The Survey Says…”We hate your survey!”
According to Gartner, 89 percent of marketers expect to compete primarily on the basis of customer experience by 2016. To be successful, they must have the right tools, processes, and strategies in place.
You can’t fix what you don’t know!
In order to compete on customer experience, it is imperative to collect and analyze data about your customers. What do your customer want? What’s working for them? What isn’t?
How can you get that information? The seemingly easiest method to collect data is the ubiquitous survey. Unfortunately, we are overwhelmed with surveys. Every time we use our credit card, or get a printed receipt, out comes another survey request.
More damage than good
Surveys can be fraught with issues. A frustrating or time-consuming survey can have a profoundly negative effect, actually irritating a satisfied customer or exacerbating an already unhappy experience.
Who responds?
Do those willing to respond skew results? I won’t answer one unless I am really upset, or ecstatic about my experience.
How are the questions worded?
Confusing questions, or questions that seem to lead to a desired response irritate me.
How long is it?
I will quit mid-stream if you promised a 5-minute survey, but it is taking more time than that to answer thoughtfully.
Don’t promise me a reward or entry to win something if I have to submit to a marketing campaign. It makes me feel like you didn’t care about my opinion as much as my email address.
Marketers love to get as much information as possible, but management should consider the following when collecting data:
- Keep surveys VERY short and simple. I recommend one question about your experience with a yes/no, good/bad, 1-5 response, followed by an optional open comment section.
- Train your touch point employees to ask, listen and report about ALL customer feedback. Good or bad, you need to hear it all.
- Be your own secret shopper. Check your feedback channels as if you were a customer. You might be surprised!
Gather as much feedback as possible without a survey, and be careful when you use one! Improving the customer experience will improve loyalty and retention, resulting in an increase in lifetime value and revenue.
Originally published in the May 2015 Issue of The Carmel Business Leader.
Categorized in: Blog, Customer Service
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