Allinq

“To survive as a company, you must achieve high customer satisfaction,” says Hessel, specialist in telecom infrastructure. “Ultimately, it’s our reason for existence.”

Allinq stands for connection—both literally and figuratively. In addition to handling the entire process of telecom infrastructure development, the company is committed to building sustainable relationships with business partners. Continuity is at the core of Allinq’s purpose: a disrupted customer relationship is just as unacceptable as interruptions in a Wi-Fi signal. That’s why the expertise of approximately 2,000 employees is focused on delivering quality, with customer focus as a top priority.

Customeyes has supported Allinq over the past years. We spoke with Hessel van der Bij about this collaboration and his involvement in a unique program called “Customer First.” The program’s goal is to transform the organisation from the inside out into a leader in customer focus. The concrete actions stemming from the program demonstrate the tremendous drive to go the extra mile for customers. We were so inspired by Allinq’s story that we couldn’t help but share it. What did this journey look like? How did it contribute to Allinq’s mission? What lessons were learned?

Putting the customer in the spotlight

Allinq has been working on infrastructure in the Netherlands’ since 1962. “It started here in the polder with the rise and construction of telecom infrastructure.” Today, telecommunications is a basic necessity, and the connections Allinq creates keep parts of society running. Allinq’s strategy is built on two key pillars: satisfied customers and healthy profitability. “As a company, we believe that if we take good care of our customers and go the extra mile, they’ll recognise the value of that,” says Hessel. Allinq is not a price-driven competitor but a provider of quality work—a philosophy that has remained consistent over its 60-year history.

Customer satisfaction begins with fulfilling promises and meeting expectations. “Ultimately, the customer just wants results—whether it’s achieving production numbers, installing fiber-optic connections, or meeting specific KPIs. But if you focus too much on profitability, you risk losing sight of the customer, which can lead to a downward spiral.”

The challenge, Hessel explains, is to keep the customer at the forefront, even in challenging situations. “That’s our reason for existing; it’s why we do what we do.” While profitability remains important for the company’s continuity, it’s not the ultimate goal—it’s about long-term vision. “As our director, Co Klaassen, puts it: ‘If we have to choose between a 10-year contract with a 6% return or a 3-year contract with a 30% return, we’ll always choose the 10-year contract.’” This preference for long-term relationships partly stems from the telecom market’s limited client base. “This underscores the importance of continuity and serving customers well. We don’t have the luxury of losing a client.”

What does customer focus mean for a company like Allinq? It’s about delivering excellent service. “In our industry, having a strong reputation is crucial.” Allinq strives to take exceptional care of its customers—sometimes excessively so. “It’s an ongoing internal debate: can you be too customer-focused? Are you customer-focused, or are you merely giving in to the customer?” Hessel believes true customer focus also means offering honest, critical advice based on expertise. “Customers see us as experts. Beyond putting the customer in the spotlight, customer focus means providing sincere, constructive advice.”

Can someone measure our customer focus, please?

Many companies rely on intuition when it comes to customer relationships. While this personal touch can help build stronger connections, Hessel notes that it’s not enough. “We lacked a structure in the past—we had no way to measure customer focus.” Enter Customeyes. After a few phone calls, Hessel connected with consultant Niels Dekker, and things quickly took off. Niels proposed measuring both customer focus and satisfaction, providing the structure needed to elevate both. “We liked the approach. We felt very comfortable with how you entered our organisation. Since then, we’ve never felt the need to look elsewhere.”

Allinq’s team was convinced of the importance of starting the three-year program with an internal customer focus assessment. “Niels listened closely and didn’t force anything on us. Customeyes offers that flexibility.” In the first year, Customeyes used the Customer Focus Scan to map out Allinq’s position on the customer focus ladder. With the help of an ambassador team, plans were made to address internal challenges. “This was immensely helpful because it clearly showed where the issues were. I think our employees accurately reflect the customer experience—they know exactly how things stand.”

In the second year, Allinq repeated the Customer Focus Scan, this time complemented by external qualitative research. “We were able to compare the results, seeing what employees and customers said side by side. One outcome was that our employees are much more critical of our organisation than our customers are. I see that as a healthy sign.” Hessel advises against limiting assessments to just employee satisfaction or customer feedback. “If you only survey customers, you miss part of the picture. I’d recommend integrating both perspectives in a smart way.”

This year, Allinq will conclude the program with a Customer Focus Scan and both qualitative and quantitative customer research. “Quantitative research provides different insights—it’s more generic and operational, allowing us to gather feedback from the entire customer base. The downside is that surveys are less personal than qualitative research.”

Inspiring ambassadors and an engaged board of executives

Allinq achieved strong results, overcame numerous challenges, and, according to Hessel, benefited from two key factors: inspiring ambassadors and an engaged board of executives.

“What helped us reach our current level was appointing ambassadors from all layers of the company. These colleagues started conversations with one another, breaking down silos.” The ambassador team addressed specific points from the research and translated them into an action plan. Subgroups then developed these plans further, which were later implemented in consultation with the business. “As ambassadors, we don’t always have to drive the process ourselves—we focus on inspiring and facilitating.”

On Niels’s advice, the ambassador team organised a joint kick-off with buy-in from the executives. “It’s great to involve an operational team, but it only works if the executives believe in the initiative. That was in place for us.” For a company to grow in customer focus, it must make it a strategic goal with full commitment from management. “Leadership buy-in and dedication are crucial.”

What are the challenges ahead for Allinq? According to Hessel, the key is ensuring employees maintain their customer focus alongside daily operations. “The challenge for an ambassador team is not to do everything themselves but to inspire the organisation and create momentum.”

A stronger connection than ever

While some companies begin with customer satisfaction research and later assess internal customer focus, Allinq started by aiming to make the organisation more customer-centric and measure its progress efficiently. Their story aligns beautifully with several of Customeyes’ 7 Success Factors for a Customer-Centric Organisation.

• Firstly, recognising the importance of the customer. Hessel says, “If you look at what’s happening in the world, achieving high customer satisfaction is one of the few strategies for survival.” Customer satisfaction, he emphasises, gives a service provider its reason for being. In other words, customer-centric organisations listen to and understand their customers’ needs.

• Second of all, making customer focus a strategic goal, with leadership involvement. “Daily operations demand constant attention, so leadership involvement is vital,” says Hessel. Customer-centric organisations must have a clear, inspiring direction from the top.

• Finally, ambassador teams translating results into actionable plans. “Free up people, incorporate it into your existing structures, like an annual planning cycle. If you want to go deeper, provide support and resources to help departments analyse and act on specific results.” Customer-centric organisations empower employees, remove bureaucratic obstacles, and make customer-focused work possible.

Allinq’s journey has successfully combined external feedback with internal customer awareness. Their systematic approach to acting on results has strengthened the continuity and quality of the connections they build daily with customers—making those connections stronger than ever.