Editor’s note: Shannon McCrocklin is a marketing specialist at research firm GeoPoll and is based in Denver. This is an edited version of a post that originally appeared under the title, “How survey research improves customer experience.”
Whether your business has hit a plateau or you’re actively seeking ways to improve, the best route to take is often unclear. You may make a change that your customers don’t like, taking the wrong track altogether. You can guess-and-check what your consumers want over and over but that will cost your company some serious time, money and headaches. Surveying your consumers is a more effective route for understanding where their pain points are. From there, an effective road map for improvement is easier to develop. In this article, we will discuss the reasons why survey data is critical to improving customer experience and the overall health of your business.
Survey data makes customers feel valued
Too many businesses focus the bulk of their attention on sales numbers. Though revenue and cash flow are important, a company is nothing without the people that rely on its services.
Asking a customer for their input shows that their opinion is valued by the company and makes them feel that their voices are heard. This extra level of interaction is a key way to convert leads and earn the favor of existing customers. According to a study by Oracle, 74% of the tech giants’ senior executives claim that customer experience has a direct impact on a customer’s loyalty. The more involved your clientele, the more likely they are to pay for your services in the future. It might be a cliché, but it’s true – it’s always cheaper to maintain existing customers than it is to find new ones.
Survey data shows what’s working (and what isn’t)
Many of the setbacks holding your business back are difficult to pinpoint. It can be deeply frustrating when you feel your organization has checked all the boxes but something is still not quite right. Instead of agonizing over the unknown, conducting a survey will help the pieces fall into place.
Ultimately, a business’ decisions and strategies don’t always resonate with their consumers. The latest promotion might be a flop, or the website redesign might make navigation difficult. A carefully crafted survey will reveal problems that you may not have known existed. Don’t just guess what the setback is – ask. Surveys that touch on each part of the customer journey will reveal what your consumers don’t like and, more importantly, why they don’t like it. With this new information, businesses can design an experience that best fits customer preferences.
Survey data tracks negative experiences
Problems that dampen (or altogether ruin) a customer’s experience aren’t always systematic. In many cases, issues that push consumers away are one-and-done situations. Whether it’s a rude customer service operator or a missed delivery, these missteps can grow into a much bigger setback.
Don’t turn your nose up at these little things. Up to 95% of consumers share negative experiences they’ve had with an organization, while only 87% share their positive experiences. It’s not just the individual customer who will stay away – it’s their friends and family, too. It’s best to nip any complaints in the bud before they begin to tarnish your business’s reputation. Survey data is an excellent tool to monitor bad experiences and identify negative patterns as early as possible.
Untapped knowledge
If your organization isn’t taking advantage of survey data, your team is missing out on a wealth of untapped knowledge. Surveys tell you what you’re doing wrong, what you’re doing right and how you can do things better. Your customers might not have the experiences you think they are, and you’re only holding your organization back by keeping it in the dark.