Don’t Guess What Customers Think: Ask Instead!

Do you know what your customers think about you? If the answer is yes, what is that based on? Gut feeling? Or is there data behind your answer? Whether you use print, email, or focus groups, it’s essential to find out for sure.

The reason isn’t academic. Research shows a significant gap between how companies perceive their performance with customers and how they actually perform. According to Bain & Company, 80% of companies think they provide superior customer service, but only 8% of their customers think they receive it.

Let’s look at five strategies for getting inside your customers’ heads.

1. Print and mail. Email can get buried or forgotten. Not everyone wants to answer the phone. But people love to receive mail. Send a survey with specific questions you want the answers to. Leave room for write-in responses to reveal issues you might not have thought of. You can allow customers to remain anonymous or give their names if they’d like you to respond to a specific concern.

2. Email a survey. Emailing a survey is a great way to get quick responses to specific questions. Email surveys don’t carry the same weight as a well-crafted print piece, so consider them for “quick hit” feedback on timely issues. Use printed surveys for more in-depth reveals.

3. Personalized URL survey. Personalized URLs are a great way to get feedback while giving yourself the option to append data to your database automatically.

4. Pop-up box on your website. Pop-up forms are great for quickly getting answers to visitor questions on your website. Is the site easy to navigate? Can they find the things they need? Are there products they wish you offered but don’t?

5. Keep tabs on social media. Assign someone inside your company to monitor your Facebook page or do regular Twitter searches to see what people are saying about you on social media. You might be surprised by what gaps in your service you can find.

When it comes to what your customers think, using surveys and online tools to close the gap can take a little effort, but it’s worth it. The insights you gain could transform your business.

Need help crafting a customer feedback campaign that gets real answers? Let us help.