| When you have accurate, balanced and worthwhile | | | | saying, "We want you! Your ideas, preferences, and |
| information from your customers, you put yourself | | | | constructive contributions will be evaluated and fed into |
| ahead of your competition in the marketing stakes. | | | | the development process. So tell us about your |
| Here are 6 ways to get this information. | | | | impressions and ideas for the new Beetle. We'll do our |
| 1. Ask Them. The simplest way to find out what | | | | best!" The result? Air-conditioning as standard and |
| people want from your service or product is to ask | | | | optional lighters and ashtrays. Who would have |
| them. That's what the hairdresser does when he says, | | | | guessed? |
| "How would you like your hair, sir?". The trouble is, | | | | 5. Usage Statistics. The most important current |
| most service-providers assume they know what | | | | information on whether your customers are satisfied |
| people want. When hotel customers are asked what | | | | with your service or not is whether they continue to |
| they want for their breakfast and then the waiting and | | | | buy from you or use you. However, while information |
| catering staff are asked what they think the customer | | | | on sales may be an accurate indicator of how well |
| wants, the answers are invariably different. Always | | | | you are doing at present, it is no guarantee that you |
| ask and act on the answers. | | | | are delivering the product or service that the customer |
| 2. Be Your Own Customer. One of the most obvious | | | | really wants. It may be that you are at present the |
| but underused ways to find out what your customers | | | | only supplier in the market, or that you are the |
| experience when they use your service is to be a | | | | cheapest or the most convenient. |
| customer yourself. You can do this by walking the | | | | 6. Your Front-Line Staff. Your front-line staff are the |
| customer journey one step at a time and seeing things | | | | most resourceful and reliable, as well as the least |
| through your customer's eyes. You can even act as | | | | costly, of your customer feedback sources. Front-line |
| one of a special group of customers - such as a | | | | staff should be encouraged to build strong relationships |
| person in a wheelchair, or someone whose first | | | | with customers so that they feel free to share how |
| language is not English - and see how you're treated. | | | | they feel about the service. It is then for front-line staff |
| 3. Focus Groups. Focus groups are representatives of | | | | to feed back important information for improving |
| customers whose job is to provide you with | | | | customer care and for managers to make use of |
| information on their needs and preferences. When | | | | what they tell them. There is also a value in looking |
| Selfridges Food Hall in London's West End used a | | | | after front-line staff. The supermarket chain, |
| focus group to review their customer needs, they | | | | Sainsbury's, discovered a direct connection between |
| discovered that they had three different types of | | | | customer satisfaction levels and front-line staff |
| customer: locals who wanted personal attention; | | | | satisfaction levels. Each year it carries out customer |
| after-work shoppers who wanted convenience; and | | | | surveys and staff surveys. Those stores where |
| tourists who wanted something special. | | | | customer satisfaction is high are invariably the same |
| 4. Questionnaires and Surveys. Getting customers to | | | | stores where staff satisfaction is high. |
| put their thoughts in writing on a questionnaire or | | | | You may deliver the best service in the world. But if it |
| survey is one of the most well-established feedback | | | | is not what people want, you're wasting your time. |
| techniques. That's because, when well-conducted, it | | | | Implement one, two, three or all of the above |
| works. When Volkswagen designed the new Bug, | | | | techniques, and your service and product will improve |
| they sent their existing customers a detailed survey | | | | overnight. |