Leading Edge Helps University Research Institution Benchmark Partner & Customer Experience
A university specialising in building and engineering recruited Leading Edge to undertake a strategic customer experience project. The aim was to benchmark its engagement, collaboration, and partnership processes against peer institutions and industry expectations, to identify how it could improve service delivery and strengthen future collaborations.
Project Objectives: Capturing Feedback & Benchmarking Institutional Partnerships
The core goals of this project included:
- Gathering candid feedback from both current and former research partners.
- Benchmarking engagement processes against other academic and commercial research organisations.
- Identifying areas for service improvement and organisational change.
- Exploring opportunities for future partnerships and collaborations.
As competition in academic research intensifies, understanding the university’s reputation among partners is essential for remaining relevant and competitive.
Methodology: In-Depth Interviews & Comparative Benchmarking
To achieve these objectives, Leading Edge used a rigorous qualitative approach:
- Conducted 50 telephone interviews with a diverse group of research partners including building product manufacturers, government departments and agencies, trade associations, and research consultancies.
- Investigated perceptions of the university’s partnership approach, communication, project management, and follow-up support.
- Collected both quantitative ratings and detailed qualitative feedback, allowing for rich insight into partner sentiment.
- Benchmarked the institution’s engagement model against equivalent academic institutions and commercial research bodies to highlight where the university excelled and where enhancements were needed.
Key Findings: Where Strengths Meet Room for Growth
The research produced several actionable insights:
- Clear gaps in communication and follow-up support were identified as areas that affected partner satisfaction.
- The university’s project management was praised for its robustness, but partner perceptions varied depending on the type of partner (industry vs academia).
- Partners appreciated flexibility and technical expertise, but some expected faster responsiveness and clearer milestones.
- The benchmarking exercise revealed that peer institutions often had streamlined onboarding or collaboration frameworks that could serve as best practices.
Strategic Outcome: Meaningful Change Based on Partner Feedback
Using Leading Edge’s findings, the university took forward several strategic improvements:
- Revised its partner engagement and communication workflows to ensure clearer expectations, better transparency, and timely follow-ups.
- Introduced structured onboarding measures for new partners to ensure consistency.
- Commenced internal reviews of partnership agreements and resource allocations to better reflect partner-derived feedback.
- Developed a forward-looking strategy to target future collaborations with organisations identified as having alignment and opportunity.
Why Measuring Partner Experience Matters for Research Institutions
For universities working in building, engineering or similar fields, success doesn’t depend solely on research output. It depends on the strength of partnerships, clarity in collaboration, and how your institution is perceived by those who count. Customer (or partner) experience research gives missing insight — what you’re doing well, what needs fixing, and how you compare to peers.
Outcomes & Advantages for the University
- A benchmarked view of partner satisfaction and engagement against peers.
- Identification of specific touchpoints in the partnership lifecycle to improve.
- Concrete actions underway to enhance communication, responsiveness, and transparency.
- Improved ability to attract future collaborators by actively responding to partner feedback.
Call to Action
At Leading Edge, we help academic, commercial, and research organisations refine partner and customer experiences through structured feedback, benchmarking, and stakeholder research.
If you’d like to understand how your institution’s partner experience compares to peers, or explore ways to improve collaboration and engagement, check out our Customer Satisfaction Survey or get in touch.
