Anis Berberi, Head of Customer Experience, highlights the importance of understanding and meeting rental customers' evolving needs
While rental equipment can be viewed as a commodity, in a competitive market providing customers with the right gear is just the beginning. To grow and stay competitive, we must be able to provide a differentiated customer experience (CX) that makes our customers feel valued and consistently meets their changing needs.
Price, product and availability are important factors for all customers, but CX is about so much more than this. CX is about being customer focused. That is, at Coates we put customers at the centre of everything we do and support them to achieve their goals.
CX is about taking the time to listen to customers, to stand in their shoes and understand their needs. Our business is based on the quality of our relationships, making how we deliver as important as what we deliver. By ensuring that working with Coates is easy, enjoyable and productive – as well as providing the best equipment and specialist solutions – we can keep our customers happy and drive repeat business.
Extracting meaningful insights to better serve rental customers
For the past 5 years Coates has been on a journey to grow its customer focus, making CX a pillar and key component of our overall business strategy. We’ve been getting to know our customers and what’s important to them, using Voice of Customer (VoC) to design CX programs from the outside in.
This ongoing journey has reinforced the importance of gathering insights at every stage of the customer experience. Through multiple feedback channels, we continuously learn about their needs, expectations and the key moments that shape their overall satisfaction.
Here’s what these insights tell us about what rental customers really want.
1. Consistency
In the fast-paced world of construction, where timelines and budgets are tight, having a hire partner that can provide a consistent, high-quality experience reduces stress and gives customers confidence and control over their projects.
When customers consistently receive reliable, well-maintained equipment, timely deliveries and collections, and responsive customer service, they know what to expect and feel confident in their decision to continue doing business with us.
2. Seamless digital experiences
While Coates is always ready to supply professional support, expertise and fully developed equipment solutions, less complex dry hire transactions can be streamlined with digital tools, providing customers with the convenience of browsing, hiring and managing their own rental equipment needs online.
When rental companies invest in technologies that make it easier and more intuitive for customers to do business across all channels, they are better positioned to meet evolving customer needs.
3. Ease of engagement
Rental customers want a smooth, unified experience – one where their needs are anticipated and addressed at every touchpoint. They expect a level of convenience that streamlines the process, reduces friction and builds trust with every interaction.
Ease of engagement isn’t just about having a single point of contact. What customers truly value is a seamless experience where their information follows them throughout the hire journey. They want to feel their requirements to be heard and understood, without the frustration of repeating themselves.
4. Timely and transparent communication
There will always be factors beyond our control that shape the customer experience – equipment may break down and traffic delays are sometimes inevitable. But even in these situations, timely and transparent communication can make all the difference. Keeping customers informed about how and when issues will be resolved not only builds trust but also empowers them to adapt and keep their projects on track.
Coates customers consistently tell us they can handle just about anything, as long as they’re kept in the know. We’re committed to proactive communication, ensuring customers stay informed throughout their journey with us and responding promptly to any issues that arise.
How we’re improving CX at Coates
Coates is committed to delivering great customer experiences, but with more than 145 branches nationwide, there’s always room to improve consistency and ensure every customer receives the same high standard of service. To make this happen:
We continue to listen to customers and seek feedback, ensuring VoC shapes the customer experience that we provide.
CX principles define our customer commitment, helping us to deliver on the customer promises that we make.
Our multi-faceted learning program (Customer360) continues to develop our customer understanding, lift the skills of our people, and drive consistency across customer engagements.
We’re investing in technologies and training to ensure our people can access the skills, information and tools they need to deliver a consistently great customer experience.
We’re expanding our e-commerce offering and self-service capabilities to provide a consistent experience across all digital channels and to empower customers to meet their own needs.
We’re also keeping a close eye on AI and other emerging technologies that enhance customer communication and make it easier and more intuitive for customers to do business with us.
While CX is always evolving at Coates, these principles and strategic programs highlight our absolute focus on putting the customer at the centre of everything we do. Along the way, we’ve learned a lot about what our customers want and the experiences that keep them coming back, guiding our customer focus for the future.
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