Survey says: Reward your customers for their feedback

I was a very popular person last month.

I received not one but two invitations to join customer service panels from well-known companies.

Invitation #1: An indie financial institution owned by a billion dollar bank emailed details about a panel that would involve monthly surveys, interviews and online discussions after providing personal information through a questionnaire.

The reward: I “could” win valuable prizes along with being “entered in a draw” for gift cards.

Invitation #2: A billion dollar electronics retailer invited me to join their customer panel which involves monthly surveys and polls about their products, services and campaigns.

The reward: The opportunity to earn undefined “sweet incentives” for this input along with a draw for gift cards.

In both cases, I didn’t respond to either invitation though I have candid feedback I could provide on both companies related to their products and pricing along with customer engagement tactics.

The reason: My time is valuable and so is the information I can provide that could improve both businesses and contribute to their bottom-line. So, asking for a guaranteed incentive doesn’t seem so outrageous.

Both of these companies — and many others that request customer feedback with the potential to receive an incentive — should take the lead of companies in other spaces such as the restaurant sector that provide small, guaranteed incentives for completing surveys after visits.

I complete these short surveys often, sharing my experience following a particular visit related to the service I received along with comments on ongoing promotions. In exchange, I receive a discount on a future meal for a limited time.

If your company is considering a survey or panel and want to receive a good response, I strongly recommend skipping the draws and contests and provide a guaranteed incentive. You just may be surprised about the different perspectives you learn about your business.