Understanding the Importance of Customer Feedback
People get this entirely wrong. They think collecting customer feedback is generally a tedious, box-ticking exercise - like that annual survey HR sends out, which we all ignore and then feel guilty about later. Feedback isnāt something you do because itās polite, or because management said so. Itās currency.
Itās trust. And yes, it can be slightly awkward when you ask your customer about something and they have suggestions for improvement. Itās sort of like going on a date and asking your partner how you could be better looking or more attentive. A little hard to hear, but necessary if you want to be a better companion.
You have to remember that receiving the right feedback - negative or positive - is possibly what keeps your business model alive and ensures that everyone is happy and satisfied. I think, fundamentally, feedback helps you understand what youāre doing right and what you could do better. Often people donāt realise just how important this is and how much of an impact it has.
Seems like thereās also this idea that the negative stuff is more valuable than the positive - which isnāt true at all. Customers donāt want a company that will pander to them for money - they want honesty and transparency. Now, there are moments of uncertainty and complexity here.
Especially with fashion as a product. For example, one demographic in one region will want something another might not. Trying to create a framework that works for all isnāt going to happen overnight. There will be ups and downs when it comes to feedback - but keeping an open mind and continually incorporating suggestions is what will give you an edge over your competitors.
Customer feedback helps you understand your audience better - their likes, dislikes, pain points, which areas they feel need improvement, how satisfied they are with your product/service/team/store/location etc. This information gives you opportunities to adapt accordingly and improve upon the way your business functions as a whole by making well-informed decisions regarding your products or services. Sort of.
Effective Survey Techniques for Gathering Insights
You know, sometimes brands can be a bit out of touch with survey questions. That's the most common survey slip up - the question you're asking is only relevant to you, not your customer. This is why, before you run a survey, you need to decide who you're going to send it out to and what they're expecting to gain from it.
The questions should be crafted as simply and transparently as possible. Sometimes I find survey questions seem to have lost their way. There's too many words or a fancy font or they ask something that's not relevant in the first place. If you're stumped by what matters most, take a look at some of your competitors' surveys.
Another thing is making sure you're asking about different aspects of your services and products so that you can have a clear data snapshot. It's no use asking lots about one thing, but leaving other avenues unexplored because that's how questions go unanswered in the grand scheme of things.
Finally, there's always a moment of complexity around discovering truth nuggets through open-ended question boxes in surveys. What I've realised works best is offering customers the option to provide additional comments or thoughts at the end of your survey. Keep it optional but also tweak up your incentivisation game with gift cards and discounts so people want to come back for more than just sharing how they feel about something you've asked them about.
Leveraging Social Media for Real-Time Feedback
Most people think that using social media for feedback means running a quick Instagram poll or posting a blunt question on Facebook. But thatās not quite it. Implies That or, it is, but we all know now what those surveys are and how we feel about being asked those questions with no context.
Feedback isnāt asking questions without intent. Or at least, the positive kind of feedback isnāt.
My experience tells me, getting real-time feedback is most successful when there is a plan to do something with the information that comes out of it. More or less. Identifying customer touchpoints and determining where your customers will be open to giving you their opinions are crucial steps. Sending out surveys 2 hours after theyāve received their order or product means nothing if theyāre still unpacking.
The thing about real-time feedback through social media is that you need to be present - not all day, every day in your DMs but frequently enough so they remember who you are when your name turns up in their notifications again. And you can possibly do this by personalising your communication, centering your customer (where applicable), responding when they reach out (especially to complaints), and keeping them updated when you receive their feedback. Now comes the part that feels complicated - context.
Itās no good asking for feedback if the customer has no context of what happened before or after, and vice versa for the business too; tracking customersā experiences is important information worth knowing before asking for detailed feedback through online forms or one-on-one interviews later on in their journey with you. Collecting data from platforms like Instagram/Facebook Stories, Live events, DMs from both sides of the conversation will make a difference to how meaningful your feedback will be and how effective any changes based on that feedback will be too - especially when shared with customers who participated in helping collect it.
Utilizing Customer Interviews for In-Depth Insights
Many people seem to think customer interviews are a bit too serious. Some folks even show up like theyāre about to solve the Da Vinci Code instead of just having a conversation. Itās either too quick, too formal or unfortunately, both. The thing is, the more natural and unforced a conversation is, the more organic the feedback becomes.
This isnāt some business negotiation. No one should be thinking about striking a deal here but all too often thatās what it turns into, right. What businesses need to get right is that a customer interview ought to be more of an opportunity for story telling than anything else. You want people to tell you stories so you can understand how your product or service fits into their lives.
Thereās also a bit of an art to interviewing people for feedback which could take years to master - or not at all if you donāt listen well enough. Not listening is where most business owners go wrong; this can happen when you try to steer a conversation in a certain direction because itās what you want to hear rather than what you should hear.
Pay attention and allow room for tangents, exploring different topics and fleshing out multiple points of view so thereās depth in conversation and not just surface knowledge. More or less. Being empathetic helps as well; it allows you to craft questions in a way that will encourage customers to open up honestly without feeling like thereās something at stake.
This takes trial and error because despite your best attempts some things will land while others might fall flat on their face - but thatās alright, it happens even with experience so thereās no way around it except knowing when something isnāt working so you can arguably course correct.
Analyzing Feedback Data to Drive Improvements
People often get stuck on the idea that data must always be hyper-logical, devoid of any ambiguity and with perfect correlations. I've seen it at play in my time - it's not uncommon for people to hyperfocus on one metric or a singular point of reference to dictate their entire next course of action. I Think more often than not, this tends to do more harm than good. If you've ever looked at feedback data at length (and, well, paid attention), you know that it can be a little muddy.
It's not always clear-cut - when you have thousands upon thousands of data points coming in through multiple platforms, and they're almost never the same as the previous ones. It seems like some of them are even starkly contradictory - which is where you need a nuanced eye more than ever. It's all about context - it's your job as someone tasked with analyzing feedback data to ensure you're not missing out on context. Is it possible.
Not always. All feedback comes from individuals with differing perspectives, lived experiences, and expectations - but your role is quite a bit to get a bird's-eye view of what's going on. In my experience, it helps to keep an open mind - and try your best to set aside personal opinions when sifting through feedback.
Never let the fear of being wrong stop you from making a point. Analysing anything means putting yourself out there and stating what you believe could be the way forward - and if you're off the mark with something, that's completely fine too. Much like life, nothing in the world of numbers is predictable or linear - despite what some analysts might want you to believe.
Creating a Feedback Loop for Continuous Engagement
People often assume asking for feedback is a one-time thing, and that simply requesting it from customers means they will share. In reality, you need to create a feedback loop that keeps the conversations flowing. Reminds Me Of this means not just asking once and then filing it away but instead making it clear to customers that their feedback is not only heard but also acted on. More or less.
Itās important to keep them engaged by making sure there is a way for them to keep sharing and being part of the process. One way to do this is by keeping the process open-ended - don't only ask for their thoughts, ask them what other products theyād like to see. Make sure you let them know what youāre doing with the information - show appreciation, reward loyalty with discounts or rewards, create co-creation opportunities for loyal customers, and really personalise the experience. While it's not always easy to keep customers engaged and involved, there's no doubt that continuous communication can encourage honest feedback and makes them more likely to trust your business.
Giving them incentives, providing multiple options for sharing and acting on their feedback (even if it's not always positive) can go a long way in building those relationships. Feedback loops are essential because they help you understand how satisfied your customers are with your business, offerings and customer service. When used correctly, this method can nearly always improve brand reputation, boost engagement and make it much easier for businesses to develop successful products and services in the future.