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