Asking for customer feedback is always a double edged sword. It’s great when people have lovely things to say about us, but criticism can be hard to handle. It’s also pointless asking for someone’s opinion if we’re going to totally ignore it, so obtaining feedback is invariably something that results in at least a little extra work. But if you’re serious about providing the very best possible service to your customers and keeping them coming back, it’s absolutely essential that you ask them how you’re doing. Let’s take a look at why it’s so important.
- Customer feedback helps you improve your service. The only way you can really guarantee your products and services appeal to people is to listen to what people tell you. Market research is an important stage in the development of a new product, and it should be continued even when you’re established to ensure you’re still hitting the spot. The biggest companies in the world know how important it is to listen to their customers and adapt their services accordingly, so don’t be complacent.
- It’s the best way to measure satisfaction levels. Guesswork is never a good idea in business, so just because someone’s bought into your services more than once you can’t assume it’s because they think you’re the best thing since sliced bread. It could just be that you’re the most convenient option for now and they’ll be off as soon as something better comes along. It’s easier than ever to send satisfaction surveys these days, and rating based questions are great for helping you measure how your customers really feel about you.
- It allows you to develop tailor made customer experiences. Today’s customer expects more than average, they want to be knocked off their feet. To create the kind of experience that your customers will love, it’s important that you understand what’s important to them. if you can offer them something that’s totally personal, you have a much greater chance of them remaining loyal to your brand.
- It helps you make better business decisions. Gut feelings might work well in your personal life but in business, nothing’s as reliable as good, hard data. Customer feedback forms provide you with tangible evidence that provides you a with a real insight into the way your customers feel about your service, allowing you to make informed and positive decisions about how to move forward.
- It’s a great marketing tool. If you can honestly say you regularly receive five star feedback, that’s a great way to sell yourself to prospective customers. It also helps you identify the clients who are happy to sing your praises and make them advocates for your brand. A glowing testimonial is a wonderful thing, and customer advocates are your best marketing tool- just make sure you continue to look after them!
Customer feedback shouldn’t be at the bottom of your to-do list, it should be an ingrained part of your organisational culture. To find out more about how to measure satisfaction levels, contact Ethos today.
