GS1 UK are using the rich feedback and innovative improvement suggestions gathered during a video call partner survey to enhance the impact and reach of their partner programme.
GS1 UK has a well-established, reputable partner programme, collaborating with approximately 80 partner organisations to support their 50,000+ members to grow, innovate and thrive.
GS1 UK’s Head of Partnerships approached The Little Survey Company to gather rich feedback and improvement suggestions from their partners to inform the next stage of their strategic plans and associated internal investment.
Natalie Hackford, Partner Manager, said:
"The GS1 UK Partner Programme team recently had the great pleasure of working closely with Anna Johnstone and Amanda Bye at The Little Survey Company. After briefing them on the insights we hoped to gain in order to better understand the needs of our partners, The Little Survey Company highlighted the key focus areas for driving value and supporting solution providers.
Anna and Amanda brought a wealth of experience and an extremely professional yet personal approach that was greatly appreciated by both GS1 UK and the partners that took part.
It is my pleasure to confidently recommend The Little Survey Company and the services they provide to anyone looking to enhance their business."
The Little Survey Company designed a bespoke, outcome-focused, video call survey to gather candid views and ideas, with an emphasis throughout conversations on identifying actions to enhance the partner programme and benefit all stakeholders.
We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with a sample of GS1 partners to explore their experience of the partner programme, particularly regarding what is working well, where improvements may be needed and what matters most to them.
Analysis of the survey findings highlighted numerous strengths of GS1 UK, its partner programme and the partner team. Themes included: the trusted reputation and solid integrity; positive working relationships and organisational culture; significant knowledge and influence; rigorous product approval process; and high-quality training provision.
The partners interviewed brought extensive, varied and pioneering commercial and operational expertise and each of the focused 30-minute conversations identified an array of insights and innovative suggestions.
Tapping into the wealth of knowledge and experience of the partners elicited fifty different recommendations for improvement including: ideas for joint support for members; new event concepts; greater use of technology; increased communication and forward planning; supporting sustainability; and raising compliance.
The findings have been shared with the senior leadership team as the insight and clarity gleaned from the partners are valuable to many areas of the organisation. The specific improvement suggestions have been incorporated into the partner team’s work programme for the coming year with positive developments already underway.
The people-focused, structured and objective approach to listening to and learning from the partners enabled the team to take the development of the programme to the next level. They have utilised the survey findings to deliver a direct improvement to the impact and reach of the GS1 UK partner programme now and for the long-term.
The survey supported the GS1 UK partner team to continue to improve their highly successful work across the UK. Together with their partners, GS1 UK is actively driving positive change for industry and society; from growing the power of standards to keep people safe and well; to underpinning great customer experiences; and, ultimately, transforming the way people work and live.
GS1 UK is a not-for-profit membership body which harnesses the power of standards to transform the way people work and live. They provide a common language of standards for a vast community of organisations globally to identify, describe and track anything. In the UK alone, they have over 50,000 member organisations using their standards.
