At Vertical IQ, one of the things we value most is listening … really listening … to our customers. Every year, our Key Contact Survey gives us a chance to step back, ask thoughtful questions, and learn how the Vertical IQ platform is supporting financial institutions and business advisory organizations in their day-to-day work. Just as important: We also ask for feedback on areas that could be improved.
This year’s results were especially meaningful. Not only did we hear strong affirmation about the value Vertical IQ delivers today, but we also gained important insights that can help prospective customers evaluate whether Vertical IQ is the right fit for their teams.
A clear signal of customer confidence
Many organizations rely on a Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gauge customer loyalty and satisfaction. The standard NPS question asks how likely someone is to recommend a product to a colleague or peer.
We’re happy to share that our 2025 Vertical IQ Key Contact Survey produced an overall NPS score of 76, which falls squarely in the “excellent” range. Even more encouraging, this represents a 14-point increase year over year, up from 62 in 2024. Among banking customers, our largest customer segment, the score climbed even higher, reaching 85.
For prospective customers, this is significant because NPS reflects current customers’ real-world experience with our product. High NPS scores like these tell a consistent story: Organizations are not just using Vertical IQ; they’re confident enough in the value we deliver to actively recommend us.
Why organizations use Vertical IQ
In the survey, we also asked key contacts why their teams rely on Vertical IQ, and the results highlight how broadly our platform supports different roles and workflows. The top reasons cited included:
- Saving time researching industries (79%)
- Accessing local economic and industry data (70%)
- General industry and economic research (61%)
- Deepening client relationships (53%)
- Improving credit underwriting and risk mitigation (46%)
- Differentiating from competitors (34%)
What stands out to me here: Our customers value Vertical IQ’s ability to combine efficiency with depth. Industry Intelligence from Vertical IQ helps teams move faster, especially when researching unfamiliar industries, while still delivering credible, actionable insights.
This blend of efficiency and depth is especially critical for banks during the credit underwriting process. The survey found 63% of our banking key contacts use Vertical IQ for improving credit underwriting and risk mitigation, which is a 17% jump from last year’s survey.
These findings on usage underscore an important point: Vertical IQ is more than just a research tool. It’s a platform that supports sales preparation, credit analysis, risk conversations, and relationship-building — all with the same trusted source of information.
Data that aligns with today’s priorities
Vertical IQ is continuously making enhancements to improve the value our product delivers to users, and we have some exciting changes on the horizon! In the survey, we explored interest in specific new enhancements and data sets planned for the future.
We received great feedback from respondents about how useful they expect each improvement to be, and we’re excited Vertical IQ’s strategic roadmap for 2026 is closely aligned with their real-world challenges. Be on the lookout for more exciting news on this front soon!
Training and enablement that drives adoption
Even the best data only delivers value when teams know how to use it effectively. That’s why we asked our key contacts about their training and onboarding experiences.
We received some valuable feedback about preferences and potential improvements, but we were also thrilled with the overall level of satisfaction with our training: 91% of respondents who attended an introduction or transition call found it helpful or very helpful, and 100% of those who attended a training session rated it helpful or very helpful. Wow!
This survey result highlights that Vertical IQ is not a “buy it and figure it out yourself” solution. Our Customer Success team is deeply involved in onboarding, training, and ongoing enablement, helping teams turn Vertical IQ access into quantifiable impact.
Customer success as a true partnership
When asked how Vertical IQ’s Customer Success Managers (CSMs) can best support their initiatives, many respondents simply said: Keep doing what you’re doing. Our CSM team prides itself on providing the best support in the industry, so that positive feedback is incredibly meaningful to us on both a personal and professional level.
The survey responses also underscored the ongoing value of:
- Sharing best practices from other clients
- Providing utilization and usage insights
- Targeted training and coaching opportunities
These responses reinforce the Vertical IQ philosophy that Customer Success is a partnership. Our customers gain more than a data platform; they gain a team fully invested in helping them drive adoption, engagement, and results.
Decisive insights for prospective Vertical IQ customers
If you’re evaluating Industry Intelligence tools for your organization, our 2025 Key Contact Survey offers a clear takeaway: Across banking, accounting, and business advisory, people are using Vertical IQ to work smarter, move faster, and have more informed conversations. With thousands of Industry Profiles covering 100% of the industries that make up the U.S. economy and Canada, Vertical IQ is the go-to source for actionable, convenient, focused industry and economic insights for over 60,000 users.
What’s more, high satisfaction, strong advocacy, and clear alignment between customer needs and our product roadmap all point to one thing: Vertical IQ is delivering meaningful value today, while continuing to invest in what customers will need tomorrow.
As always, we’re extremely grateful to our key contacts who took the time to share their feedback with us. Your insights shape how we serve you and how we help future customers succeed.
Interested in learning how Industry Intelligence from Vertical IQ could support your team? We’d love to continue the conversation. Start a free 7-day trial today, or request a free demo.
Image: Burst, Unsplash