The Customer Feedback Challenge
By Kevin F. Clune, CLP
The results of our May survey are in & I want to thank all who took the time to respond to this questionnaire in our May newsletter. (You can still access this very short questionnaire.) I think that any business owner would tell you that he or she must constantly learn about best practices, develop better products, deliver better service, and be open to criticism. This requires one to step out from behind the desk to communicate with past, current and potential customers as well as having a dialogue with others in the same industry. There are currently many tools at our disposal to achieve this goal including surveys, social media, the traditional sales call, memberships in associations, and even a general awareness of innovation outside your industry that could be applicable to you.
Surveys are a customary method of acquiring some of this vital and informative feedback.
We were very happy to learn that all who answered our recent survey felt that our Company was extremely easy to use and extremely responsive, while a majority thought that our costs were “much” more reasonable than other lessors. Since we didn’t have 100% participation, can we really “go to the bank” with this data? Isn’t it necessary to still utilize additional methods to gain this information?
Many companies will encourage customers to offer an opinion on their social media site so that potential customers can view this feedback as well as the management of the company. You can access our LinkedIn page if you would like to offer an opinion.
Other tools at our disposal are personal sales calls or just traditional phone calls… ( you may have recently received a call from us). Even though this method is fraught with some obvious pitfalls, a company can occasionally gain some valuable information about a customer’s opinion of their products or service and also a comparison to their competition. In this age of impersonal communication, I feel that the phone call or a personal sales call still has a place in the acquisition of accurate and informative feedback. A customer will also have the reassurance that a response to a question or concern is just a phone call away.
Awareness of best practices and innovative methods that are being used by others both inside and outside our industry must also be monitored. A membership in a professional trade association can introduce you to other business owners with whom you can establish a dialogue. They may be in a different niche and, as such, are not in direct competition, but still have a similar business model. Also, even a company outside our industry could offer a new service or product that could be adapted to my own company.
Ultimately, multiple methods of communication and tools for feedback can and should be utilized in order to stay competitive, relevant, responsive, and ultimately, profitable. The uphill challenge for every business owner is to stay committed to this process, compile the data, and sift through it for possible implementation. I am always ready to listen and hope you will contact me through one of these methods, (or your preferred method) and let me know if you have any concerns or suggestions to offer.
Kevin F. Clune, CLP,
Clune & Company
