Why meaningful feedback matters SCAs Mikael Frölander explains
Every three years, we conduct an in-depth customer study for SCA Containerboard. Mikael Frölander, VP Sales & Marketing SCA Containerboard, explains why:
“We got the results of our latest study from Opticom in June, and we are currently analysing the findings. This is the fourth in the regular series, so we have been working with Opticom to better understand our customers for over a decade. Consistency is important. As well as understanding the mood of the day, we can also track and monitor our performance and the market as viewed by our customers over time. We can see what customers perceive we have done well, where we’ve improved or where there is more to be done. The beauty of this study is that Opticom knows us, understands the industry, and can gather meaningful, reliable and detailed feedback on our behalf.”
Frölander says it was no secret to hear that climate change is a prime concern for his customers this year, but he is still surprised at the lack of knowledge within the value chain when it comes to sustainability issues.
“We have understood that knowledge is still rather low about sustainability even within our immediate business, let alone by the time any message reaches the consumer. I see a lot of potential for talking more to Sustainability Directors and other customer departments, not just immediate procurement contacts. It can be tempting to restrict meetings to Sales Directors and their customers, but we clearly need to do more to spread the word when it comes to our sustainability progress, not least because SCA is the largest forest owner in Europe. When we do invite customers to see our forests as well as production sites, they really appreciate it. The survey showed we need to do more of this.”
“This year’s survey also highlighted customer concerns about the future availability of kraftliner, against a backdrop of several recent M&As in the sector. Opticom does a fabulous job of mapping both our progress over time while highlighting the issues of the day and showing how customers’ concerns change over time. It’s essential to understand their position if we are to remain a supplier of choice.”