Making customer satisfaction surveys of work

Why bother?

Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. Although new customers are important good customer service will help generate customer loyalty and repeat business. With each satisfied customer your business is likely to win many more customers through recommendations and remember, if you're not taking care of your customers, your competition will.

A customer satisfaction survey will help you not only identify problem areas, but also to demonstrate to your customers that you care about and are proactive in finding ways to improve the service provided.

Where to start?

Objective - Before you start compiling your survey you should first consider what the objectives of the survey, so you can stay focused and find it easier to decide what questions to ask.

Analysis - In addition to the objective consider also how they analyze the responses that have completed the survey. Keep in mind that 'closed' questions (where the respondent is asked to choose between a limited number of responses) are easier to analyze than to ask 'open' (in which the defendant may respond in any way they want). Much will depend on the volume of respondents, the greater the volume the most important thing is to have a simple method to analyze the results.

Opportunity - Keep in mind that, in addition to achieving significant market research data customer surveys are also a good way to publicize aspects of your service that customers may not be aware of. After having prepared the survey to read the survey in terms of market research and verify that you are asking the right questions the right way and that with the feedback information to be able to make informed decisions. Then, read the survey in terms of marketing, make sure you have formulated each question so that every opportunity has been taken to promote your business? The ideal question will perform the following three functions: -

Market research - provide valuable feedback to help improve levels of customer satisfaction and in turn your business

Marketing - promote aspects of your business

Information / Education - advertise a service that you expect that your clients may not have been aware of

For example: - There is the shop-changing facilities useful?

With this question not only the store receive good feedback on the facility they provide, but also advertise their baby changing facilities and promote themselves as a family-run store beyond those customers who have a specific need for the service provided.

Good and bad - to benefit more than a customer survey you must be prepared to dig deep and accept the worst. A customer satisfaction survey should be designed to highlight problems so that they can be addressed, the regular customer satisfaction will prevent complacency and also give early warning of where competitors may be losing business initiatives.

What to ask?

Although each company is likely that specific and unique factors that are important in providing good customer services there are common areas that are relevant to all businesses whether it's a physical store, internet based or service sector. Here are some key areas to provide good customer service.

Communication - We make it easy for customers to communicate with you? When a customer telephones is the phone answered promptly, have questions about products or services properly handled? A good deal will make every effort to ensure that any customer query that is solved with the right person, quickly, courteously and fairly. If a problem is not resolvable immediately do you promise to respond in a certain period of time and does not comment on your promise? Use a customer satisfaction survey to confirm that all staff are perceived by your customers as a helpful, courteous and knowledgeable.

Location - Do your customers find it easy to visit you, if a physical store, is conveniently located with easy access?

Pleasant, making it easy - For a virtual tour, it is important to ensure that the site is aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. Physical store or website, is the store properly laid out, can your customers find what they need sufficient information and help available to explain how a particular product?

The right quality products - Not only should you measure the quality of service provided, but you should check that the products and services that the market is what the customer wants and closely match their expectations.

Value for money - Cheap or expensive is not always a good measure, the value of money. Do your customers equate your business with value for money, if not, why not?

Speed ​​and attention - No matter what the business, most customers want to be resolved quickly, but carefully. You are doing everything possible to avoid delays? Good businesses will try to treat every customer as an individual, not yours? Attention is one thing, but this must be hand in hand with a swift and satisfactory resolution of the query.

Demographics and Specific issues - Take the opportunity to profile customers, for example, where they live and what is their age? The more you try to understand your customers the better you will be able to target your business. Within the survey allow customers to highlight the problems and provide specific details.

And after?

After you have completed the survey analyze the results.

Trends - look for the common and specific areas where the service is failing. Ask yourself if the criticism is valid and there is something you can do to solve or minimize the problem?

Training - The staff is properly trained and have sufficient knowledge? In the case of staff training programs have been implemented have had a positive impact on business?

Follow-up-If a client who has completed a survey has raised a specific issue ensure that they are contacted and their complaint. Do not miss the opportunity to solve a problem and keep a customer.

Continuous Monitoring - Make-changes and then measure by issuing further surveys.

The following sample survey customer satisfaction with a store demonstrates some of the areas discussed, please visit: Sample Survey ...