When it comes down to improving your business, nothing gets the job done like directly asking the public how they feel. After all, they are the ones you’re catering to with your products and services, and taking the time to find out what their wishes and expectations are will then dramatically enhance your corporate output. Creating a comprehensive customer survey is an effective way of gaining the information that you need for several reasons. Below we will go through why this market research method is one of the most popular around.
Why Send Surveys for Customer Satisfaction
They Promote Customer Loyalty
As the experts will tell you, you’re more likely to gain a future sale from an existing customer than a new one. Thus, you should put some effort into retaining the loyalty of those who have used your products or services in the past. Surveys are a great way to tackle the customer intelligence topic, finding out what the public wants and then encouraging them to come back to your store in the future. They do this by:
- Finding out what they like about your business
- Asking them what they dislike about your operations
- Giving you details on how to encourage repeat sales
These surveys will also improve your visibility as your loyal clients will also promote your business through word of mouth. Thus their loyalty will then spread to others.
They Boost Customer Satisfaction
The way an individual feels about your store is vital to them choosing to make a purchase. While surveys are a great way to find out what you’re doing right, they are also effective at finding out your faults. If you’re doing something wrong, these market research methods give the public the chance to talk to you and vent their feelings. Studies have shown that a dissatisfied customer will still return to the store if their issues are dealt with in a prompt manner. Client intelligence firms give you the ability to create both online and in-store surveys. Once you get feedback through these means, you’ll also need to follow through, contacting those with problems and finding ways to rectify the issues.
They Open Communication Channels
As you can see from the last point, these customer surveys allow the public to vent their feelings about your company. This communication channel works in both ways though, and you can utilise this market research method to inform the public about anything interesting happening with your company. This includes:
- New products lines
- Upcoming promotions
- Branch openings
Since people generally read surveys more carefully than generic advertising material, this is the perfect way to let your audience know about any interesting changes that are about to happen to your business. Thus, they act as more than a simple market research tool; they are also a means of promoting your business in a manner that wouldn’t be possible through more traditional advertising.
They Help You Spot Trends
Lastly, these kinds of surveys help you keep abreast of all the latest changes that are happening in your industry. In order to stay completely up-to-date with all of the developments and trends in your field, opening up communication channels to the public will be a smart idea. Your potential customers know what they want even though these wishes shift over time. Place some surveys in your store and on your website and find out what trends you should be aware of. As one person, it’s difficult to keep updated unless you tap into the intelligence of the general public. More often than not, they’ll help point you and your business in the right direction.
About the Guest Author:
Laura Winter is a freelance writer from Market Force, an international company with plenty of experience in the customer intelligence industry. They offer services such as mystery shopping and customer satisfaction surveys. You can visit them at www.marketforce.com.
5 / 5 stars
