A leading UK cement manufacturer partnered with Leading Edge to undertake a comprehensive customer insight project. The objective was to evaluate and enhance customer service performance by comparing internal service delivery against customer expectations — and benchmarking performance against key competitors in the cement and wider construction materials market.
Objectives: Understanding and Raising Service Standards
The project focused on four key goals:
- Measure how customers perceived the manufacturer’s service performance.
- Compare perceptions against customer expectations to identify service gaps.
- Benchmark the company’s service standards against competitors.
- Use the insights to develop a practical improvement plan and align marketing and operational strategy with customer needs.
Methodology: Engaging Customers Across Segments
The research began with internal consultation sessions across departments — including logistics, sales, and customer service — to identify the most important aspects of service from the company’s perspective. This resulted in the development of a comprehensive 32-point service questionnaire.
We then conducted 120 in-depth interviews with:
- Current customers
- Lapsed or former customers
- Potential customers
Interviews were carried out both face-to-face and by telephone, and were carefully segmented to ensure a broad and balanced view across customer types, sectors, and order volumes.
Outcomes: Clear Priorities and Actionable Strategies
The research revealed:
- Key strengths in reliability and order fulfilment
- Notable gaps in proactive communication and post-delivery support
- Specific areas where competitors were outperforming the client in service innovation
Based on the findings, Leading Edge developed a series of practical recommendations and worked with the client to prioritise improvements. These informed:
- A revised customer service improvement plan
- Enhancements to internal processes and cross-functional collaboration
- Adjustments to marketing messages to better reflect strengths and address known service concerns
Strategic Value: Aligning Operations with Customer Expectations
The insights also helped the manufacturer:
- Refine its positioning by better understanding how its service offer compared with that of competitors
- Develop more targeted messaging around areas of recognised strength
- Set internal benchmarks for tracking service improvements over time
The combination of qualitative feedback and competitor benchmarking enabled the business to make confident, customer-informed decisions in a highly competitive environment.
Why It Matters in the Construction Products Sector
In a commodity-driven market like cement, customer service quality can be a key differentiator. This case study demonstrates how a structured, customer-focused research approach can uncover specific areas for service improvement, shape marketing communications, and ultimately drive competitive advantage.
