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Client & customer research

ORIMA Research has extensive experience in client, customer and stakeholder research, including:

  • research with retail consumers;
  • business-to-business research;
  • research involving users of government services/ programs;
  • government agency-to-agency research;
  • surveys of Parliamentarians;
  • government-to-business research; and
  • research with industry and community groups/ representative bodies.

We use various methodologies for our client and customer research, including:

Case studies

  • Case study #1 - State Audit Office Client Survey Benchmarking

    In each Australian State and Territory, an Auditor-General forms part of the accountability mechanism whereby the State or Territory Parliament holds the Government accountable for fulfilling its responsibilities. In each jurisdiction, an Audit Office assists the Auditor-General in fulfilling this role.

    The main activity of these Audit Offices is auditing the financial statements of State/ Territory Government departments and agencies. Most Audit Offices also conduct audits of the performance of Government departments and agencies.

    In 2005, ORIMA Research established a client survey benchmarking process for Australian State Audit Offices.

    As part of this process, ORIMA Research conducts annual surveys of audit clients (all State government departments and agencies in NSW, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia) on behalf of the Audit Office of NSW, the Office of the Auditor General for Western Australia, the Queensland Audit Office, the Tasmanian Audit Office and the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office.

    ORIMA Research also conducts regular surveys of State Parliamentarians for these Audit Offices (apart from the Queensland Audit Office) – Parliament is the primary client of the Audit Offices.

    The surveys are conducted using a consistent methodology in each jurisdiction which enables robust benchmarking comparisons of client survey results among the participating Audit Offices.

  • Case study #2 - ComSuper

    ComSuper is an Australian Government Business Unit responsible for the administration of superannuation (retirement savings) schemes for employees of the Australian Public Service and the Australian Defence Force. ComSuper provides services to around 600,000 superannuation fund members.

    Since 1998, ORIMA Research has completed a wide range of research consultancies for both ComSuper and for the Boards of Trustees that oversee the schemes administered by ComSuper.

    For example, ORIMA Research conducts a cyclical member survey for ComSuper. The aim of the survey is to obtain regular feedback from the members of the superannuation schemes that ComSuper administers on the services it provides and inform ComSuper’s organisational improvement processes.

    The survey is administered twice a year through a mix of telephone interviews, online questionnaires and self-completion questionnaires. A key part of the cyclical survey methodology is the quality service index, which helps to identify, prioritise and track organisational improvement initiatives.

    ComSuper’s client survey approach was rated ‘world best practice’ in an international benchmarking study of pension/superannuation fund administrators.

  • Case study #3 – ActewAGL

    ActewAGL is Australia's first multi-utility to offer electricity, natural gas, water and wastewater services under one roof. ActewAGL also manages the day-to-day operations of TransACT, which provides access to full telecommunication services to residential, business and government customers in the ACT.

    ORIMA Research has been conducting research projects for ActewAGL since 2002, to monitor customer satisfaction with respect to the quality of its utility services, customer service, and usage and satisfaction with ActewAGL’s information products.

    ORIMA has also conducted research for ActewAGL in relation to customers’ understanding of full retail competition / choice of provider, expectations of energy retailers, and brand awareness.