It’s true you can easily get insights on your business analytics and track almost everything you can think of. But what if you could learn all about your customers directly from them? That’s the power of feedback and businesses do not use this strategy enough.
Why do you need feedback?
Yes, why do you need to expose yourself to the good, the bad, and the ugly from the horse’s mouth? Well, if you are looking towards growth in your business and how to satisfy your customers to keep them coming back, spending more, telling others, then you need to know what to improve or slow down on.
Customers are a dynamic group of people. Some have a bad experience and would rather walk away and never look back than talk about it. Others can’t wait to tell the entire world including you. Then some who had great experiences might not be so vocal either, so you hardly know what they really liked. Feedback is a harmless way to get the information you need.
So, how do you do this then? Here are the best ways to get feedback from your customers.
- Surveys
Surveys are the number 1 way to get feedback from customers. They are simple, straightforward, and serve your purpose. Now creating surveys can be tricky because, without proper precautions, people often create long and boring surveys that no one wants to complete.
Start by making the surveys short – probably 5-10 questions is best if you want the customer to complete it. Ask only relevant questions that are clear and straight to the point. Don’t waste the customer’s time or yours by asking various irrelevant questions. Don’t opt for multiple-choice questions or rating scales yet. Start by giving the customer room to say what they really think. You can offer the surveys on your site or send it as an email.
- Reviews
Honest reviews can provide some constructive feedback, although some clients tend to be vague. But it’s a good shot. Ask customers to leave a review after a service or completed transaction. Put the link in their faces (not in the violent way that sounds) to the review site of your choice.
- Ask for a rating
The rating system never gets old. While it’s not based on details, when you pool the ratings together you can observe the pattern to know what you are doing wrong or right. You can use scales that start with ‘hated this service’ and end the scale with ‘loved this service’. Or the classic, ‘rate this service from 1 to 10’. Put it on a scale.
- Feedback box
This one is very subtle. At the bottom of the page where customers complete their business with you (or any appropriate page on your website), add a small feedback box with a title like ‘How can we do better’ or ‘Please give us some feedback on your experience’. Make it clear and simple. Don’t booby trap your clients by hiding a complicated survey form behind the box.
