Customer Satisfaction Survey
Farm Credit Services of Mid-America, a $15.5 billion ag lending cooperative serving farmers and rural America in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee, today released 2008 survey results showing that more than 96 percent of its customer-members said the association was either meeting or exceeding their expectations. By attaining this figure, FCS’s overall customer satisfaction achieved “World-Class” status, a designation reserved for companies that meet or exceed 90 percent of customer expectations.
“At Farm Credit, we’re always striving to be more effective in meeting our members’ financial needs, through both our products and our services,” said Tom Schlenker, FCS Executive Vice President. “It’s both gratifying and humbling to have so many customer-members tell us that we’re hitting the mark.”
The survey, conducted in late 2008, asked 4,500 Farm Credit customers to rate the association on a number of factors. Among the findings: 95 percent said they would “definitely” or “probably” acquire another FCS loan, up from 84 percent in 2007; and 97 percent indicated they would be “very likely” or “likely” to recommend FCS to a friend or family member.
Customers were also asked to rank lender performance factors, and not surprisingly in today’s volatile market environment, dealing with a lender they could trust ranked “very important” to the vast majority of respondents. In that category, FCS scored an impressive 98 percent in meeting or exceeding expectations as a trustworthy and dependable lender.
A sample of quotes from customers throughout the association’s four-state region further suggested why FCS was meeting their farm, rural or ag-related financial needs.
· “Farm Credit Services staff understands people’s needs. They are very polite and professional. They show passion and they seem like our family.”
Grayson, Kentucky customer
· “I didn’t realize how helpful and comfortable they made me feel. I didn’t feel intimidated in dealing with them like I did with others.”
Anderson, Indiana customer
· “I have done business with FCS for 20 years. The first loan I ever took out was to buy a farm and FCS was there with flexible financing and sound advice.”
Washington Court House, Ohio customer
· “Farm Credit staff are very accessible and genuinely care about the customers.”
Cookeville, Tennessee customer
Although FCS’s 2008 achievements would appear to be a hard act to follow, Schlenker indicated that the association is not content to rest on its laurels.
“There’s always room for improvement,” noted Schlenker. “Our goal for 2009 is to zero in on those areas where we can do an even better job for our members, who have always been our number one focus.”
Schlenker said the association’s intent is to stick to the fundamental values that they’ve relied on for nearly a century: maintaining a strong capital position, strong credit quality, sound underwriting standards and unwavering commitment to supporting the needs of farmers and the rural communities served by FCS.
Statistics for the customer satisfaction survey were compiled by AgMetrics Research and Consulting, an independent marketing research firm from High Ridge, Missouri, which specializes in serving the agricultural industry and non-farm rural markets.