Foto team blije klant
Patricia Andeweg and Marielle Vermulst at ERA Contour
Since 2018, ERA Contour has been using Focus Feedback and the Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure and improve customer loyalty. The switch from long surveys in the past to short surveys has made a world of difference. “We now receive so much more response,” says Patricia Andeweg, living manager. “It’s more accessible,” adds Marielle Vermulst, senior customer service employee.
At ERA Contour, feedback is more than just a word. It’s an essential part of the culture of this developer and builder, whose mission is to create ‘strong neighborhoods and happy residents.’ You can feel this immediately during a conversation with ERA Contour.
The key to their success? ‘Team Happy Customer’. This diverse team, with members from all departments, meets every two weeks for an Obeya* session. During these sessions, they dive into every corner of customer processes and feedback. Their mission is clear: to optimize every customer experience.
During the Obeya meetings, feedback is evaluated and actions are assigned. Do issues occur in a specific project, do we see a common theme, and does it happen more often? Or is it project-transcending and do we need to adjust our processes? These are the questions that dominate the Obeyas. Patricia emphasizes how the meetings strengthen engagement and the improvement culture within the entire company: “Feedback becomes everyone’s. Together we work on solutions.”
That customer feedback is taken seriously is evident from many small and large improvements that are continuously implemented. The establishment of customer service is a fine example. “Customers missed a personal point of contact after delivery,” explains Marielle. The establishment of customer service in 2019 was the answer to that need.
Within ERA Contour, the impact of feedback extends beyond just the Obeya meetings. Visible on the ‘Happy Customers Board’ and actively shared via intranet, feedback lives throughout the company. Whether you are a developer, project manager, work in the showroom, or are a service employee, everyone takes feedback seriously.
Every department actively works with feedback to improve their service. It is essential that departments provide every customer with a personal response, even just a thank you via WhatsApp. Patricia enthusiastically joins in: “We have now introduced the ‘review of the week,’ where a customer receives a card and a chocolate bar; just as a thank you for providing valuable feedback. A small gesture, but this shows how important we find our customer’s opinion.”
New at ERA Contour? You too will be immediately immersed in the importance of customer feedback. Every first Monday of the month, new ‘ERAs’ learn about the value of customer journeys and the importance of feedback.
At ERA Contour, feedback is more than a process; it is a dialogue where learning and growing are central. As they look forward they continue to commit to deepening, refining, and expanding this dialogue. The goal? To create an unparalleled customer experience that is as sustainable and innovative as the homes they build. Together with customers, they shape the future of living, where every voice counts and all feedback is an opportunity for improvement.
* An obeya is a method within lean management. It is used to manage projects and processes. In an obeya, teams come together to share information, discuss progress, and solve problems. The word means “large room” in Japanese. This concept helps improve collaboration and decision-making.
Focus Feedback has a far reach: we’ve requested feedback for customers in the most varied industries and in numerous languages. Read about how our customers have made their own customers and employees enthusiastic.
