Surveys are one of the best ways to gather feedback to improve and measure customer satisfaction. One might think that a survey’s goal is to acquire positive feedback, but while positive feedback is a nice confidence boost, does it drive change? No.

How to Handle Negative Feedback 

Business owners should keep in mind that, more than likely, they will have a dissatisfied customer(s) at some point. Consequently, when this happens, one must be open to what is being said and determine if improvement needs to be made or if the suggestion could be something that would allow your business to grow. As Proverbs 15:31 of the New Living Translation says: If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.

The worst thing that a business can do with survey results is – you guessed it – nothing. Whether your results were so discouraging that you believe nothing can be done, or they were so satisfying that you believe nothing needs to be done, you’re not taking advantage of the great opportunity you have been given. We want to show you how to turn your customer results – good or bad – into action.

Ask Your Customers the Right Questions

Useful feedback is rooted in carefully crafted questions, such as those that are asked as essays or open-ended, leaving room for your customers to provide more actionable feedback. A few examples of solid survey questions are:

• How would you improve our product or service?
• If you could change one thing about your experience, what would it be, and why?
• How does our product or service compare to our competitors? 

Analyze the Results

While you evaluate your feedback, getting into a humble and learning mindset is critical. Growth and improvement can’t happen if you only look for responses that tell you how phenomenal your business is. Instead, strive to establish an accurate and genuine understanding of what your customers have to say.

Adjust Your Strategy

When it comes to taking action, there are two key components – your satisfied and unsatisfied customers.

If your survey results show that your customers are overall satisfied with your product or service, feel free to applaud yourself, but don’t stop there. Positive results, such as testimonial quotes or Net Promoter Scores, can be used in your website or social media marketing efforts. Also, don’t forget to recognize staff who go above and beyond as a way to retain your top talents!

Your unsatisfied customers are also a valuable resource. These days, it’s easier than ever for customers to share their experiences with the public, making your response even more critical. An apology can go a long way, but what if you took your apology one step further by turning the issue into an opportunity for improvement? Keep in mind, nobody will be more honest than an unsatisfied customer – making them your best marketing weapon.

Appreciate Constructive Criticism

Listening to your customers is one of the most significant ways to improve your product, grow your business, and foster lasting loyalty. Conducting your customer survey is only the first step – it’s crucial to ensure that results don’t go ignored, humbling yourself to critically analyze the results and adjust your strategy. While it isn’t comfortable, appreciating the constructive criticism and making adjustments provide a valuable opportunity.

My passion for seeing other business owners succeed is one of the driving forces behind my purchase of eAutoFeedback in 2017. I am incredibly proud to lead our committed team helping businesses through this growth opportunity. If you are a business owner, know that we are always here to help you and we are cheering for your success.

 

Laura Olvera, MPA, is President and Owner of eAutoFeedback, LLC, which she purchased from the original owner in 2017. Laura’s background is in office management, business operations, and consulting – with a focus on assisting others through the use of technology and workflow analysis, in order to more effectively address client needs in a professional and timely manner. Her eAutoFeedback clients say they value her hands-on partnership approach and having different survey models to choose from – Email, Kiosk/iPad, or Smart-QR – allows them to also be more versatile in obtaining feedback. Contact Laura to learn more about how they can help you harness the power of customer feedback and create an effective action plan for your business. You can also connect with Laura on LinkedIn.