Customer satisfaction: Stop asking so much!

Are you tired of being asked questions regarding your satisfaction and expectations? I know I am.

I am tired of completing questionnaires, providing feedback and answering surveys connected to whether I recommend the company, am satisfied, etc.

The main reason companies bombard us with this and send these out is that there is much buzz about how valuable customers are and that these are times of being customer-centric. But only a few have a plan for what to do with the response.

My reason for responding to them is that, as a customer, I want them to understand how it is to be me and that the suggestions I send back are based on my experiences as a user and a customer.

I want them to grasp the feedback and that they want to use my input and response to improve, modernise and most of all, to show more interest in me.

My advice to companies that send out surveys like this is:

But, first, could you decide why you are asking me and explain that to me?

When asked about my expectations, I am amazed by how little these companies know about who I am. And do these companies believe that people are that different when it comes to expectations, habits and behaviour? 

• Could you tell me in advance what I can expect back after I send my response or answers?
• Only ask me if you have a plan for the following: 
  • What to do with the feedback
  • When to do that, and 
  • A decision on who is responsible.
• Always get back with the prioritisation based on my and other respondent's feedback.
• Do say thank you.

People are easy to figure out and understand; we have high expectations and compare differently based on our experiences.

I want to tell a short story to share my advice on what you think about when asking about my expectations. 

The most common answers from people when they are asked about what they expect from companies are:

• Speed
• Convenience
• Knowledgeable help
• Friendly service

So, my final advice is: 'Only treat customers like you want to get treated.'

Do you agree? Let's discuss this; please book a meeting with me.