The Importance of Customer Satisfaction Surveys

Successful business owners and managers quickly realise that keeping customers costs less than finding new ones. If certain practices drive customers away, a business repeatedly spends time and money on advertising and other efforts to recruit more. These business owners know that weaknesses in the production or delivery of goods lead to distressed customers, so they use online surveys to collect feedback. Customer satisfaction surveys can become imperative tools for improving your business and ensuring your customers are happy and loyal.

Build your brand

Studies show satisfied clients tend to buy products more often and develop loyalty to a particular brand. They often spread the word by recommending products and services to friends and family as an informal referral process. Customer satisfaction surveys give firms specific information about positive and negative perceptions, which could improve marketing or sales efforts. These perceptions are especially important because of the increased use of social media by people of all ages. One negative comment posted on a social media site could be seen by thousands of potential customers. Angry customers can use unfair criticism and untrue statements to harm a firm's reputation. Repairing the damage or countering false representations could prove costly.

Measure your results

Any customer survey may be rendered worthless unless it creates statistical data that can be scientifically analysed. The first step to developing a meaningful online survey is to establish intended goals and a process for comparing results. Employees responsible for analysing survey results should have some background in statistics to make the survey meaningful. When drafting survey questions, as much detail as possible should be included in the questionnaire, along with an area for independent customer comments.

Update your customers

If survey results lead to a plan to improve weak areas of operation, a follow-up survey can be used to measure whether changes worked. Information can again be analysed and compared to earlier feedback. It is also valuable to let your customers know you're endeavouring to make improvements and to thank them for their help. Customer satisfaction surveys also reveal data that can be used to gauge estimated customer satisfaction rates of competitors.

Keep it personal

In some firms, each unhappy customer is personally contacted in an effort to resolve any problem. Customers who ranked service or goods poorly might be offered discounts in an effort to retain their business. If comments they made on the survey resulted in action to improve customer service, the unhappy client might be informed of changes linked to their responses on the online questionnaire. These personal contacts let customers know their opinions are valuable and taken seriously.

Online surveys are an easy and cost-effective way to find out if your customers are truly satisfied by your service and product, and a happy customer is a loyal one.