Tag: satisfaction

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The Low-down on Sizing Up Suppliers

Big vs. Small Suppliers

Malcolm Gladwell’s book David and Goliath offers interesting perspective on how those possessing seemingly little in the way of resources can successfully take on more established players using their size and ingenuity to their advantage.

The promise of the little guy is certainly germane to the oil and gas industry. If a company or individual has an idea they believe has merit, there’s little to keep them from pursuing their idea in the oilfield. And if their products or services are good enough, customers will eventually beat a path to their door. Continue reading “The Low-down on Sizing Up Suppliers”

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Global Shale: Potential Bonanza for Suppliers

Global Map

Shale-oil and -gas production in the U.S. has been revered by some as the fuel, engine and vehicle driving the nation toward energy independence and economic solvency. Astronomical estimates of reserves, millions of high-paying new oilfield jobs, enhanced competitiveness for American industry, greater tax inflows for state and federal governments, and incremental export revenues certainly justify the volume of discussion.

Shale has at once become both disruptive and transformative. It’s also here to stay. IEA estimates the share of U.S. shale oil and gas production to double by 2035. Continue reading “Global Shale: Potential Bonanza for Suppliers”

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What’s Going On at EnergyPoint, You Ask?

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As the leading provider of independent research and market intelligence on customer satisfaction in the global oilfield supply sector, EnergyPoint Research is continually updating and improving our approach to serving the needs of our subscribers and the industry as a whole.

So, with the end of another busy year fast approaching, we wanted to bring our readers up to date on some of the exciting developments and initiatives underway here at the firm.

Continue reading “What’s Going On at EnergyPoint, You Ask?”

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NOV Closes the One-stop Shop

Separate Directions

National Oilwell Varco (NOV) operates just about everywhere oil and gas is extracted, enjoying a hearty share of the market for integrated oilfield equipment. Yet global reach and a wide-ranging portfolio of products do not necessarily translate to a better customer experience—for NOV or its competitors.

EnergyPoint’s most recent survey data suggest NOV’s customer satisfaction ratings, while certainly competitive within its peer group, have slowly trended down as the company logged lower scores in various segments. To be fair, ratings for manufacturers of capital drilling equipment remain below average industry-wide. However, NOV has been sliding from its previous perch. Continue reading “NOV Closes the One-stop Shop”

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Ways to Encourage Better Supplier Performance

Encourage Supplier Performance

Over the years, EnergyPoint has collected literally tens of thousands of customer evaluations of oilfield suppliers.  We’ve stuck to our mission because we believe it adds a needed degree of transparency to the industry’s supplier-performance picture.

It has also afforded us some unique insights, including understanding ways customers can proactively influence the performance of their suppliers.  Here’s some of the ways that stand out: Continue reading “Ways to Encourage Better Supplier Performance”

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EnergyPoint’s Oilfield Perspectives Tour

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Having collected and analyzed almost twenty thousand evaluations and over three-quarters of a million data points related to oilfield supplier performance and customer satisfaction since 2003, EnergyPoint Research has a lot to share. So, we’re hitting the road to do just that.

EnergyPoint began its Oilfield Perspectives presentation series in early 2013. The series features Doug Sheridan, managing director and founder of EnergyPoint Research, discussing the latest ratings, rankings, trends and implications from EnergyPoint’s independent customer satisfaction surveys in a uniquely compelling, informative and thought-provoking manner. Continue reading “EnergyPoint’s Oilfield Perspectives Tour”

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Cameron Int’l Making Its Way To New Depths

New Depths

Conceptualizing, fabricating and installing the labyrinth of integrated systems and equipment required for today’s massive subsea projects are some of the most complex tasks in the oil and gas industry. Without question, the daunting challenges at these depths contribute to the historically low customer satisfaction ratings for subsea products we have observed in our surveys over the years.

Although not the market-share leader in the space, Cameron International has recently been dynamic in its efforts related to increasing the profile of its subsea offerings, most notably advancing the depth and breadth of its capabilities via its OneSubsea joint venture with Schlumberger.

Continue reading “Cameron Int’l Making Its Way To New Depths”

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Thanks, But It Misses the Point – Part 2

Missing the Point

In Part 1 of this article, we discussed how restaurants’ practice of constantly refilling iced tea glasses without first asking can actually leads to a diminished customer experience for some.  We also hinted that we thought customers of oilfield suppliers could relate to this lesson.  We want to use the second part of this article to explain how.

When an organization decides it wants to address customer satisfaction, the process it follows can have a big impact on whether its succeeds.  When management does not think through and get involved in the process — opting instead for vague directives to “better serve our customers” or “create greater customer intimacy” — the results can prove ineffectual and even counterproductive. Continue reading “Thanks, But It Misses the Point – Part 2”

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Ditch the Price-centric Mindset

Price Tag

Bottom-line pricing may matter to some customers, but misconceptions abound in terms of the specific relationship between pricing and customer satisfaction in the oilfield. Most organizations overestimate the impact pricing has on customer satisfaction.

A company’s customer satisfaction relative to peers — what customers and suppliers should both be focused on — is a function of completed acts. That is, how did the supplier and its offerings perform compared to expectations? Continue reading “Ditch the Price-centric Mindset”

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Thanks, But It Misses the Point – Part 1

Missing the Point

I like iced tea.  In fact, I like it a lot.  Over the course of a hot Houston summer, I bet I drink a thousand glasses of iced tea, each with just the right amount of self-administered artificial sweetener.  Because I eat out a lot, and tend to frequent the same places on a regular basis, most of the eateries in my neighborhood are familiar with my voracious thirst for the stuff as a customer.

Over this most recent summer, I took note of a practice related to how some restaurants handle the refilling of my iced tea.  Their approach is illustrative of how companies’ policies and practices, many meant to better serve customers in one way or another, can actually cause more problems than they solve. Continue reading “Thanks, But It Misses the Point – Part 1”