactful cultural change.”
Meridian West top tips
- Spend enough time upfront securing internal buy-in from stakeholders.
- Make it a great experience for respondents:
- Use succinct and interesting questions
- Simple and familiar language
- Forward looking questions about their business challenges, alongside evaluating current experience.
- Closed loop feedback
- Demonstrate to your customers in a direct and personal way that their feedback is important.
- It’s equally useful to follow up with satisfied customers to strengthen the relationship.
- Use technology for quick and effective follow up.
- Reliable and flexible technology
- Provide something for everyone – focus on opportunities for the leadership team, L&D, BD, regional heads, etc.
- One easy-to-use platform for all insights
- Allows for scalability and easily adaptable to ongoing changing needs.
Meridian West Delivery Team
Ben Kent – Project Director
Silvia Grigoroiu – Project Lead
Diana Aldini – Project Analyst.
Ian Bennison’s points of views
“Client listening surveys are the drumbeat for the business.”
“Meridian West is top class.”
“They [Meridian West] are the right team for this type of project.”
“Incredibly professionally done – well delivered and competitive pricing.”
Video
Watch Ian Bennison talk about his strategies for successfully launching a global research programme.
