MI: What if I don’t like what they have to say?
Casey
:
Surveying and asking for feedback shows you care.
Companies are always fearful of the bad news, but you should
look at it as a gift. A disgruntled customer now can go to Yelp,
Google Places, Angie’s List or dozens of other social sites and
post all of the details about their dissatisfaction. Why not catch
this early, and put it to rest before this happens? A survey is an
early warning system to ensure you react quickly to customers so
they don’t have an ax to grind. Plus, it isn’t as bad as you think;
typically, 90% of the comments and surveys are positive.
MI: OK. The survey is done. Now what?
Casey
:
Share the results with your team. Your employees will
react better to objective feedback from customers rather than
a manager or owner saying, “Customers want us to answer the
phone faster.” Have a plan. Identify who is going to get back to
customers who need attention, who will follow up on sales leads
generated and who decides which areas to invest in.
MI: How should I use the data?
Casey
:
It depends on why you did the survey. It might be to drive
process improvement initiatives or engage customers at a strategic
level to gain more client share. If your objective is company growth,
your surveys can reveal previously unknown customer needs.
Feedback helps everyone understand what is happening on the
street regionally, by industry and what the perception is of your
business. Do you want to invest in a new piece of equipment? Ask
your customers if they have a need first. You can validate your
hunch, and you’ll create a list of sales leads.
n
“Companies are always fearful of the bad news,
but you should look at it as a gift.”
– M
ichael
C
asey
WINTER
|
2014
03
