How to Use Customer Feedback To Your Advantage
Getting online reviews for your business is a great way to see how customers feel about your business' service. However, online reviews are not the only method to get a real-time look at how customers feel about the experience with your business. It is also helpful to get feedback from your customers to respond directly and have a one-on-one conversation. Many customers are happy to reach out to a business first if they've had a negative experience to give them a chance to resolve the issue before posting about it publicly.
When you request feedback from customers you are showing them that you care about providing a great experience. Even if you don’t get it exactly right the first time, it shows that you are always looking for ways to improve.
Why should I try and get customer feedback?
Sometimes customers are unhappy with the service: it's a part of doing business. In many instances, you can resolve a miscommunication with a conversation. Customers might have unchecked grievances with your business without asking for feedback, which could impact whether or not they recommend your company to friends and family. They could write a negative review in some cases.
Asking for feedback does the following:
- It shows the customer that you care about what they have to say
- Resolve issues before they can escalate
- Get a better understanding of how customers view your business
How do I ask a customer for feedback?
To get customer feedback, you would need to follow up with them after a completed service and ask them how they feel about it. However, doing this manually with an email or text, each and every time can be tedious and time-consuming. Not every customer will respond, so to get a complete view of how your business is performing, you will need a substantial amount of feedback.
With Signpost, you can automate feedback campaigns to send consistent emails to customers. This way, you will have a steady stream of feedback to review.
What should I do once I receive feedback?
When you receive positive feedback, you can thank the customer for their business and rest assured that they are content with the service provided. The customer might provide additional details, such as calling out some of your employees who did a great job or something they felt was a friendly customer service touch.
Positive feedback can help you reinforce your approach based on what customers appreciate. These learnings are just as valuable as negative feedback, as they can show you what your business is doing right so you can continue to put in the effort.
Here are 3 tips for when you respond to negative feedback:
- Respond right away
We recommend that you call the customer directly if possible or send them an email with your direct phone number and have a one-on-one conversation. Providing personal contact information instead of a customer service line will go a long way. Doing so will show the customer that you are taking the situation seriously and are interested in working towards a solution together.
- Provide next steps
Some instances might require a more in-depth resolution. For example in the home service industry, a homeowner would be unhappy if a mess was left in their home after service. In this instance, trying to resolve the issue could go a long way. Sending someone over to the home to clean up the mess or providing a discount on the service can show the customer that you are looking to do the right thing. Make sure when you’re talking to the customer that you make your next steps clear.
- Take it as a learning opportunity
The silver lining is the learning opportunity. If you didn’t ask for feedback as a business, you might never know about how a customer was feeling and therefore couldn’t improve your processes as a result. Using feedback campaigns can provide a basis for understanding what is working and what areas could use improvement within your business.
Improve your customer service with Signpost
Getting a complete understanding of how customers feel about your business is challenging for many companies. With
Signpost, you can run an ongoing feedback campaign to clearly understand how customers feel about the quality of service provided.
Learn More.
| 2/9/2022 11:45:04 AM |
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