Customer satisfaction as the highest goal
In dialogue with customers
We manufacture products for our end customers to use. Their satisfaction is therefore our main goal. They have high expectations on the performance, safety and ecological manufacturing of our products. Our customers want to have fun engaging in outdoor activities safely - with products that are as "clean" as possible.
Dissatisfaction often goes unnoticed
There are scientific studies which show that only about four percent of dissatisfied customers express their concerns to the company. In standard information channels such as complaint management - you only see the tip of the iceberg. Dissatisfied customers usually avoid the products. Further studies show that a dissatisfied customer expresses their dissatisfaction within their environment – which can result in a loss of 9 - 20 potential customers who do not purchase the brand.
| GRI: | PR5 |
| GRI: | DMA Customer Satisfaction |
Retailers are also important partners. They are our direct link to our end customers. In order to sell our products successfully, our partners must have confidence in VAUDE and VAUDE products. A good partnership and long-term cooperation with our retailers is therefore of utmost importance to us.
Direct contact with the customer
VAUDE relies on contact with its customers that is as direct as possible – with retailers as well as with end customers. Our sales representatives’ close contact with retail as well as regular meetings with major customers provides us with a precise picture of our customers’ needs and their level of satisfaction. This feedback flows directly into the development of our product collections.
Based on seasonal complaint rates, we see where we are not meeting our customers’ needs. They provide us with valuable feedback on customer satisfaction. These evaluations are incorporated into the development of the next product collections. Significant points are also included in our internal documentation and training programs. These documents for quality standards are reviewed and updated annually.
Zendesk answers questions of all kinds
For customers who do not want to file a complaint, but rather have questions, VAUDE has set up a customer portal (Zendesk). Customers can contact us over our website and ask us their questions. These inquiries will be answered by a team from VAUDE sales. The topics include questions about the optimal product for certain tours, replacement parts, concerns about harmful substances in products, and repair requests for older VAUDE products.
"Social Media" plays an essential role for us, since we can specifically appeal to a young audience. This channel also gives us direct contact with our customers. With our monthly corporate videos we want to strengthen and expand the identification with our products and the VAUDE brand. The number of hits and positive comments attest to the fact that we are on the right track.
Numerous awards
Although complaint figures are systematically evaluated and the resulting information is included in the development of our product collections as well as quality documentation and training, there is currently no systematic evaluation of customer requests via the Zendesk. This is an area where we see further potential to gain more meaningful information and increase customer satisfaction.
VAUDE received a total of 52 product awards in 2013. Again, this is an indication of customer satisfaction.
Best rating in retailer study
Since VAUDE does not ship to end customers directly, retailers are a key group of customers for the company. In 2013, we actively participated in the first satisfaction survey of retailers conducted by the independent market research institute "benchmark Excellence". Retailers from all over Germany were asked to rate 13 outdoor brands – including Jack Wolfskin, The North Face, and Haglöfs. In-depth questions were asked in all areas relevant for the success of distributors.
Overall, questionnaires from the institute were sent to 150 people from 122 companies. The response rate was 54 percent. In addition to the questionnaire, 29 people were interviewed.
1st place in six out of seven areas
VAUDE achieved the top overall rating in the study - by a wide margin. In six of the seven assessment areas, VAUDE landed in first place:
- Customer Service
- Business development / support
- Logistics & supply chain
- Retail marketing
- Product range development
- Personnel
In the evaluation area "Consumer Marketing" we achieved 4th place. In all areas, retailers assessed VAUDE with above-average performance. Due to the good results of the survey, our motto is: We want to maintain our high level!
