Customer relationship management
HeidelbergCement develops, produces and distributes high-quality building materials for customers throughout the world. We strive to cooperate closely with our customers wherever they may be and to retain their loyalty over the long term. We therefore continually work to improve our relationships with customers, and we clearly emphasise the importance of good customer relationships in our Leadership Principles. We seek to offer our customers the greatest possible utility and to establish partnerships that are based on trust. This approach includes sincere and honest communication — particularly with regard to advertising measures related to the marketing of innovative and environmentally sound products, which require more explanation than our standardised products.
Customers who wish to make complaints or file claims can get in touch with their local contact partners. We ensure that such complaints — whether they are of a technical, logistical or commercial nature — will be directed to the right contact partner within the Group. This process is carried out within our customer relations management system in Germany, for example.
In 2009 our Corporate Sales and Marketing department and national organisations launched the first-ever large-scale customer survey in all the Group areas in the cement business line in order to learn more about our customers’ wishes and expectations. The survey was completed in 20 countries in all Group areas (with the exception of Asia) at the end of 2010. Other countries in Asia will follow in 2011, and 20 additional surveys will also be conducted for the concrete and aggregates business lines this year.
Our goal is to have carried out similar surveys in approximately 20 countries for each of our business lines by 2012. The responses of our customers will be carefully analysed, and the results of the analysis will subsequently be used to develop country-specific measures that will help us to retain our customers and further enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.