Imagine a world where you create products, add new features, but there’s no one to tell you if they like them! You have no guidance on whether your creations are good or bad. You don’t know if you’re helping users or making things worse. Consequently, you can’t decide if your products or services need improvement!
Okay, snap!
Luckily for us, we have a saviour in the real world – Customer Feedback.
In this blog, we’ll master the art of customer feedback systems. Read along to learn all of its secrets or choose the modules that interest you.
Customer feedback is literally the voice of your customers! It represents your customers’ thoughts and opinions on their experiences with your product, service, or brand.
So,
Well, it is a proven fact that returning customers are what grows a business. Furthermore, they can drive sales that even ad agencies charging crores of Rupees cannot!
But don’t just take our word for it. Look at these numbers:
Furthermore, let’s look at this classic use case:
What if Coca-Cola stuck to market research data and didn’t have a customer feedback system of its own? Would we live in a coke-less world today?
Maybe!
In fact, all business magnets follow it devotedly.
“Customer feedback is the lifeblood of every business, the voice of the customer is the most valuable asset a company can have.”
–Bill Price
There are some tried and tested methods to collect customer feedback efficiently. Moreover, it’s like a guidebook that works for all businesses. So, let’s understand how!
Imagine you’re at a restaurant and you try a new dish.Then, a waiter comes to your table and asks, “How is everything so far?”
You find it good. However, you also think it could use more seasoning. You share this feedback with the waiter, they pass it on to the chef. More waiters come back with similar feedback.
As a result, the chef adjusts the seasoning based on your suggestion. They go the extra mile by sending an SMS thanking you for your suggestion and offering a discount coupon.
The next time you visit the restaurant and order the same dish, it tastes even better because they listened to your feedback.
Additionally, you are so happy with this, you mention it to your friends and family. Voila! They have more customers lined up at their doorstep!
This whole scenario can be broken down into 4 steps:
Furthermore, the business profits because they have gained a loyal customer who keeps coming back for the improved dish.
That is a customer feedback loop!
Asking and collecting customer feedback can be further broken down into 2 major parts:
Firstly, before asking questions, think about what you want to learn. Do you want to know if customers are satisfied? Are you looking for ideas to make improvements? Clarify your goals to focus your feedback collection.
Next, ask questions that are clear and to the point. For example:
This way, you’ll get meaningful responses.
Next, find out what matters. Ask about the most important parts of your business. For instance:
By focusing on key aspects, you’ll uncover valuable insights to improve those areas.
Get feedback at different stages. Think about the different touchpoints your customers have with your business. Then, ask questions related to each stage, such as:
Follow this and you’ll gather feedback that covers the entire experience.
We covered what questions to ask and when. Now, what’s next?
Congratulations! You have mastered the art of asking for customer feedback. Now, the next important step – have an efficient system for categorising that feedback.
Thousands of customer feedback is now in your inbox. This might result in unmanageable, never-ending spreadsheets! Even the thought of it can make your head spin, huh?
Don’t worry, up next, we are going to learn customer feedback management.
Think of it as sorting your thoughts into different buckets.
We’ve got five main categories to help you make sense of it all:
1. Customer Loyalty Metrix:
This helps you understand if your existing customers are loyal to you. Would they recommend or promote your brand to others? You can use surveys like Net Promoter Score (NPS) to collect this feedback.
2. Customer Satisfaction:
How satisfied are your customers with your product or service? Only they can tell you! You can use comment boxes, suggestion boxes, post-purchase forms, or pop-ups to collect this kind of feedback.
3.Sales Feedback:
Sales feedback tells you all about your sales reps, or the channel you are using to make sales. The best way to get this feedback? Follow up with customers who didn’t make a purchase! Reach out to your leads via email or call and ask them what went wrong or why they changed their mind.
4.Customer Service Feedback
How Customer service is everything! Remember? Returning/loyal customers are very important for business growth! Everytime you close a service or support ticket, make sure to collect the customer’s feedback immediately. A simple Thumbs Up – Thumbs Down or a 1-5 rating works for this kind of feedback.
4.Customer Preference Feedback:
This is slightly different from the rest. It simply tells you what product or service your customer prefers. But customer preferences don’t have to stop with your brand. They might prefer something others are offering over yours. Best way to collect this kind of feedback is by monitoring their purchase trends and browsing online forums.
Remember, you can’t make everyone happy, and not all feedback will be a perfect fit for your business. But fear not! With a thoughtful and systematic customer feedback system, you can make informed decisions.
Now that you’ve collected and categorised customer feedback, it’s time to maximise its value!
It’s unfortunate that many customers feel like their feedback goes unheard or ignored. In fact, 53% of shoppers believe that their feedback doesn’t reach anyone who can take action on it.
This is not good for businesses. Customers want to feel like their opinions count! That’s why it’s important for companies to let customers know that their feedback is valuable and will be taken seriously.
Remember, let’s make sure we always listen, respond, and learn from our customers’ valuable insights. Their feedback is a valuable asset that can shape our business for the better.
That’s it! You’ve now truly mastered the art of customer feedback! Now, let’s put those insights into action and watch our business thrive!
