Oikocredit publishes latest Client Self-Perception Survey report after listening to more than 40,966 clients

Oikocredit has published its third annual Client Self-Perception Survey report. Working digitally in nine languages with 34 financial service partners in 15 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, we gathered data from 40,966 partners’ clients. The survey asks clients about significant changes in their lives over the past 12 months.

Employing interactive, user-friendly software, the survey generates a wealth of insights and social data for our partners and ourselves. It covers life-changes relating to income, business development, household savings, access to basic facilities, and ability to cover health and medical needs. More than three-quarters of respondents this year were women.

Key findings highlighted in the latest report include the majority of clients’ satisfaction with Oikocredit’s financial service partners’ influence on their wellbeing. Most perceived an improvement in their income and savings, although extreme weather had disrupted the income of a significant number.

More than just a data-gathering exercise, our pioneering survey’s findings keep clients’ priorities at the centre of our work and inform our decision-making and capacity building. Better understanding of changes in their lives means we and our partners can serve clients even better.

Based on survey outcomes, some partners have introduced new loan products to respond to clients’ priorities. Others have developed new non-financial client services, such as training on financial literacy, budgeting and business management. Yet others have improved their client communications, strengthened their focus on women’s empowerment or conducted additional research. We hold webinars and in-person workshops with participating partners on action they can take on the survey results.

Read the client survey report here