Hot off the press: 2025 Client survey results
Written by katie test davis
This year, we updated our client survey to make sure we’re getting *even more* feedback.
That meant seeking out tough love – the good, the bad, the ugly – from our partners.
As always, we wanted to dig in on the places where there’s room for improvement and to celebrate the areas where we’ve made progress or continue to serve our clients exceptionally well.
Here’s what that looked like:
More constructive feedback to use for firm-wide and individual improvement
Refreshed questionnaire
1:1 interviews as follow-ups
All of that was super successful, and here’s a roundup of what we heard:
we’re queens of clear roadmaps
We reimagined how we launch new projects, and our clients are loving it.
Last year, we took what we heard from you and overhauled our account kickoff process and strategies. We set out to make sure we started every new account with clarity, transparency and a commitment to People First. The work we put in to start each partnership strong…well, it worked!
How’d we do it? We wanted our clients to know what to expect working with us, to feel like we understand their organization and that we’ve got this project handled. With these goals in mind, we used client interviews and lots of research to better understand how to best anticipate and meet our clients’ needs. We spent months creating a whole new approach – New tools! New processes! New fun! – and it was a smashing success.
100 percent of our clients agree that after the account kickoff meeting and receiving the project plan, they knew the roadmap ahead.
One client said that our new client kickoff was particularly impressive and gave our work structure throughout the project: “I was really impressed with their planning and clarity on next steps. I appreciate that it felt as though the project was clearly defined with very clear target steps and outcomes. Even with that, the project still felt as though adjustments could be made as needed.”
we do what we’re say we’re going to do
Next up, clients can rely on us to do what we say we’re going to do.
Clients can trust that we will always follow through. We’re not just excellent project managers who keep the work moving, we hold ourselves accountable and take a load off for our clients.
You said we’re “completely dialed in” and “do not drop the ball.”
Clients called out our thorough agendas, clear timelines, action items embedded within emails, effective weekly check-ins and timely flagging of issues.
we provide high-quality work
Third, the quality of our data-driven work sets our clients up for success.
100 percent of clients expressed satisfaction with the service(s) provided, and 100 percent indicated that Forthright produces high-quality work packed with useful, actionable solutions.
Clients trust that we gather current research and use data to make smart recommendations. Two years ago, we set out to focus on this, and we’ve improved on this metric two years in a row. These research-backed recommendations help our clients make a real impact in the world.
we’re a bright and shiny team
And finally, in a dark time, we’re a bright light.
We’re really happy to be a positive and welcoming part of our clients’ days. Year after year, 100 percent of our clients say we’re fun. All of our clients agree that we maintain open spaces where everyone belongs and has a say, and clients said we’re a “joy to work with” and “take time to build relationships.”
Mission matters, and we stay true to it. 100 percent of our clients see us as passionate partners in our shared work to make the world a better place for kids and families.
we’ve got some areas to improve, too
While being Type-A and color-coding everything matters to our clients, we also hear you when you say you want more flexibility from us, especially if your needs change. Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to take more initiative in adjusting project plans to meet your needs, and when we make adjustments, we’re going to say them out loud, so you know what they are.
If there’s a reason that we’re recommending against a change, we’ll communicate that clearly, too.
Next, while we consider ourselves a jill-of-all trades, sometimes you’re left wondering, “can Forthright do that?” The survey results highlighted that even if you work with us on one project, you may not know the full range of our services.
We have a couple of things in mind to help fix that. First, we’re going to make sure that we’re embedding a more holistic view of our services during our account kickoff. That way, if a task comes up mid-flight, you know we can tap in. We’ll also reiterate what we can do during our account closure process. Finally, we’ll update our case studies (they are woefully out of date, we know!) and make sure that we’re being clear about what we do and don’t do!
we’re grateful to you
Finally, thank YOU for taking the survey this year!
Our clients *see us* and know we stay true to our firm’s mission and passion, while upholding our commitments to being kind, accountable, candid and respectful. We work hard to be true thought partners and cultivate strong relationships with our clients, and it shows.
