Understanding how customers feel about a brand can be a challenging task. From social media to word of mouth, customers always have an opinion of the brands they engage with, whether good or bad. And as any company knows, these opinions are critical to improving customer service and driving brand growth. But just how can companies collect feedback efficiently for maximum results? To get the most out of customer feedback surveys, here are five essential tips to follow.
Savvy brands pay close attention to the preferred channels of their customers. Engaging with customers on their favorite or most active channels enables more efficient customer service and sales opportunities, and the same is true for feedback. Reaching out to customers on these channels increases the likelihood that they will respond to feedback surveys, and they will appreciate the convenience of outreach on a channel they are comfortable with.
There are numerous ways to collect customer feedback, both formally and informally. In both cases, timing is truly everything. Formal feedback may include contacting customers immediately following a service or sales interaction. This is always a great strategy as customer opinions are still fresh, and it shows a brand’s commitment to improving service. Informal feedback may include periodic, more lighthearted surveys that ask for customer opinions on products and services as a whole rather than a specific case. Through both post-contact and periodic surveys, brands can get a global view of what their customers think.
Customers always value their time, so surveys should be short and user-friendly. Take a targeted approach and ask specific questions that will help improve a brand or rate a service interaction rather than asking too many broad questions. Keep surveys limited to a maximum of ten questions with easily clickable links on non-voice channels. Lastly, use a consistent scale that is easy to understand, such as a scale of one to ten ranking from poor to optimum service. It’s also a good practice to leave some space for free-response customer feedback, in case a customer wishes to comment on an issue the survey did not cover.
Low customer satisfaction scores should never be taken lightly. Whenever any negative customer feedback is given, no matter how little, brands should always make an effort to reach out to unhappy customers for further insight. Contact customers on their preferred channel or by phone (for a more personal touch) with a gentle request for additional feedback. Customers will be impressed to see a brand take additional steps toward improvement while also valuing the time the customers spent offering their feedback.
And just what does a brand do with their customer feedback? The best solution is often to discuss directly with employees as a team to get their insights as well. Customer feedback directed at specific agents or employees should be discussed with those concerned directly. In addition, discussing feedback during meetings or training sessions can be ideal for enhancing customer service practices with the cooperation of the employees on the front lines. Working together as a team is vital to offering the greatest customer experiences.Customer feedback is essential to understanding both the strengths and weaknesses of a brand. By following these simple yet strategic tips, brands may engage their customers in a natural manner for honest, meaningful insights into what can be done to improve the customer experience. To deliver the very best in customer service, learn about Vocalcom, a global leader in cloud-based contact center software solutions and premium conversational commerce platform for great customer experiences.
