Finding out if your customers are satisfied

We all depend on our customers for our survival but in order for your business to thrive you need highly satisfied customers. It is critically important that you keep in touch with how customers are responding to your products and services. One of the best ways of doing this is to conduct a customer satisfaction survey.

The best time to conduct a customer satisfaction survey is when the experience is fresh in their minds. However there is some real benefit in conducting an annual survey that ensures you are gathering feedback from your key customers in a structured way.

Here are some tips in designing a robust customer satisfaction survey.

Check out general satisfaction

Include survey items that go to the essence of whether or not your customers are satisfied. e.g. How satisfied are you with the service you received?

Probe for loyalty

Also include survey items that test out whether you have created a sense of loyalty in your customers e.g. Would you recommend us to others?

Ask the hard questions

Don’t forget to ask customers in fact what they did not like about their experience with your company.

Include questions that drive customer satisfaction

There is a wealth of research around that identifies the key drivers of customer satisfaction e.g.technical knowledge, responsiveness and courtesy. Make sure you include these and other items that have a high correlation with customer satisfaction.

Use an Importance Scale

As well as asking about your performance ask customers to rate each item as to it’s importance. The gap between importance and importance will give you a basis for action.

Ask for comments

Include the opportunity for your customers to expand on their views as well as using rating scales. Comments can give you a more in depth understanding of satisfaction levels

Once you have received the results it is important to analyse them in terms of identifying the key messages your customers are giving you. Most importantly act on the results sooner rather than later.