Why MHR?

Not a typical supplier; we’re a partner

We build long-term relationships with our customers. For us, it’s not just a transaction, a sale to land and then move on. We don’t implement a solution then just leave the customer to it – we’re with them for the whole journey providing total lifetime care.

We invest heavily in research and development – our products and services are constantly evolving as a direct result of customer input. We don’t rest on our laurels.

Why do people stay with us?

Our customer retention rate is very high. On the surface other software providers provide similar products and services to us. However, the key point of difference is the relationship we build with the customer. We put in time and focus, we listen and communicate regularly. Customers recognise this and it’s a big part of working with us.

Some customers have been with us since the 1980s – pretty much when we started. Ashford Council came on board in 1982, soon followed by other councils such as Luton and Rochdale (both 1986) and Oldham in 1987. Historic England has been with us since 1993. Growth then saw our customer base expand as we took on more educational institutions, some housing associations and various customers in Wales.

Queen’s University Belfast, a customer since the 1990s: “We’ve had a very pragmatic, honest, trustful relationship with MHR over the years. We don’t stay with an organisation for this length of time unless there’s something good happening,” said Glenn Campbell, Head of HR Services recently, adding: “There’s a lot we take for granted with MHR, but it’s only when we look at some other companies we realise how strong our relationship with MHR is.”

There's power and longevity in our products. We invest significantly in development – updating and enhancing our products on an ongoing basis, utilising customer input in the process. Involving our customers not only means they have a say in how products are developed, but we get the best possible market research.

We’re in it for the long-term. We communicate regularly, building relationships. We want to ensure our customers get the maximum from our products and services. We listen to their needs, and we spend more time with our customers than many businesses. That’s what makes us stand out. We focus on understanding our customers and getting the relationship right.

“The MHR consultants we’ve dealt with are very knowledgeable. They give good advice on the best way to do things and with the longer term in mind,” said Ann Ridyard, Strategic Lead, at Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council, adding, “MHR understands and contributes to the bigger picture.”

Many of our team members have been with us for many years – their product and industry knowledge exceptional. They know our customers well and can often anticipate future needs.

People trust us. They know who they’re dealing with. They know we’re a family-owned UK business and they know our business supports around 800 families. We’re not some faceless big corporate. We’re a sustainable, Midlands-based private business. Importantly, our customers know that we help shape their future.

Customer Success team

To provide further support we recently set-up the Customer Success function. We work proactively with a number of customers very much on a journey trying to get the most out of the technology. There may also be some customers who want to do more and deliver more value from their products and services. We provide support and guidance and will work closely with them to get things back on track.

We've also started ‘customer adoption sessions’ – a free service where we work closely with the customer to understand how they're using the software. We find some customers only using a fraction of the functionality and with regular service upgrades and improvements many customers have new things to take advantage of, so we look at what they can do to get more out of it. While they may be satisfied with what they’re getting, we really want them to maximise the available functionality to help improve their business. Putting the time in and opening communication channels is paying dividends; we’ve had some good success stories so far.

We have come across some customers, post-implementation, where for some reason their business, strategic direction or needs have changed. Organisations evolve, requirements and priorities change. Maybe our main contact there has moved on. Whatever has happened, they’re not getting the most out of their solution. We’re ready to help. Having regular contact with the customer is important. What more can we do to support them? How can we help them adopt the product better and get more out of it?

We’re a new team, continually evolving. Getting customers to onboard more successfully is another key area we’re focusing on. We do a lot of this work onsite, collaborating closely with customers.

In it for the long haul

When a customer joins us – trusting HR, payroll and finance to a new provider – they are making a major commitment and putting a lot of faith in us. To make it a success means building a strong, open and honest relationship with the customer. That takes commitment from both parties and ongoing, open communication. We look to take it beyond being a good relationship to ultimately becoming more of a partnership – something Nick Fielden, Finance Director at Market Harborough Building Society has experienced: “The quality of the partnership is important. The support from MHR has been extraordinary.”

The final words are probably best left to another long-standing customer, Joe Carter, HR Manager at Severn Trent to describe their relationship with us: “We work as a team. We have a shared objective.”