Spot of Happiness (The summary)
Happy had long enjoyed glowing customer feedback but lacked a streamlined, authentic way to showcase it, Manual Google reviews weren’t cutting it.
Enter Feefo: a trusted, easy-to-use platform that not only centralised and validated Happy’s feedback but also aligned with its ESG goals through Treefo: Feefo’s tree-planting initiative.
After adopting Treefo, Happy saw its review response rate jump from 5.5% to 9.5%, with no other changes to its process. The initiative also became a valuable proof point in tenders and ESG reporting, reinforcing Happy’s values-driven approach.
Full Happiness: The whole story
The Challenge
Happy is no ordinary workplace consultancy and training provider. As a certified B Corp, employee-owned business, and advocate for a four-day work week, its values are deeply embedded in everything it does - from sustainability to inclusion to creating customer delight.
Despite consistently receiving outstanding feedback from clients, Happy faced a couple of key challenges:
- Lack of visibility and authenticity. Feedback was collected manually and published via Google reviews, requiring users to have a Google account and lacking the polish and trustworthiness Happy wanted.
- Limited integration with marketing efforts. There was no easy way to segment or showcase reviews by course type or department.
We spoke to Head of Marketing, Claire, to understand more about how they addressed these challenges as they looked for a better way to collect, display, and leverage feedback—while also reinforcing their sustainability credentials.
The Solution
Happy turned to Feefo in 2016 and has never looked back. The platform offered:
- Ease of use for customers: No account needed to leave feedback, just a simple email and review form.
- Real-time alerts: Allowing Happy to respond quickly to any rare negative feedback.
- Customisable widgets: Enabling segmentation of reviews by course type (e.g., IT vs. leadership programmes).
- Internal morale boosts: Positive reviews are shared via internal channels and email, celebrating team members by name.
So far so good. But the real game-changer came in 2024 with the adoption of Treefo, Feefo’s tree-planting initiative. For every review placed, a tree is planted (with Happy making a minimum pledge of 50 per month) —supporting reforestation and job creation in vulnerable communities.
Treefo was a natural fit for Happy’s values.
“It doesn’t cost much more, and it just made sense for us as a company. Everyone was really excited about it.”Claire Lickman, Head of Marketing
The Results
Since signing up to Treefo, and adding mention of the initiative to their review request emails, Happy’s average review response rate jumped from 5.5% to 9.5%: a 73% increase year-on-year.
No other changes were made to the review process, making the impact of Treefo clear.
“The only thing we changed was implementing Treefo. That’s it.”
Treefo became a valuable asset in:
- Tenders and proposals, especially for public sector clients who prioritise sustainability.
- Annual ESG reports, showcasing tangible environmental action.
- Website and marketing materials, reinforcing Happy’s values-driven brand.
Claire noted that Treefo also aligned perfectly with their net-zero goals and broader sustainability strategy.
Better marketing, backed by proof
Feefo reviews are now embedded across Happy’s:
- Website and course pages
- Social media
- Email campaigns
- Internal communications
Course-specific reviews are also used in follow-up emails and sales proposals, providing valuable social proof that’s relevant, independent and verifiable.
“We don’t just say 'our learning is good’—we prove it. Feefo helps us do that.”
Standout moments
- A review that read, “I never thought Excel could be fun,” became a guiding light for Happy’s marketing tone. A wealth of similar feedback added credence and insight to the Happy mission.
- Constructive feedback led to process improvements in their IT support follow-up, showing how Feefo helps drive continuous improvement.
Final Word
Happy’s partnership with Feefo and Treefo is a shining example of how customer feedback and sustainability can go hand in hand. By making it easier for customers to share their experiences - and giving them a reason to feel good about doing so - Happy has strengthened its brand, improved its processes, and made a real-world impact.
We can help you branch out too. Click here to read more about Treefo.
Or, to see how we could help you collect valuable insight and social proof, and you can help us hit our target of 375,000 trees by the end of 2025, simply contact us here.
