The Unsung Hero of Business Success
Today, we’re diving into an often-overlooked, yet pivotal topic: customer surveys.
While they may seem like a minor detail, customer surveys are actually a treasure trove of insights that could be the key to unlocking your business’s potential. Don’t underestimate the power of a well-crafted questionnaire; it’s one of the most direct channels you have to understand what makes your customers tick, and, more importantly, click.
The Why: Do Customer Surveys Even Matter?
Let’s start with the basics. You’ve put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into your business (mostly sweat, we hope). Your product or service is like a child to you, and it’s natural to think you know what’s best for it. But hold that thought.
Your customers—the people actually using what you’re selling—are the real experts on whether your product or service is hitting the mark. And they’re not shy about saying what’s working and what’s not. The question is, are you listening?
By conducting customer surveys, you give yourself the invaluable opportunity to listen to your customers’ raw, unfiltered opinions. This is essential for ensuring that you’re meeting their needs and resolving any issues that may lead them to look elsewhere. Believe me, “elsewhere” is not where you want your customers to go!
The What: Some Examples of Customer Satisfaction Surveys
There’s a multitude of ways to gather customer feedback, each with its own merits. Here are a few of the most popular customer surveys:
1. JackListens.com – Jack In The Box Survey
- Survey Reward: Free Food – 2 Free Tacos or BOGO Offer
- Check out jacklistens.com to get started.
2. DQFanFeedback – DQ Customer Survey
- Survey Reward: Free Dilly Bar
- Check out dqfanfeedback.com to get your free dilly bar.
3. TellCulvers.com – Culvers Guest Survey
- Survey Reward: Free Ice Cream
- Go to tellculvers.com to take the survey and get free ice cream.
4. TellTheBell.com – Taco Bell Guest Survey
- Survey Reward: Enter to win $500 cash!
- Go to tellthebell.com to take the survey and get your chance to win.
5. McDVoice.com – McDonald’s Guest Survey
- Survey Reward: Take the survey and get free food!
- Go to mcdvoice.com to take the survey and get your free food.
The How: Customer-Driven Improvements
Let’s say you’ve collected the data. What now? How can customers play a role in improving your product or service?
Real-Life Applications:
- Product Features: If 60% of your respondents wish your software had a night mode, it might be time to pull some late shifts and make that happen.
- Pricing Models: Too many complaints about pricing? Time to revisit and potentially restructure.
- Customer Support: If customers aren’t happy with your response time, you know it’s time to scale up your customer support team.
- Marketing: Are customers finding you through social media rather than your expensive PPC campaign? Reallocate those resources!
- UX/UI: Difficult navigation can be a deal-breaker. Fix this, and you could reduce the bounce rate dramatically.
The Endgame: Lasting Customer Relationships
Don’t look at customer surveys as a one-and-done deal. Continually gathering and acting on customer feedback can help refine your product, elevate your service, and ultimately build long-lasting customer relationships.
And remember, the customer is always—well, usually—right.
Until next time, keep listening to your customers, and keep striving for better.
Happy surveying!