How do you solicit and use feedback from your international clients?

1 Know your audience

Before you ask for feedback, you need to understand who your clients are, what their preferences and pain points are, and how they communicate. Do some research on their cultural norms, business etiquette, and communication styles. For example, some cultures may prefer direct and honest feedback, while others may avoid confrontation and use indirect or subtle cues. Some may prefer written or verbal feedback, while others may rely on non-verbal signals or gestures. Knowing your audience will help you tailor your feedback request and interpret their responses correctly.

2 Choose the right method

The method you use to solicit feedback from your international clients depends on several factors, such as the type of feedback you want, the relationship you have with them, the frequency and timing of your interactions, and the tools and platforms you use. For example, you may want to use surveys, polls, or ratings for quantitative feedback, or interviews, focus groups, or testimonials for qualitative feedback. You may want to use email, phone, video call, or chat for different levels of engagement and convenience. You may want to ask for feedback after each transaction, at regular intervals, or at specific milestones. You may want to use your own system, a third-party service, or a social media platform for collecting and analyzing feedback. Choose the method that best suits your goals, your clients' preferences, and your resources.

4 Listen and respond

Once you receive feedback from your international clients, you need to listen and respond appropriately. Thank them for their time and input, and acknowledge their opinions and feelings. Show them that you value their feedback and that you are willing to act on it. If they have questions, concerns, or complaints, address them promptly and professionally. If they have suggestions, praise, or compliments, appreciate them and share them with your team. If they have misunderstandings, clarify them and provide more information. If they have gaps, offer them more support or resources. Listening and responding to feedback will help you build trust, loyalty, and rapport with your international clients.

6 Learn and grow

Soliciting and using feedback from your international clients is not a one-time activity, but a continuous process of learning and growing. You should always seek feedback from your clients, whether it is positive or negative, formal or informal, solicited or unsolicited. You should always use feedback to improve your sales performance and customer satisfaction, whether it is big or small, specific or general, expected or unexpected. You should always learn from feedback to develop your sales skills and knowledge, whether it is consistent or contradictory, simple or complex, familiar or unfamiliar. By soliciting and using feedback from your international clients effectively, you will become a more successful and confident international sales professional.

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?