By
The Editors
|
Date Published: March 09, 2011 - Last Updated March 24, 2020
|
Comments (1)
It’s no big secret that the power in a customer-business relationship usually lies with the customer. They decide which products or services they want to buy or whether to go to a competitor, and the customer service they experience from a company often plays a part in those decisions. Therefore, it is more than worthwhile to take the time and find out what customers have to say.
One of the best ways to listen to the all-important voice of the customer is by implementing customer satisfaction surveys. Doing so can provide the feedback about your organization’s customer service that you otherwise might be missing. For instance, a customer satisfaction survey can let you glimpse how customers view your company’s offerings, provide customer insight about competitors, and allow you to see what they think about your customer service operations.
Customer satisfaction surveys allow companies to view the unfiltered impressions, whether positive or not-so-positive, about the service the customer experiences. Such in-depth data provides the important information that is integral to improving products and services. Survey results also give companies the opportunity to gain a better understanding of their customers themselves and their changing needs and perceptions.
An emerging trend with customer satisfaction surveys is to use sample segmentation when performing the surveys. With segmentation, surveys can be directed at a specific type of customer, allowing the company to see how different demographics respond to the company’s offerings.
Whether using segmented surveys or not, the benefits of customer satisfaction surveys are clear. And companies looking to implement them will have several options with which to carry them out. They can be done through a variety of mediums, such as IVR, Web, or phone. Additionally, they can be performed in-house or by hiring an outside company to conduct the surveys, all depending on budget and how much customer information is desired.
We live in an age where customers are more than willing to share their experiences with friends, family and the social media world. So it’s not surprising that they may be just as willing to share their experiences with the company itself – as long as they are asked.
For more information on customer satisfaction surveys, see the article Sample Segmentation: Focusing Satisfaction Surveys for Sharper Insights.