How to Ask Customers for Feedback: 14 Steps (with Pictures)

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How to Ask Customers for Feedback: 14 Steps (with Pictures)
How to Ask Customers for Feedback: 14 Steps (with Pictures)

Video: How to Ask Customers for Feedback: 14 Steps (with Pictures)

Video: How to Ask Customers for Feedback: 14 Steps (with Pictures)
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The most successful businesses are always looking to improve. That's why it's important to get feedback from customers so you can identify areas that have strengths or need improvement. Usually, a satisfaction survey or a suggestion box is enough to get feedback. However, if you want customers to share their opinions with the public, you can provide links in emails or business cards to leave ratings.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Requesting Feedback

Ask Customers for Feedback Step 1
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 1

Step 1. Use a survey

Surveys are the easiest way to gather feedback. You can create a survey in SurveyMonkey and send it directly to your customers. Another option would be to post the survey link on the company's Facebook or Twitter page.

Another alternative is to publish the surveys on your own website, through Qualaroo or another equivalent tool. The survey should be very short, with just one or two questions

Ask Customers for Feedback Step 2
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 2

Step 2. Customize your feedback requests

If sending the survey links via e-mail, do not send them by company address. Instead, ask an employee to send it so their name will appear in the sender field. Also, direct the email directly to the customer, such as “Dear Melissa”. With these personal touches, customers will be more likely to leave feedback.

Ask Customers for Feedback Step 3
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 3

Step 3. Create a suggestion box

The most common method is to place the box directly on the counter. You can also provide a form or just a blank piece of paper. Ask customers to write their reviews and leave them in the box. You can also ask them to leave a phone number and a contact point so you can follow their feedback.

  • Feedback forms should have as many questions as online forms. The ideal is to ask a maximum of ten questions.
  • You can also use virtual feedback on your website. Insert a button titled “Feedback” for people to click. However, don't direct him to a search. Surveys are more work and people don't click on feedback buttons hoping to answer a lot of questions. Instead, give them a blank space for them to write their own opinion.
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 4
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 4

Step 4. Do phone surveys

They are more expensive, but you can get a higher response rate than online surveys. Because of the expense, it may be better to use the online survey to identify a group of customers you should pay more attention to.

You are probably not fully able to carry out the research, so it is recommended to hire a market research company. To cut costs, hire an independent consultant who is not affiliated with a company. Prices vary widely, so do research

Ask Customers for Feedback Step 5
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 5

Step 5. Remember to thank customers

If a customer performs the survey. Thank him for the time he spent on her. Send a thank you note via email and let them know that the suggestions have been implemented.

Part 2 of 3: Asking the Right Questions

Ask Customers for Feedback Step 6
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 6

Step 1. Only ask questions you want answers to

Don't feel pressured to fill the survey with questions. The more you ask, the less likely customers are to complete the survey. As a rule of thumb, ask a maximum of ten questions, but try to stay below that number.

For example, you might just want to know what the person's overall experience was like. In this case, just ask “On a scale of one to ten, with “one” being the worst and “ten” being the best, how was your experience?”

Ask Customers for Feedback Step 7
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 7

Step 2. Consider asking open-ended questions

To get more information from customers, ask open-ended questions that cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”. For example, don't ask “Were you happy with the experience?”, but rather “Where do you think we can improve?”. This second question cannot be answered with “yes” or “no”.

If asking open-ended questions, decide where to put them. Some experts suggest putting the questions at the front of the survey to be answered first. However, recent research suggests that open-ended questions can cause customers to act more positively than usual when filling out the rest of the survey. So it might be better to leave them to the end

Ask Customers for Feedback Step 8
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 8

Step 3. Shape the questions according to the customers

You'll only waste people time if you only ask irrelevant questions. Instead, direct the questions to your clientele. For example, it doesn't make sense to ask recent customers what they think of your Customer Service, as they probably haven't needed it yet.

  • Separate your clientele any way you like. For example, if you offer different types of service, separate your customers according to the service used.
  • Alternatively, you can separate the clients according to their length of service.
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 9
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 9

Step 4. Inform you that you will respond promptly

There are several reasons why people don't usually leave their opinions. One of the main ones is that they believe that companies don't care. However, you must assure your customers that they will be responded to promptly if there is any problem. Write “We will respond as soon as possible”.

Remember to track complaints. You can hurt your business if you promise to respond to a complaint and delay or forget about it

Part 3 of 3: Requesting Reviews

Ask Customers for Feedback Step 10
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 10

Step 1. Ask customers to provide reviews

Make sure your team is trained to ask customers for reviews, preferably in person. You can get eight times more reviews by ordering in person instead of ordering via email. Wait until the transaction is complete to request a review. For example, if you work with landscaping, wait until you deliver the finished work and pass the invoice to the customer.

  • Say something simple, such as “I hope your experience was excellent. We would like to hear your opinion”.
  • Of course, it's important to check that the customer is satisfied before asking for a review. Avoid soliciting reviews from dissatisfied or overly demanding customers.
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 11
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 11

Step 2. Make it easy to leave an opinion

Most people don't leave ratings and opinions unless they're completely mad at a service or product. If you want to get positive reviews then you have to make the process as simple as possible, otherwise people will forget. Consider following the following tips:

  • Create business profiles on sites like Yahoo Local, Google Plus, Yelp and Facebook.
  • In an email, include the link to the website. All the customer has to do is click on the link.
  • You can also print profile URLs on business cards so customers can find them easily.
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 12
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 12

Step 3. Offer incentives with reviews

Some review and review sites, such as Yelp, prohibit companies from asking customers to leave their reviews in exchange for rewards. However, Yelp isn't the only site and you can encourage your customers to leave reviews on other sites in exchange for freebies or discounts.

Remember to ask for a review, not a positive review. You cannot buy positive customer reviews

Ask Customers for Feedback Step 13
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 13

Step 4. Thank customers for their positive reviews

Remember to mention specifics about the assessment in the thank you note. For example, you might write “Thanks for the opinion, Cristina! We're happy to hear that you loved the lobster salad.”

Also include a suggested action. For example, encouraging the customer to return and bring a friend next time

Ask Customers for Feedback Step 14
Ask Customers for Feedback Step 14

Step 5. Respond carefully to negative reviews

Remember that you're not just answering the person in the criticism. The entire Internet community will be able to read the review, so be professional in your answers. Use the tips below:

  • Do not freak out. Nothing can tarnish your image more than being rude to someone. Wait 24 hours to cool off and then respond.
  • Admit that you made a mistake, but don't take responsibility for something that isn't true.
  • Provide missing information. Some customers will make one-sided reviews, so it's important that you fill in the missing details. For example, if someone complains about prices, say that, in addition to publicizing them widely on the website and at the entrance of your restaurant, they reflect the quality of your products.
  • Offer to fix a problem for free. You may be able to recover a customer if you can solve their problem.
  • Ask the person to call you and have the situation resolved in real time.

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