What are the best practices for asking for feedback after a successful sale?

1 Choose the right timing

The first thing to consider is when to ask for feedback. You don't want to be too pushy or too late. Ideally, you should ask for feedback within a few days after the sale, when the customer is still engaged and satisfied with your product or service. However, you also need to consider the customer's context and preferences. For example, if they are busy or stressed, they might not be in the mood to answer your questions. Or, if they need some time to use your product or service and see the results, they might not have enough information to give you meaningful feedback. Therefore, you should always ask for permission before sending a feedback request, and respect the customer's choice of time and channel.

2 Use the right method

The next thing to consider is how to ask for feedback. There are different methods you can use, such as surveys, emails, phone calls, or online reviews. Each method has its pros and cons, depending on your goals, resources, and customer preferences. For example, surveys are easy to create and analyze, but they might not capture the nuances and emotions of the customer's experience. Emails are personal and convenient, but they might not get a high response rate. Phone calls are direct and interactive, but they might be intrusive and time-consuming. Online reviews are public and influential, but they might be biased or negative. Therefore, you should choose the method that best suits your situation and objectives, and that matches the customer's expectations and comfort level.

3 Ask the right questions

When considering what to ask for feedback, it's important to ask specific, clear, and open-ended questions that will help you understand the customer's needs, pain points, satisfaction, and loyalty. Questions such as “What was your main goal or challenge when you decided to buy our product or service?” or “How did our product or service help you achieve your goal or solve your challenge?” can provide valuable insight. Additionally, asking customers to rate their overall satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 10 and to provide feedback on what they liked the most and the least about the product or service can help you understand their experience. Furthermore, asking customers how likely they are to recommend the product or service to a friend or colleague and what can be done to improve it can help you enhance the customer experience.

4 Listen and respond

When responding to customer feedback, it is important to demonstrate gratitude and empathy. Acknowledging any issues or concerns and asking for more information can go a long way in showing customers that their feedback is valued. Expressing appreciation for positive feedback and using it to improve the product or service is also important. Saying things like “Thank you for your feedback,” “We are sorry to hear that you had a problem,” or “We value your opinion and suggestions” can help show customers that their input is taken seriously.

5 Follow up and act

The fifth thing to consider is how to follow up and act on feedback. You don't want to let your customer's feedback go to waste or to lose their trust and interest. To show your appreciation and encourage future feedback, you can send a thank-you note or a gift card. Additionally, you can share a testimonial or a case study of their success story to attract more prospects. Leverage their word-of-mouth by asking for a referral or a review, and offer a discount or a free trial of a new or complementary product or service that could suit their needs. Inviting them to join a loyalty program or community can also foster engagement and retention.

6 Measure and improve

The sixth thing to consider is how to measure and improve your feedback process. Instead of relying on intuition or assumptions, use data and metrics to track and analyze your feedback performance and outcomes. For example, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) can measure customer loyalty and advocacy, the Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) can measure satisfaction and happiness, the Customer Effort Score (CES) can measure ease and convenience, the Feedback Response Rate (FRR) can measure engagement and participation, and the Feedback Action Rate (FAR) can measure behavior and conversion. With these tools, you can identify strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as best practices and areas of improvement. Additionally, you are able to set goals and benchmarks, while monitoring progress and results.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?