Why Good Enough Isn't Good Enough - An Honest Review
In research and consulting, “good enough” can feel deceptively safe. The project gets delivered. The sample completes (mostly). The debrief lands in the inbox. The client’s feedback is... fine. But here’s the truth: fine is a red flag.
Because when delivery feels merely sufficient, clients don’t come back. They don’t advocate. And they don’t remember why they chose you in the first place.
Since I’ve started at Polar Insight, we’ve been reflecting deeply on our own delivery — and what our clients are really telling us. What we found wasn't a failure. It was something more subtle, and more dangerous: inconsistency, invisibility, and a lack of deliberate value.
Robyn Summers: Director, Client Operations.
In this role, Robyn will lead the consultancy’s efforts to maximise client impact, ensure delivery excellence, and create scalable systems that enhance both experience and outcomes across every engagement.
Robyn Summers is a sharp, solutions-driven leader with a track record of turning big, complex projects into calm, focused delivery. With 8 years of experience across research, consultancy, and client-facing project management, she’s built a reputation for being the person who gets things done — thoughtfully, fast, and to a ridiculously high standard.
Read the press release here
The Quiet Problem: Passive Experiences
We recently analysed our client feedback and found that some of our responses were sitting in the “neutral” zone — not bad, but not energising either. Even among clients we’ve worked with before (who we should know better), the uplift in satisfaction was underwhelming.
Put simply: we’re too often delivering an experience that’s acceptable, but not exceptional.
We’re hitting the hygiene factors — responsiveness, professionalism, basic reliability — but we’re not consistently showing up as strategic partners. We’re not always getting under the skin of our clients’ goals. We’re not always surfacing unexpected insights, or making them feel smarter, faster, more confident. And at times, we’re missing key milestones or quota targets that erode the credibility we’ve worked hard to build.
This isn’t about one-off issues — it’s about variance. The gaps between great and average, between clarity and confusion, between delivering on time and needing an extension. And that variance is costing us trust.
What Clients Deserve (And Don’t Always Get)
You deserve more than a functional experience. You deserve a delivery model that is seamless, intentional, and additive.
And while we’ve delivered solid work — we’ve also:
Delayed timelines
Fallen short on quota delivery
Delivered insights that felt flat or predictable
Failed to demonstrate deep understanding of client contexts
These aren’t dramatic failures — but they are credibility gaps. And they matter. Because they add friction to your workflow. They make you question whether we’re a reliable extension of your team. And they stop you from advocating for us internally or externally.
What We're Changing
At Polar Insight, we’re not content with being “good enough.” We’re working to become your most reliable partner in clarity. That starts by rebuilding delivery from the ground up:
Sharper alignment between sales and delivery, so timelines and expectations are set — and met
Faster, clearer project comms, so you always know what’s happening and what’s next
Stronger onboarding and briefing processes, so we start with clarity, not assumptions
Systematic account management, to deepen our understanding of your needs and build real partnership
Operational rigour, so quota targets are met more often, with less noise
More proactive, consultative delivery, not just reports but recommendations that add value
We're also launching new tools and frameworks to increase visibility across every stage of the project — so you're never wondering if we’re on track.
From Supplier to Strategic Partner
Delivery isn’t just the last step. It’s the foundation of everything else. It’s where trust is either reinforced — or eroded. And that trust is what turns a supplier into a strategic partner.
That’s where we’re headed. But we’re not doing it alone.
We’re speaking to clients across our portfolio — including those we’ve served well and those we’ve let down — to understand what better delivery feels like. If you’re one of them, we’re listening. And we’re acting.
Because in a world where every team is time-poor, risk-conscious, and under pressure to deliver fast — we understand that clarity, consistency, and care aren’t luxuries, they’re non-negotiables.
We’re building a Polar Insight where that’s the norm — and where “good enough” doesn’t stand a chance.
Why not talk to me about your experience — candidly, constructively, and with no agenda? Whether we’ve worked together before or not, I’d love to hear what delivery looks like from your side — and how we can do better, together.
Book a strategic, thirty-minute catch-up with me to share your thoughts here: https://scheduling.polarinsight.com/#/184876000001481428
