How KENDA used customer feedback to sharpen its European brand strategy

Customer: KENDA Europe — international tyre and rubber manufacturer

Sector: Manufacturing / B2B

Purpose: Measure NPS and customer satisfaction to inform brand and market strategy

Trigger: 2017 acquisition by new global owners + ISO certification requirements

First survey: 2017 — establishing an NPS baseline tracked ever since

Key finding: Customers wanted stronger digital presence, not more field salespeople

KENDA believed more salespeople in the field were the key to growth. Its NPS survey in Surveyxact revealed something else: customers wanted a stronger digital presence, easier access to products, and flexible support. Acting on that insight, KENDA redirected resources from traditional sales and print toward digital — and gained a shared data foundation across every European market.  

KENDA started measuring NPS because its 2017 acquisition by new global owners made deep insight into customer perceptions urgent, and its ISO certification required continuous work to improve customer relationships. That work needed a solid foundation, so KENDA partnered with Surveyxact for its first NPS and customer satisfaction survey in 2017.

This time the goal went far beyond measuring satisfaction: KENDA wanted to uncover its brand perception, strengths and weaknesses. The result was a unique NPS baseline that makes it possible to track development since 2017 — turning an ISO requirement into a lasting strategic advantage.

Adaptive questionnaires gave KENDA deeper, more reliable insight by keeping the survey relevant to each respondent and avoiding fatigue. With Surveyxact, KENDA accessed expert-developed survey frameworks for NPS and customer satisfaction, and a model that includes or excludes topics relevant to customer relations as needed.

Based on previous responses, the system automatically adds or omits questions, keeping the experience engaging. Automatically triggered open comment fields let customers elaborate in their own words — and because they genuinely had something to say, the responses were detailed and valuable. Without this approach, fatigue would likely have set in and the data would have been far less useful.

The survey revealed that KENDA's growth assumption was wrong: customers placed far greater emphasis on a strong digital presence than on more field salespeople. They wanted easy access to products, better search and overview functions, and flexible support when needed.

That insight both reshaped KENDA's priorities and validated its ongoing strategy to increase brand awareness in the European market. Resources once earmarked for traditional sales and printed marketing materials are now channelled into digital platforms, content and communication — making it easier to do business with KENDA anytime, anywhere — while sales efforts focus where they matter most, backed by a solid digital foundation. The picture also varied by market: some customers wanted stronger digital presence and ad hoc support, while others still valued face-to-face meetings with sales representatives.

The survey acted as a mirror, revealing that KENDA's strategy was on the right track but its brand visibility lagged behind, particularly online. Several customers noted that while they were familiar with the products, they often found them hard to locate — meaning even existing demand didn't always translate into sales.

Armed with these insights, KENDA's marketing department received a clear mandate: increase visibility, improve accessibility, and strengthen access to product information. Across markets, KENDA can now measure and adjust its efforts to ensure the brand is both recognised and preferred.

A shared data foundation helps KENDA manage a brand perception that varies from country to country by letting marketing, sales and leadership work from the same set of facts. What works in one market doesn't necessarily deliver the same results in another — with Surveyxact, KENDA now has a common data foundation that makes it easier to spot local nuances and make decisions on an informed basis.

They can tailor strategies and communication for each market without losing sight of the bigger picture. When results show that a particular initiative works in one country, it can quickly be tested and adapted elsewhere; likewise, it becomes clear where local conditions call for a unique approach.

• NPS baseline established in 2017 and tracked continuously since
• Growth strategy corrected: investment shifted from field sales/print to digital presence
• Clear marketing mandate: increase visibility, accessibility and product findability
• Shared data foundation aligning marketing, sales and leadership across markets
• Successful initiatives can be tested in one market and rolled out to others

Acting on survey results matters most because sending out a survey is the easy part — the real challenge lies in what comes after. For KENDA, that meant having the courage to look both strengths and weaknesses in the eye, and the willingness to act on what the survey revealed.

As a bonus, the process also uncovered practical challenges, such as outdated contact lists where too many invitations bounced. In the end the benefits were unmistakable: strategic clarity that makes it possible to prioritise effectively, act with precision, and create stronger customer experiences — not only tomorrow, but for years to come.