Customer feedback methods

Anytime is a good time to get to know your customers. One of the best ways to get to know your customers is to proactively ask for feedback. Ask at different times and in different ways during the customer relationship, and then use the feedback to make organizational improvements. For those organizations that already have feedback mechanisms in place, review your methods on a regular basis. This ensures that the process is used and is gathering needed information.

real-time customer feedback

A medical office I visit, prominently displays signs that state, "We value our customers' opinions. Please complete our customer survey and return it to the box at the front desk." In several visits to this office, I have never been told where to find the survey. In fact, no mention of the survey has been made whatsoever.

While the signs indicate an interest in customer feedback, other actions do not support this interest. Given that the customer must initiate the process, I wonder how many completed surveys the office receives. Unless they have a negative experience, many customers have become immune to surveys. Think about it: how often do you fill out the feedback card that is readily available on a restaurant table? If you do fill it out, do you complete it more often when you have positive or negative feedback?

The medical office has taken an important first step toward gathering information from customers, but there are several ways to improve the customer feedback process.

    Be responsible for initiating the feedback by offering a survey, instructions, and a pen to customers upon check out.
    Use additional methods to solicit feedback at various times during the customer relationship. These might include asking for verbal feedback during appointments, following up with customers by phone or e-mail after appointments, and providing mechanisms for feedback that customers can access at their convenience, such as a Web site.
    Ask directly for both positive and negative feedback. Use the negative feedback to identify opportunities for improvement in your organization. Use the positive feedback to identify strengths that can be used to "wow" customers.
    Track feedback from all sources, review the information, and use it on a regular basis to make organizational improvements.
    Let customers know when their feedback has been used to make improvements in products or services.
    Establish a process for resolving complaints.
    Provide training for employees on soliciting feedback, resolving complaints, and service recovery.

Implementation and use of a regular system of customer feedback can lead to more engaged customers who will be loyal to your organization and return again and again.

Customer feedback methods
 

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