Increasing Brand Favorability By Asking For Feedback

As a customer insights professional and enthusiast, I truly believe that every voice matters and the importance of leveraging customer feedback for brand development cannot be overstated. But beyond that, a simple truth is that people want (and deserve) to have their voices heard. They want to stay connected, share their thoughts, and be involved with the brands they support. So, it's not surprising when I see data highlighting the value and benefits of asking customers for their feedback.

THE SITUATION:

77% of customers have a more favorable view of brands that ask for customer feedback.

(Microsoft, 2020)

THE OPPORTUNITY:

On top of capturing strategic insights and supporting data-driven decisions, asking customers for feedback conveys appreciation, strengthens relationships, and ultimately increases your brand’s favorability. This is because customers feel involved in your brand development processes and they gain a sense of ownership over the products, services, and experiences being offered. They feel heard, appreciated, and valued as people rather than just a source of revenue. So, asking for feedback is a dual benefit opportunity; it provides value for both your internal teams as well as your customers.

THE CHALLENGE:

While it seems simple enough to capitalize on The Opportunity, there’s more to it than just sending out feedback surveys. You need to ask the right people the right questions at the right time, and customers need to see and feel how their feedback is making a difference. Missing these marks not only leads to missed opportunities, but it can also lead to customer frustration, disappointment, and reduced brand favorability. In fact, 53% of customers don’t believe companies take action based on their feedback. (Microsoft, 2020) This highlights an added opportunity to gain a competitive advantage over brands that leave customers feeling their voices don’t really matter.?

So, The Challenge here is being strategic and tactful in establishing how and why feedback is gathered in the first place. In order for your team to benefit, the feedback topics must be actionable and directly align with your brand’s goals and objectives. In order for your customers to benefit, the feedback topics must be relevant, timely, and directly align with what they feel is most important. In order for both sides to benefit, feedback needs to result in meaningful action that produces meaningful outcomes. Now, in seeing the depth and detail needed to fully capitalize on The Opportunity, it’s clear that “asking for feedback” is more complex than it appears on the surface.

THE SOLUTION:

As seen in The Challenge, simply asking for feedback isn’t enough to fully capitalize on The Opportunity. There needs to be a clear reason why feedback matters to your team, and a detailed plan for how it will be applied toward your overall objectives. Getting to that point starts with a developing holistic research strategy; which serves as a framework while planning your feedback projects. This is where key decisions are made regarding the feedback topics to prioritize, who the target respondents should be, and when the feedback survey should be delivered to those respondents.?

The Solution comes down to refining your current approach on a project-by-project basis to ensure the feedback you gather makes sense, makes an impact, and makes the customers feel their voices truly matter.

When planning your next customer feedback project, start at the end and work backwards. Establish a clear and detailed vision of your desired outcomes and identify how customer feedback will help you make that vision a reality. Go as far as you can with outlining steps for applying survey results once they’re gathered.?

Next, looking at the steps needed to achieve your desired outcomes, determine what you want or need to learn to confidently take those steps. What are the internal questions or insights gaps that are creating uncertainty? This becomes the guide for scripting your survey; connecting the dots between what you want to accomplish and what information is needed to get there.?

Through this approach, you and your team will be anchored by the desired outcomes as you create a success roadmap. For every survey question and topic, assess how the feedback you receive will yield progress toward your goals. Now, as you launch your feedback project, you can move with confidence knowing both your teams and your customers will benefit.

MY ADVICE:

Being a data-driven brand doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s not always about intricate analytics, algorithms, or an array of metrics. Rather, it’s usually about being strategic, efficient, and effective with your data-driven initiatives. So, a willingness to commit time and effort through the feedback project planning process upfront will help increase success likelihood down the road. Sometimes, being data-driven is more about the strategic approach than it is about the data.

YOUR TURN:

I'd love to see comments about your thoughts and experiences with the value of customer feedback. What are some ways your brand has grown and evolved by listening to customers? What are some lessons and tips you can share with others looking to launch a new project?

By sharing your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions, we'll foster a collaborative community where actionable insights are the foundation and collective success is the outcome.

Do you have a customer-centric stat, fact, or trend you'd like me to write about? Send me a message or share it in the comments. I'll add it to my list of future newsletter topics!?