Listening to Customers

I have had the chance to talk with several companies over the last week about their overall customer measurement strategies.  While there is always good conversation about the goals, best techniques, and desired outcomes, there was a new tone that I was hearing. 

“Will the customer enjoy taking the survey?” 

“Will the customer feel like the survey is focused on them?” 

“Will our communication and approach make the customer trust us enough to give us some meaningful feedback?”

We know the goal of a customer survey is to learn how we can improve the customer experience.  What are we doing wrong?  What are we doing right?  Of course we care about the customer, or we would not be making the investment to do the survey.

But we do not always talk about the customer’s feelings while they are taking the survey.  Are the questions focused on what matters to the customer or what matters to us to better take care of the customer?  Do we ask about the steps of making a return (our viewpoint) or whether the return was handled easily (customer’s viewpoint)?  Do we show enough empathy that at the end of the survey the customer will take an extra minute and write us a note about something that has been bothering them, so we have a chance to get better?

I admit, I am guilty of not always giving this enough thought.  On the next survey, I am going to think about ways I can listen to the customer in a little different way, and hope that encourages them to give a little better feedback.

Chris Sego, Vice President