As a novel start-up in a poorly-researched space, we needed to validate the problems Whirli is solving. Sapio Research were fantastic partners from start to finish – creative in brainstorming angles, careful in designing the questions, and rigorous in analysing the results. The research brought a wealth of insights, backed by hard figures, for our business decision making and for us to talk about publicly in the press.
The brief
Equans is a global market leader in the sector with 74,000 employees leveraging 200 years of expertise.
In the UK & Ireland, Equans is a provider of technical, FM, regeneration and energy services – with specialist capabilities in smart buildings, green mobility, district & embedded energy and decentralised renewables.
Equans’ 13,500 UK & Ireland employees combine these activities to help businesses, public sector organisations and government to embrace the energy transition towards net zero, and also the digital & industrial transitions that are redesigning the way we move, work and live.
The business had recently had a period of change – from a branding and ownership perspective.
In light of those changes, Equans was looking to better understand its strengths and weaknesses regarding:
- service delivery & administration
- brand perception, incl. identifying opportunities and evaluating the ‘value’ of the brand
Our research solution
In order to understand Equans audience and brand perceptions, Sapio conducted 20 online in-depth interviews with current Equans customers.
Contacts were provided by Equans and included customers across the UK from a variety of different sectors – including healthcare, mobile services, Central Government, and more.
Interviews lasted approximately 45 minutes and were conducted with individuals who held Management or Director level positions in a Facilities / Estates / Technical Services role.
Research outcomes and impact
Sapio undertook the design and execution of the work as well as the analysis of the data collected, presenting it back to Equans’ Executive Board.
The research helped to identify how customers perceived Equans, its key strengths and weaknesses, and also key opportunities for the business to explore.
Based on customers’ experiences, opinions and perceptions, we were able to help Equans identify key areas to achieve stand out among competitors and to help them improve customer experience.
As a result of the research, Equans has launched a company-wide project led by their Executive leadership team.
Using the key areas for improvement highlighted by the Sapio project, a number of work streams have been setup that will allow the business to track progress and make key improvements on the areas raised.
Richard Morgan, Head of Customer Experience at Equans UK & Ireland, commented:
“The work Sapio carried out has given us clearer visibility on our customers views and perceptions. It has enabled our organisation to have an increased focus on the areas that really matter to our customers and to also celebrate the positive feedback that we received as part of the process.”
