PostNL
Logistics Community Research: PostNL puts SME needs first.
Case Information
A hard-to-reach audience comes closer when you can continuously engage with your clients.
Over 200 years, PostNL has developed from a postal service into a comprehensive logistics provider. To better understand the needs of the often anonymous SME market, PostNL chose flexible logistics community research. This allows the organisation to actively involve clients in improvement initiatives and align its services more closely with their needs.
Summary
PostNL wanted a way to continuously gather feedback from SME clients. The organisation therefore chose an online research community with a flexible ‘on/off’ structure. Internal agile teams can use it to gather targeted qualitative and quantitative feedback and apply the insights directly to refine service offerings.
The Question
How do you gain continuous insight into SME clients?
PostNL now does much more than deliver letters and parcels. Throughout its services, the needs of business and consumer clients remain central.
For the SME market, PostNL wanted to improve communication and continuously understand client needs. The organisation therefore needed a flexible way to actively involve these clients.
This allowed PostNL to validate improvement initiatives through direct client input.
The Challenge
Engaging an anonymous and hard-to-reach audience
The SME market is an important target group for PostNL, yet it is often anonymous.
This made direct contact difficult and limited PostNL’s ability to respond to specific needs. The organisation wanted to reduce this distance by actively involving clients in the development of improvement initiatives.
The approach
Logistics community research with a flexible on/off structure.
PostNL chose a continuous online research community with an ‘on/off’ structure.
The flexible platform makes it possible to gather quick and targeted feedback whenever internal agile teams need it.
PostNL can use different forms of research, ranging from qualitative discussions to quantitative surveys. This brings SME clients closer and provides insight into the lives of this target group.
the result
Direct client input for service offerings.
The online research community allowed PostNL to put various issues directly to its SME clients.
The insights gathered were immediately used to refine service offerings. This gave PostNL concrete client input to optimise its services.
Impact of the result
Keeping client needs part of continuous improvement.
Faster feedback for agile teams.
Internal teams quickly receive concrete input from small business customers when they need it.
A better-aligned offering.
PostNL can tailor its services more closely to the needs of small business customers.
Better digital services.
The insights help PostNL continuously improve its digital services for entrepreneurs.
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Why did PostNL choose an online research community?
PostNL wanted continuous insight into the needs of the often anonymous and hard-to-reach SME market.
How does PostNL's community research work?
The online research community has a flexible ‘on/off’ structure. This allows internal agile teams to gather targeted feedback whenever they need it.
What research does PostNL conduct through the community?
PostNL uses the community for different forms of research, ranging from qualitative discussions to quantitative surveys.
What does PostNL do with the insights from the community?
The insights gathered are used to refine service offerings and enhance services for entrepreneurs.
Want to know more?
Do you want to structurally involve your customers in the development of your services? Contact us. Then we’ll see how an online research community brings you closer to your target audience.
