A survey of customer perceptions of different vendors in the market is a tool that is used to gather feedback from customers about their experiences with different vendors or suppliers in the market. When used smartly, this can be used as a competitive intelligence tool. This article will discuss ways in which you can use it to improve your competitive strategy, including 10 sample questions as an illustration of the method.
Vendors Perception Survey is typically conducted to assess the level of satisfaction that customers have with the products or services that they have received from different vendors and to identify areas where those vendors could improve their offerings. The survey may cover a range of topics, including the quality of the products or services, the level of customer service, the convenience and accessibility of the vendor, and the overall level of satisfaction with the vendor.
There are several ways in which you can use customer perceptions of different vendors in your market as a competitive intelligence tool:
Identifying strengths and weaknesses
By gathering feedback from customers about their experiences with different vendors, you can identify areas where certain vendors excel and areas where they may be falling short. This information can help you to understand your competitors and identify areas where you may have an advantage.
Understanding customer needs and preferences
By surveying customers about their experiences with different vendors, you can gain insight into the types of products or services that they value, as well as the characteristics that they look for in a vendor. This information can help you to tailor your offerings to better meet the needs and preferences of your target market.
Improving your own offerings
By using the results of your customer survey to identify areas for improvement in your own business, you can make changes to better meet the needs and expectations of your customers. This can help to increase your competitiveness in the market.
Gaining a competitive edge
By gathering and analyzing customer feedback about different vendors in your market, you can identify areas where you have a competitive advantage and use this information to differentiate your business from your competitors.
Here is a sample questionnaire you can ask in a Vendors’ Perception Survey aimed to gather competitive intelligence and help you to stay ahead of the competition in your market. Naturally, this has to be tailored to your market, as specifically as possible.
1 - Which of the following companies do you have actual working experience with?
□ Vendor A □ Vendor B □ Vendor C
□ Vendor D □ Vendor E □ Vendor F 2 - Considering your complete experience with this vendor, how likely are you to recommend it to others? Very Unlikely 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Very Likely 3 - Please rate the performance of the level of service from the vendor:
Ability to solve problems Very not satisfied 0 1 2 3 4 5 Very satisfied
Understanding my needs Very not satisfied 0 1 2 3 4 5 Very satisfied
Responsiveness Very not satisfied 0 1 2 3 4 5 Very satisfied
Professionalism Very not satisfied 0 1 2 3 4 5 Very satisfied
Courtesy Very not satisfied 0 1 2 3 4 5 Very satisfied
Friendliness Very not satisfied 0 1 2 3 4 5 Very satisfied
Presentation of new products Very not satisfied 0 1 2 3 4 5 Very satisfied
4 - How would you rate the value provided by the vendor?
□ Poor
□ Marginal Good
□ Very Good
□ Excellent
□ Don`t Know 5 - How important are the following to you?
Quality of product Not at all important 0 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely important
Timely delivery Not at all important 0 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely important
Credit limit Not at all important 0 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely important
Communication skills Not at all important 0 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely important
Understanding of your requirements Not at all important 0 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely important
Pricing Not at all important 0 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely important
6 - What can the vendor do to serve you better?
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7 - The amount of information and communication the vendor provides you with, for existing or new services and products is:
□ Too little
□ Just right
□ Too much
8 - What do you find valuable in the vendor’s value proposition – and what diminishes its value to your company?
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9 - When you think of the vendor’s brand, what comes to mind?
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10 - For each of the following statements please indicate your level of agreement:
My company is very loyal to the vendor Strongly Disagree 0 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Agree
Having the vendor as a supplier matters a lot to my company Strongly Disagree 0 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Agree