Our journey during this time has been marked by a diverse array of market research projects for the environmental and energy sectors, fostering long-term relationships with several clients. This extensive experience has equipped us with a deep understanding and practical insights into the workings of these markets, which few other market research consultancies can offer.
Chris Hadley, our lead consultant, plays a pivotal role in our success. With nearly 30 years of specialised experience in these two sectors, he offers in-depth energy industry knowledge essential for identifying key issues and designing customised research programs that align with client needs. He delivers insightful environment market research reports and industry analysis with expert knowledge.
We worked this year with Lead Edge on an important corporate project. The account manager who supported us was professional and competent. The topic addressed was challenging, and the project was not easy to manage due to the highly specific data that needed to be analyzed. However, thanks to effective teamwork, the outcome was truly satisfying for us.
“At Oil Analysis Laboratories, we understand the importance of delivering independent, reliable, and accurate data to maintain customer satisfaction. That’s why we trust Leading Edge for our customer surveys, ensuring both our clients and we are consistently pleased with the results.”
We have worked with Leading Edge for the past 12 months to perform our Net Promoter Score. I have found our account manager to be very professional, producing insightful and accurate data and reports. Most importantly they handle our customer’s data in compliant and confidential manner.
Leading Edge have been working with us for a number of years, and provide a first class service when it comes to our Voice of Customer and NPS research. They accommodate the different requirements of our varied business units without a problem. Would happily recommend as they are a pleasure to deal with.
We have worked with Leading Edge for 7 years now. When you are employing a company to talk to your customers you need to trust implicitly that they always act in a completely professional manner. Leading Edge have always done this and their communication with us as a business is first class.
Leading Edge has been carrying out customer satisfaction surveys and measurement of net promoter scores for us on a continual basis for around 12 years. We are very happy with the quality of work, meeting of deadlines and customer liaison. The output enables us to identify areas where we need to improve and also service areas where we excel. I would be happy to recommend them to other companies.
At very short notice Leading Edge came into our business to assist with our strategic business planning process. They were able to immediately understand the brief and worked with us to provide essential information to allow us to make some key decisions. This was all done on a very tight timescale and they met the brief exactly.
Working with Chris and the team on our customer satisfaction surveys has been invaluable. To be able to get real feedback from our customers in a simple to understand format with insightful verbatim comments has allowed us to continue to improve our service and really focus on what matters to the people we serve on our contract.
Leading Edge have assisted STGP in the delivery of our quarterly Customer Survey for over 2 years. We continue to be impressed with their interactions with our customer base, the quality of their final reports and the confidential manner of their undertakings.
Our clients in this sector vary widely and include multinational corporations in water and waste management, intermediaries providing an array of support services and SMEs. We also have considerable experience working with public sector clients at national, regional, and local levels.
As the energy and environment sector undergoes rapid evolution we find ourselves at the forefront of identifying and exploring new market opportunities as part of the market research we do. Organisations want to understand their marketplace and customers whilst managing growing concerns over issues like air and water pollution, water quality, waste management, and the emergence of sustainable products and services. This dynamic environment not only challenges us but also drives our commitment to staying ahead in delivering valuable insights and strategies in these ever-changing markets.
Our expertise is extensive and spans various sub-sectors of the environmental and energy market, including:
In each of these areas, we are committed to delivering comprehensive and specialised market research solutions, catering to the unique challenges and requirements of these diverse fields. Our services range from environmental market and customer research, energy market analysis, and forecasting to competitor analysis, benchmarking and customer satisfaction studies.
Few consultancies offering market research, customer service measurement, and market analysis can match the depth of experience we have at Leading Edge in the environmental and energy sectors. It means we are already 'ahead of the curve,' likely having expertise in your specific market area thereby being well placed to deliver added value support.
Chris Hadley, Lead- Environmental & Energy
Leading Edge was commissioned to deliver a strategic customer segmentation project for a long-standing client in the laboratory services sector. While previous work had involved periodic satisfaction surveys, the client recognised a need for a deeper, more actionable understanding of customer groups as part of a broader marketing and value-creation review.
The primary aim was to shift from a one-size-fits-all model to a needs- and benefits-based approach. This meant identifying and grouping customers not just by spend or sector, but by their expectations, decision-making behaviours, and service priorities.
Leading Edge recommended its proprietary SCAN segmentation model — a framework designed to deliver clearly defined customer clusters that support strategic marketing, service design, and value delivery.
To support the segmentation:
Using SPSS statistical software, advanced cluster analysis was conducted to group respondents by shared traits — going beyond simple demographics or spend bands to uncover behavioural patterns and underlying needs.
Given the limited size of the client’s customer database and the diversity of sectors served, traditional sampling methods wouldn’t suffice. Leading Edge used an innovative combination of internal and external contacts to:
The analysis revealed four distinct customer segments:
These clusters enabled the client to design tiered service models, develop targeted messaging, and prioritise internal resources more effectively.
Leading Edge presented the findings to a cross-functional group within the client organisation, helping to:
The outcome was a strategic shift in how the client viewed and engaged its customer base — setting the stage for more targeted, responsive service delivery and marketing.
For companies offering technical or professional services, customer needs are rarely uniform. This project illustrates how customer segmentation based on behaviours and expectations — not just spend — can unlock real commercial value and create a platform for smarter decision-making.
We provide market analysis, customer satisfaction surveys, and strategic insights tailored to the environmental and energy industries.
Our services help identify market opportunities, enhance customer engagement, and provide actionable insights for strategic decision-making.
Our clients include energy providers, environmental service companies, regulatory agencies, and technology firms focused on sustainability.
We analyse trends such as renewable energy adoption, regulatory changes, technological advancements, and consumer behaviour in the energy market.
We cover topics such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, environmental regulations, sustainable construction practices, and green building technologies.
Leading Edge, established in 1988, has over 35 years of experience in construction market research. We have collaborated with hundreds of clients on bespoke market studies and conducted over 37,000 research interviews, providing deep insights into the construction, building products, and environmental sectors.
We offer comprehensive market coverage in the UK, across Europe and globally, bringing you a world of market insights right to your doorstep.
Our team comprises of experts in construction market research, strategic consulting and commercial construction - delivering reliable and actionable intelligence. Working extensively across the construction industry supply chain, our clients often include contractors, building product manufacturers, trade associations, and related service organisations.
In the environmental and energy markets, our expertise spans various sub-sectors, serving multinational corporations in water and waste management, support service intermediaries, SMEs and public sector clients at national, regional and local levels.
