CUSTOMER FEEDBACK & HOW TO COLLECT IT

No matter how you feel about customer feedback, there’s no denying the value it can bring to your business. In a world where competition is high, knowing your customers’ thoughts on your service can aid all aspects of your company, from product development to marketing strategies.

However, simply knowing what your customers are saying isn’t enough to grow your business. In an age where there is an abundance of data, using a data-driven analysis of customer feedback provides information you can use to understand how to meet customer expectations and make product improvements.

There are a number of metrics which can be evaluated. This data can be used to improve customer satisfaction, brand reputation, product selection, leads, and overall revenue. Types of customer feedback that you can analyze and how data can be collected:

- Product and Brand Health Feedback

- Customer Satisfaction Feedback

- Brand Loyalty Feedback

- Sales Feedback

- Customer Preference Feedback

1.) PRODUCT AND BRAND HEALTH FEEDBACK

This type of customer feedback covers the various ways people talk about a brand and its product offerings. This feedback provides a view of how both the brand and products are perceived by their customers and can help monitor long-term changes both in brand reputation and sales performance.

Here’s how to collect this type of feedback:

A.] Focus Groups

Focus groups are an effective method for gaining customer feedback without being too time-consuming. Focus groups involve a small representative sample of customers (usually around 8) with the assistance of a moderator. 

B.] Customer Interviews

Customer interviews dive deeper into the opinions of your consumers. Interviews are a way to discover what drives your customers’ purchasing decisions, their thoughts on user experience, and brand awareness.

C.] Usability Tests

Usability tests enable the testing of a product using real users. Users test a product, performing tasks which are observed by a researcher. The findings are then used to make suggestions on product development. Usability tests help to reduce the risk of a product failing by acknowledging any design flaws before launch.

Web design agency, Digital Loom, incorporated usability testing as part of their customer feedback to improve site usability and resolve any technical glitches.

D.] Follow Up Surveys or Phone Calls

Calling your customers for product or brand feedback can help to build relationships and trust. While this method can provide valuable feedback on a product, some customers find it intrusive.

E.] Customer Reviews

Approaching customers for a product review provides relevant feedback. Many brands allow customers to share their thoughts on a recent purchase.

2.) CUSTOMER SATISFACTION FEEDBACK

This type of customer feedback involves collecting both functional and emotional metrics and is often undertaken post product launch. A complete customer satisfaction analysis will often combine online and offline sources of feedback.

Here are some ways you can collect this type of feedback:

A.] Incentives

One of the most effective ways to collate information on customer satisfaction is to offer an incentive. Dedicated 

B.]Twitter Accounts

Having a dedicated support account on Twitter is a great way of keeping track of customer satisfaction, including handling product queries and both negative and positive brand feedback.

C.] Facebook Polls

Facebook polls can seem fun, but many brands are now using them to gain insight on customer satisfaction. Data from Facebook polls can be measured by specific applications and the results can be used to improve product development, marketing, customer service, and other business areas.

3.)BRAND LOYALTY FEEDBACK

Analysing brand loyalty helps you to understand effective areas of your business, as well as areas for improvement.

This can be done through Surveys

The questions you ask on a customer survey can reveal insight into overall brand loyalty. For instance, asking customers how your service compares to competitors is a good way to find out how loyal they are.

4.)SALES FEEDBACK

Customer feedback on sales helps to determine if your sales strategies are working and gain insights to aid sales associates with their techniques.

This can be achieved by carrying out - Experience Follow-Ups

Following up on your customers’ sales experience with an email or text message keeps your feedback fresh and relevant. 

5.)CUSTOMER PREFERENCE FEEDBACK

Discovering customer preferences from your feedback can help with your overall website design, marketing strategies, sales techniques, and other aspects of your business.

This is possible through - Blog Post Comments

One way to gain customer preference feedback is from blog post comments. Comments from blog posts can reveal both positive and negative feedback from your customers.