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influence their behavior. Through these dialogues, end users, not just the intermediaries, will be quite
companies often realize that they have been over- valuable as well (see Figure 4). For TSWD, the in-
serving assumed needs and under-serving real sights gleaned from such conversations formed the
needs. basis for a new product that is shaping up to be
one of its most profitable.
The feedback comes from contacting customers
after key episodes like a new contract negotiation TSWD has long sold steel wires to distributors in
or a service event, ideally prefaced by just three India, but the company tended to view end users
questions to ensure high participation: Would you as a homogeneous group. It did not possess de-
recommend? Why? Would you be willing to com- tailed information on how different types of farmers
ment on a few specific areas? and growers used the wire and what features were
most valuable to them. As the market grew more
An NPS set-up should be highly tailored to the dyna- competitive, TSWD decided to improve its overall
mics of the particular industry. B2B settings often value proposition and introduce new products, but
involve several customer constituencies including it needed a much better understanding of the ac-
gatekeepers, business leaders and operational tion downstream.
users. Each group has different needs and requires
different types of interactions from providers. The Working closely with its distributors, TSWD spoke
design around when, how and with whom to en- with 1,100 end users and more than 200 retailers,
gage will depend on the provider’s channel structu- contractors and other influencers—conversations
re (intermediaries or not), the structure of decision that revealed significant openings to target certain
making in the account (external influencers or not), segments with premium products. One segment of
and relevant episodes or moments of truth for the farmers, for instance, prized durability because if
customer (see Figures 2 and 3). the wire broke, entire rows of grapes would fall and
rot. Another segment valued ease of installation, so
In construction, jet engines or automotive supply, that they could install the fencing in one section of
for instance, loyalty depends largely on relationships the farm for a crop’s growing season, then disman-
and project results. Dürr, the German supplier of tle it and reinstall it elsewhere for a new crop.
paint and assembly shops, may have only about
40 accounts, but each is a huge automotive ma-
nufacturer with hundreds of decision makers and Use those insights to inform
influencers. Also, most departments within Dürr where to place bets
have interactions with many individuals at these
customer organizations. As a result, mapping Dürr Once customers raise issues that need to be ad-
employees with customer contacts is relatively dressed, a company can close the loop by fixing
complex, and the NPS process requires thoughtful those issues and contacting detractors to update
choices about whom to ask for feedback and how them personally on progress. Typical issues inclu-
to communicate back when acting on customers’ de excessive handoffs, long cycle time or rework
comments. of a job. It’s equally important to learn about and
replicate those areas where the company exceeds
When a company sells to distributors or other in- customer expectations, including its strengths rela-
termediaries, getting feedback from retailers and tive to competitors’.

Figure 4: Key episodes will
vary for end customers and
intermediaries

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