1. Kent Blaxill customer
& staff feedback
www.meridianwest.co.uk

2. KBs are listening to the views of staff and customers
....and are taking action to deal with issues
• Customer survey
– 607 customers
– Good cross section of
customers
• Branches
• Builders, decorators and
retail
• Staff survey
– Telephone interviews
– On-line survey
– Staff workshop
Thank you for your
feedback
2

3. 68% of customers rate their relationship with Kent
Blaxill as either ‘very good’ or ‘outstanding’
“Professional knowledgeable staff in
all departments, supplying quality
products.” (Private householder,
Colchester)
“We always prefer to use Kent Blaxill
in Colchester as they always give an
outstanding after sale service
nothing is to much bother for them”
(New Home Developer, Colchester)
3

4. Helpfulness and knowledge of staff and product
quality and range are our strengths
Friendliness and helpfulness of staff
Quality of the product range
Technical knowledge of staff
Breadth of product range
Easy to contact by phone
Outstanding
Reliability / efficiency of delivery
Very good
Good
Attractiveness of the main branch you use
Fair
Invoicing and credit control
Poor
N/A
Easy to contact by e-mail
Website
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
4

5. Some staff are really excelling
•
“I always find the staff in the painting dept in Colchester very
enthusiastic, helpful and informative.....they are always happy to help
and are most definitely an asset to your company” (Decorator, Colchester)
•
“Excellent service every time I use the Norwich branch, getting what I
need.” (Builder, Norwich)
•
“we find that the Ipswich branch staff are very help full that's why we go
there all the time” (Builder, Ipswich)
5

6. But we have five challenges!
1. Customer satisfaction
varies between branches
2. Some staff are
unfriendly and unhelpful
3. Complaints about the
phones
4. Inaccurate deliveries
5. Internal communication
needs to improve
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7. 1. Customer satisfaction varies between branches
High
performers
Kirby Cross
Baintree
Outstanding: ‘I received
everything I expected and more’
Ipswich
Very good: ‘Everything lived up to
my expectations’
Sudbury
Good: ‘Almost everything lived up
to my expectations’
Norwich
Fair: ‘Most things lived up to my
expectations’
Colchester
Poor: ‘My expectations were not
met’
Melton
Bury St Edmunds
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
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8. 2. Some staff are unfriendly and unhelpful
•
“…Out of all the merchants in Bury we find KB's
to be the worst for yard staff. They are
slow, unhelpful and unobliging. We would do
much more business with you if you were more
efficient in this area.” (Builder, Bury St Edmunds)
•
“I have been using Kent Blaxill for at least 35
years and have always found them to be brilliant
until the last few years. The helpfulness of
staff has really gone downhill and to get staff
to do anything for you - they have a "can't be
bothered" attitude! I know this is not just my
opinion as many in the business are now going
elsewhere! (Landscaper, Colchester)
8

9. 3. Complaints about the phones
• “Phone service, sometimes no
answer, sometimes other departments pick up
who cannot help.” (Decorator, Ipswich)
9

10. 4. Inaccurate deliveries
• “Delivery has been a problem recently.
Wrong products being delivered to wrong
locations.” (Maintenance
contractor, Colchester)
• “…Some times I have three deliveries in one
day! the left hand should know what the
right hand is doing and vans lorry's should
not be sent out quarter full. Why can't a glass
lorry bring out a can of paint or bag of salt for
example?” (Carpenter/joiner, Colchester)
10

11. 5. Internal communication needs to improve
•
Staff need to feel part of one company not sectioned off into small departments - I
think this is improving but it has been like that
for many years. Staff need to be pro-active in
communication and not sit back thinking 'well
no one told me' but actually ask questions
and look interested in what else is going on?
•
sometimes a "well done" is all that is needed
the company is quick to criticise and slow
to say acknowledge success.
•
Chat
Have monthly or quarterly chats with
members of staff to see if they are happy
and allow them to voice any concerns, this
way nothing will remain un-addressed and
lead to disgruntlement.
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12. Kent Blaxill is committed to improving customer
service and internal communication
Actions we have already
taken
1. Improved Timber products.
1. Sales already up
2. Developed Customer Charter
3. Training programme being
developed
4. Awards for great customer
service
5. New account management
1. New sales coming in
Plans for the future
1. Annual presentation to the
staff from Simon Blaxill &
Kevin Sturdy on financial
performance and strategy
2. Annual social event
3. Monthly - short meetings with
line managers. All information
needs to be cascaded down to
everyone (this to include KPIs)
4. Andy mc agreed to look at
operational KPIs for the
different departments.
5. Repeat the staff and cust0mer
survey next year to monitor
improvement
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13. What can YOU be doing to help?
8 good habits for serving customers
1.Greet in a
friendly way
2. Supply your
name
3. Listen to
them
4. Give advice
to help them
make the
right choice
5. Try to say
“yes” not find
a way to say
“no”
6. Keep
promises Take
responsibility
for the order
from
beginning to
end
7. Help with
loading and
carrying
materials
8. Pick up the
phone. Return
calls & emails
within 3
hours.
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14. But this is a journey
It will take time but let’s keep moving forward
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