Customer surveys are not a new way to gauge how you’re doing in business. Today, they’re easy to implement and can really help you stand out from the competition by providing exactly what customers are asking for. This morning, I received two requests to complete a post-service survey. I don’t always complete surveys that I’m requested to, but I do take the time when the provider is likely to take on my feedback and provide an improved service for me in the future. Today I completed surveys for the South By South West conference I attended last week and also for a restaurant in NYC I visited the other night. Looking for year 6 to be even better… The SXSW survey was sent to me by the organisers. They (cleverly) let me know it would take me 8-15 minutes to complete. That’s quite a long time, so I was glad to have advance notice. The survey was easy to complete (mostly check boxes and ranking) and a few ‘open ended’ questions. This year was my 5th year at SXSW and I have seen improvements in speakers, scheduling, venue choices, food options year on year. So, I trust that someone is listening to my feedback and that next year will be even better. Thanks for your service. The restaurant feedback survey was sent to me by Open Table, a great restaurant booking service that has helped me get tables at great places around the US. This survey took less than 3 minutes to complete and was, again, mainly check boxes and rankings, but did give me the option to provide (confidential) feedback direct to the restaurant. Whether I go back to that restaurant or not (I probably will), my ratings and review will help someone else make an informed choice when my review shows up when they’re looking for a very NYC dining experience from a notable chef.
What made these customer surveys worth my time…
Both surveys got my time today because:
- they were from companies whose service I will want to use again, given the opportunity.
- the layout and format was clear and easy.
Mostly though… the sender managed my expectations by letting me know how taxing (or not) completion of the survey would be.
If a customer survey is a ‘quick’ survey, I expect it to be. If it is going to take longer than the long cycle on my dishwasher, then I want to know. If I care enough, I might make a cup of tea and take the time to complete it. Businesswomen’s Survey – coming to an inbox near you Right now, I’m working on a new survey for our community members. We want to get a good sense of what the barriers are to doing business and what women in small business need to be more successful. I hope that when the time comes, we’ll have your input and ideas. It won’t be a quick poll… and you may need a cup of tea to enjoy while you’re completing it. But, we promise we’ll take all your feedback on board to provide you a better service. Suzi P.S. If you would like help setting up a customer survey (they can be an science!), speak to Kate Tribe of Tribe Research. She knows surveys!
