Supporting Arup’s Global Client Perception Study

Integrity are delighted to have worked with Arup on their first Global Client Perception Study. The project aims to help Arup to better understand the needs of their principal external stakeholders.

From building design to transport infrastructure, Arup’s global team of 16,000 specialists work to deliver technical projects in over 140 countries and have a long history of working with a diverse range of clients. A team led by Arup’s global chief marketing officer was keen to better understand clients’ perceptions of Arup and drill down into the detail of how they could better support their needs.

The Integrity project team worked closely with Arup staff. Together we devised interview protocols and facilitated one-to-one conversations that provided opportunities to unearth insights and nuances that would be unobtainable via other survey methods. Integrity’s data analytics team then carried out a two-stage thematic analysis that looked for patterns in data to identify themes in the client interviews.

Final findings were shared in a range of adaptable formats to suit different audiences. From written reports to PowerPoint slides and infographics, the methodology and findings were socialised with senior Arup staff.

Insights

The perception study was the first of its type for the Arup team. Clients were highly engaged, and the interviews and feedback sessions were rich. The research team conducted interviews across multiple time zones with client counterparts at a wide range of levels. The resulting insights have sparked conversations and inspired the design of future learning opportunities.

Speaking at the end of the first phase of the study, Arup Client and Business Development Lead Emily Poupart said:

“Arup is working to become more curious, open, and trusting in our relationships with clients. By really listening to our clients, we’ll be in a better position to understand the complex problems we are all trying to tackle, and then build relationships with the right qualities to explore and solve them. Our clients are at the heart of what we do. And this perception study has given us a fresh perspective and new insights into who we are, how we work, and what will really matter to us in the long term. It was essential that we found the right research agency to work with us in shaping this first of its kind study. Integrity is collaborative, rigorous and very professional – they were delightful to work with.”