customer surveys

What Do Customers Want? Just Ask

Are your customers happy with your products and services? If you don’t know, just ask them. Developing a customer satisfaction survey doesn’t have to be complex. In fact, the easier you make it on both yourself and your customers, the more likely you are to receive the honest answers that can help you dramatically improve your products, your service and, ultimately, your business.

The key consideration when creating a simple customer satisfaction survey is ensuring that it covers all your key, customer-facing business activities, including your products/services, delivery, ordering and billing, and interactions and support you and your employees provide. In addition, keep it simple (e.g., free of rankings and the need for long responses), which makes it easier for respondents to complete and for you to compile results that give you clear direction.

F. John Reh, Management Guide at online business resource About.com, notes that the best time to survey customers is when the experience is fresh in their minds. In the article, “Customer Satisfaction Survey,” he writes that, “if you wait to conduct a survey, the customer’s response may be less accurate. He may have forgotten some of the details. She may answer about a later event. He may color his answers because of confusion with other visits. She may confuse you with some other company.” In addition, the number of times you survey customers should be in line with how often you interact with them and how seasonal your products or services are.

Reh adds that, if you do decide to expand your survey, you may want to include some that specifically address customer loyalty, such as:

• How likely are you to buy from us again?
• How likely are you to recommend our product/service to others?
• How likely are you to recommend our company to others?

You also need to ensure that, regardless of the way in which you offer the survey (e.g., online or snail mail), it’s easy to complete and get back to you. Include clear instructions on how to complete and return the surveys. In the case of mail, include your fax number and a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Once you’re received the completed surveys, use them. Track any trends you see and actively work to fix the problems or issues that customers surface. And make sure you offer feedback—let customers know they’re suggestions and complaints are being or have been addressed. It all starts with simply asking the questions, because if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.