Miller makes customers happy

Over 86% of Miller Homes’ customers would recommend the UK’s largest privately owned housebuilder to their best friend.

The latest set of independent customer satisfaction scores noted this, as well as continued improvements in customer care.

The overall satisfaction levels have remained impressively high over the last twelve months. There has also been score increases in several key areas: the demonstration process, the readiness of the home on moving day and speed and completion of remedial work have all improved on the previous year.

Miller Homes became the first housebuilder in the industry to publish its customer satisfaction scores in May 2005 when recommendations levels were at 83%. The developer’s commitment to customer satisfaction is reflected in the massive rise from 65.2% in 1999 when scores were first recorded by the company.

Latest figures are taken from the January to June 2006 period. The survey covers all aspects of the house buying process, with particular attention to five areas: readiness of the home on move in day; the demonstration process; speed and quality of remedial work, together with overall satisfaction and referral rates.

Every customer is contacted by telephone and asked to take part in the Miller Homes’ customer satisfaction questionnaire. On average, around 80% of buyers respond, with results evaluated externally by independent researchers.

Miller Homes’ chief executive, Tim Hough, said: “Since 1999, we have consistently improved our scores in each of these areas – best friend referral rates alone are up 21% since records began. Overall, our customer satisfaction scores clearly show a marked improvement in customers’ perceptions of their experiences.

This success is based upon our ability to listen and respond to our customers’ needs, not just at the beginning of the relationship but at every stage of the moving process. And while we’re thrilled to see even more improvements in customer satisfaction, we are not ones for resting on our laurels – our aim is to achieve 100% satisfaction across the board.”

Results showed that over 74% of Miller Homes’ customers are satisfied or very satisfied with the readiness of their new home – compared to 67% in 2005 and 45% in 1999.

Almost 82% of customers confirmed that they were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall purchase of their new home, a staggering 20% more than in 1999.