X/procureŽ contracted Ipsos Markinor in the latter half of 2007 to conduct a holistic relationship, product and service assessment among its clients, in an attempt to establish transparency and client satisfaction. The results show that the Unlimited subsidiary is enjoying the relationship high ground.

The survey also questioned clients from X/procureŽ's competitors. "Taking the time to truly understand our clients' perceptions and attitudes is crucial in measuring client satisfaction," says X/procureŽ's MD, Deon Lewis. He explained that a quantitative questionnaire, that included questions regarding the usage of the system; the client's behaviour and intentions; and X/procureŽ's interaction with each client, was completed.

Ipsos Markinor first had to understand the clients' reasons for choice, frequency or usage of the system and buying patterns, before it could understand the health of the relationship with X/procureŽ. "Interesting statistics taken out of the survey indicate that nearly four in ten current X/procureŽ clients switched over from competitive Electronic Ordering systems," says Lewis. "This is indicative of our superior service levels and focus on continuous product innovation.

The research indicated that the respondents use X/procureŽ's Electronic Ordering software daily. "This emphasises the importance of this kind of technology in pharmacy , as well as the efficiency of the system," Lewis says. As a result this leads to increased brand awareness of advertised products, as the product manufacturers' adverts are seen by the decision makers as and when they make the buying decision. A significant difference showed that X/procureŽ's clients prefer to place their orders electronically and not telephonically and through reps.

Ipsos Markinor also looked at client behaviour, which has a direct bearing on loyalty. Nine out of ten X/procureŽ clients would recommend the company. "These results indicated that X/procureŽ's clients have a good behavioural intention to stay with us," Lewis added.

The study delved into client interactions with the various companies. "It found that product and service awareness was relatively higher among X/procureŽ respondents than our competitors," says Lewis. "It also showed that our clients make more use of our system's vast range of functionalities and that our clients rated various aspects of our system significantly higher than those of our competitors," he said.

Interestingly, X/procureŽ's respondents rated the advertising on the system in an 'extremely positive' manner. "The participants in the research felt more positive towards the brands advertised on X/procureŽ and saw X/procureŽ as a key component in educating them on new products and most importantly brand awareness of existing products being advertised on the X/procureŽ system. Awareness of current competitions highlighted on the system was also extremely high," says Lewis.

In general, X/procureŽ's clients attach huge value to their relationship with X/procureŽ. "Commitment among X/procureŽ's clients was higher than its competitors, which has a positive effect on the brand," Lewis concludes.