Putting the spotlight on ourselves: 2022 Client Survey results
By Georgia Parslow and Adrian Field
As 2022 draws to a close and we mark the end of Dovetail’s eighth year, we decided it's high time we reflected on our own performance and the value we offer.
What better way to do so than to turn the spotlight on ourselves and ask our clients what they think?
So we sent an invitation to all our clients over the past two years to take part in our client feedback survey. This is an important accountability tool for us, helping us to capture the value of our work, as we do for so many of our clients; and in doing so, improve our ability to create change.
We were genuinely surprised and humbled by the response we received from our clients, including those whose work with us is yet to be completed. The feedback is certainly a positive way to conclude 2022, and with the team expanding in 2023, we look forward to new opportunities.
Feedback highlighted the quality and reliability of our work, and our support in helping organisations to make a difference. Our Net Promoter Score of 95 is well above industry standard. We are pleased to see that our core values resonate with our clients, and that our aims to improve cultural responsiveness and equity is recognised, though we acknowledge there is always more to do in this space.
Overall findings can be seen in the infographic below. You can also download the infographic here.
The opportunity for providing reflections in their own words gave us further depth on the value we offer. Some of the feedback, for example, drew specific attention to the value of our multi-disciplinary skills in our team and the wider network.
“In my experience, all Dovetail associates focus on understanding and meeting client needs. Thank you to the extended Dovetail whanau.”
“Having the confidence that [Dovetail] had put together a well-rounded team to address the different needs of the evaluation.”
Others pointed to our contribution to the not-for-profit sector in different ways.
“Dovetail's understanding of the NFP sector allowed them to deliver initial work and continue to support us in a way that is highly suited to our reporting and funding needs.”
“[The work undertaken] provided interesting insights into the sector that has some use in the longer-term advocacy. It has been interesting to see Dovetail’s work in other sectors, and it would be interesting to see how the cross-over between things could work.”
“We feel very privileged to be recipients of Dovetail's giving back kaupapa. The survey they host for us and prepare reports for at no cost is instrumental to us understanding our communities and improving what we do.”
One client asked for slightly shorter reports – we will certainly try to do that! Another suggested more ongoing communication or a closer working relationship in future, which provided further food for thought.
To all of our Dovetail clients and collaborators in 2021/22 – ngā mihi nui! It has been a genuine pleasure to work with you all.
Kia tūtaki ā tērā tau – see you next year.
The survey was anonymous ,with no way for us to trace back each response. We will look to repeat this survey every two years. Our thanks to everyone who took part.
