Get Customer Feedback Chapter 8

Objectives Know why feedback is important Understand feedback receptiveness Know levels of importance Identify ways feedback cards lose effectiveness Know behaviors that reinforce feedback Act on complaints productively Apply ways to seek out feedback

Why Feedback is so Important Feedback is a Form of Coaching Complaints Are Valuable Feedback Getting Input at the Point of Contact

Commitment to Feedback Varies Metric-Conscious Active “Listeners” Reluctant, Compliant

What Statistics Reveal about Feedback ¼ customers are dissatisfied Only 5% of dissatisfied customers complain A dissatisfied customer will tell 12 other people about a company that provided poor service

Example: Company serves 100 customers/day 25 dissatisfied 1-2 complaints 23 quiet ones Complained to 276 people

Reinforce, Don’t Challenge the Customer Implying it is your fault Defensiveness Attitude of “Let’s get this fixed for you” Encouragement

Be Sensitive to Your First Reactions Avoid: Acting defensively Skeptical facial expressions Dead air Prolonged silences

Act on Complaints in Productive Ways Look at how you receive feedback Show that you are serious Timing Feel empathy Resolve the problem Offer something more to exceed customer anticipation

Feel the Customer’s Pain Respect Listen Compensate Share Urgency Avoid inconvenience Assure

Other Proactive Ways to Get Feedback Naïve listening Conveys that you are naïve about what customers want Get customer to explain their needs/wants to you

Use Explorer Groups Not just to direct competitors Take Notes Discuss possible implementation Not just to direct competitors Explore your own organization Limit the exploration

Use Customer Surveys Random sample Stratified random sample Any customer has an equal chance of being selected for surveying Stratified random sample A certain category of customers has been selected and that anyone in that category has an equal chance of being surveyed

The Mechanics of Asking for Customer Survey Input Face-to-face interviews Telephone surveys Mail questionnaires Written surveys Internet-based surveys

When to Conduct a Customer Satisfaction Survey When a customer has recently completed a transaction When the experience is fresh in the customers mind

What to Ask in a Customer Satisfaction Survey How satisfied are you with the purchase you made? How satisfied are you with our company overall? How likely are you to recommend our product/service to others? How likely are you to recommend our company to others?

Please circle the number that best reflects your degree of agreement with the following statements: 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neither agree nor disagree, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree The business office is conveniently located. 1 2 3 4 5 The tellers in the bank are generally friendly. The manager is readily available if I need to speak with him or her. Product prices are fair.

How often should you conduct a survey? Often enough to get the most information But not so often as to annoy the customer

What To Do with Answers from a Survey Compile answers Look for trends Act on weak areas Prioritize tasks Work first on things customers are unhappy with Fix things customers have complained about

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