It is important to conduct customer service surveys periodically. It is a direct way to gain feedback from your customers and believe it or not your clients will actually appreciate that you are asking for their opinion. The feedback that you receive will help you improve your business. Surveys can include questions on:
> Customer service experience from phone to greeting to check out and close of service
> Decor, ambiance, atmosphere
> Cleanliness
> Actual service
> Communication
> Marketing and promotions
> A new product line
> Just about anything else that you would like to know about your clients
Keep your survey short and to the point. I tell my clients to create postcard-sized “mini” surveys that change every six to eight weeks to coincide with normal client visiting patterns. When the survey is this short you can ask your clients to quickly fill it out while they are waiting or checking out. You will only have their attention a short period of time, so keep it brief. You can always offer an incentive for clients to fill out a survey such as product discounts, dollar amounts off of a service, etc. E-mailing a survey or creating pop-up surveys that sit on your website are also beneficial to capture client opinions. (SurveyMonkey is a good option for survey software.)
Remember, keep it brief and listen to your customers. They are your best asset.
— Steve Gomez is a professional development manager at Milady .