Every business owner knows that customer feedback is important to the organisation. You want to know what your company and staff members are doing right and you also need to know when something goes wrong so you can rectify the situation. But are you paying attention to customer feedback? Not all of it is as obvious as you might first imagine.
Here are some of the key factors to look for when you want to consider all types of feedback – even some you may not immediately recognise.
Customer Feedback – Silence Is Golden?
We’ve all heard the expression that the squeaky wheel is the one that gets the grease. The customer who loudly proclaims your merits or the one who lets their displeasure be known are those you are most likely to respond to. But what about those customers who never provide any written or verbal customer feedback?
When you consider it, the customer who does not say anything at all could be the one you most need to be concerned about. This is the client who was neither dazzled by the experience of doing business with your company nor upset about something that went wrong. And therein lies the problem. You have not given this person a reason to return to your company’s website. It’s not that you have necessarily done a poor job responding to their needs but you haven’t done anything spectacular, either.
The best way to prevent the silent customer from slipping through the cracks is to provide after sales service and send a follow-up email after they have received their order. Ask them to rate the service and their level of satisfaction. Include a question like “would you recommend us to a friend” to give you a better sense of how they feel about their experience.
Not everyone will respond, regardless of how you approach it but take the time and effort and you could be pleasantly surprised or sufficiently educated to help you improve an aspect of your product or service or the supply chain.
Look Who Is Talking
Your customers may not contact you directly but choose, instead, to broadcast a message about your company’s products and services in a blog post, at a social media site, or even at a website that posts complaints.
The best way to stay on top of mentions of your company’s name is by creating a Google alert. An alert that is simply the business name in quotation marks will net the best results but you could also narrow it down to include the word ‘complaint’.
You will certainly want to know if a customer is spreading word of dissatisfaction throughout the internet and do your best to stop it before it ruins your online reputation. Try contacting the poster personally and see if you can rectify the situation that caused their dissatisfaction. Do so immediately.
If the reverse is true and someone is lauding the merits of your company, reward them for doing so. The fact that you noticed will be much appreciated.
Bookmarks And RSS Feeds
Remember to take a look through your website statistics on occasion, too. Pay attention to those who have bookmarked your home page or added an RSS feed for your blog posts. Chances are if these visitors are not yet customers, they will convert in the future because they found something of value on your site. Nurture them just like you would any other sales lead. If they are already a customer, consider offering them an incentive for lead generation.
Watch your subscriber numbers, too. If you suddenly have hundreds fewer following you on Twitter or FriendFeed and your RSS subscriber count has plummeted, you’ve just received feedback that you need to address.
Not all customer feedback is as obvious as a returned online survey or an email message to relate a bad experience. Look for the subtle clues that tell you whether customers think your company is doing a good job or not so you can act accordingly.
About Sean Rasmussen
Something that we never really followed up on in even our previous offline businesses. Reading this makes me wonder why we never did. Could have possibly lead to good leads and free improvement ideas!
What’s in the past is over Ilse
Hopefully you can use the tips for the future! All the best.
Hi Ilse,
I guess it’s a great idea online and offline. I am doing it already in my offline business, which is very rewarding as 99% are happy and would recommend us to their friends. I learned that you have to actively ask them for it, just having the feedback form in front of their nose doesn’t do it.
Now I just have to learn to do the same online
Good to see you underlining the importance of Google Alerts. These are so easy to setup in reader. I’ve got one for my name, my small businesses names and industry topics. This keeps my finger on the pulse, allowing me to react faster. Good work Sean.
Google Alerts is a very handy tool to make use of indeed David.
How very valuable to read about Google Alerts and such things.
Because I am new to all this I haven’t pursued or even thought about how to cope with reactions.
But, I do see the importance and now will find a way to try to measure what is happening to the work I am producing and see if I can find a way to implement some of your advice.
I think that a lot of what you suggest will come in handy down the track, but at least I have been made aware of how important it is.
Thanks.
Hi Sean,
That is a very informative post, you really have your finger on the pulse of the consumer reaction, I would still be thinking silence is golden , now I will be looking at it in a different way.
Thank you
Rita
It takes 2 things to actively seek customer feedback: The strong desire to improve and the courage to accept whatever comes back. It’s great for growth but some just aren’t prepared to hear the truth about what their customers think.
At least via email you can’t shock your client with a shocked face but have time to digest the feedback.
But you are right, you have to be willing to accept what comes back work with it. Sometimes it opens your eyes to things you avoid to see …
Google Alert. What a very handy tool. I haven’t realized the importance of this tool
Unfortunately service is very much undervalued. I myself use it as the main measure of a business
I have also recently setup a few Google alerts. A few for ‘business’ phrases and personal.
As Sean mentioned, I have used the two benefits of Google alerts – mainly the one where positive merit was being spread. It’s great to connect and build a relationship.
Hi Sean,
paying attention to customer feedback is key to really know what’s going on, not only assuming to know.
One question: how do I Pay know who has bookmarked my page or subscribed to my RSS feed? Can I see that somewhere?
Hi Renee,
I’d like to know this too. I can see how many people are subscribing to my RSS feed but not who they are. Is there any way to find out? Does this mean that we should have an opt-in form on our sites if we’re getting subscribers?
Also, I definitely agree that we should be paying attention to customer feedback. I guess I’m used to dealing with this in my day job so I know that whether it’s positive or negative feedback; it’s a great opportunity to cement your relationship with your customer.
I have been using Google alert to spot customer feedback and so far so good! I will take a closer look at the other methods you suggest.
Hi Sean
I would like to mention about after sales service. There are very few people in my life who have rang me after I have bought something from them, but they are the ones I have remembered as being the most caring and I really appreciated them.
It doesn’t take much to make a phone call, just a voice and a couple of hands. Time well invested.
That is the way I would treat my customers. No questionnaires etc but a nice call to say “how are you going and is there anything you want to ask me about ‘x’, are you happy with the service?” and “it has been lovely to have been able to help you”. Something along those lines.
Customers are gold, and we need to develop a great relationship with them. They like to feel that they are important. I like the personal contact wherever possible.
Elly, I followed your link and saw this post. More great information from Sean and great advice form you. After sales services certainly is the difference to whether I go back to that person/company and whether I recommend them to others as well.
Cath