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