While you may have already made it clear for how your customers can provide you feedback, you’re likely going to set up systems that allow for the resolution of a user call or that answer a question, as well as allow your customer to provide feedback on the service you provide. In service management, and when serving your user base, this part of the process is often the most difficult to manage.
Thus, if your hope is to improve continuously though customer feedback, you must keep their feedback flowing. The first part of this process is determining how you get your customers to provide, or keep providing, their feedback? Perhaps we have the answer; what follows are six tips for keeping your customers’ feedback rolling in, ultimately leading to your continuous improvement.
Appoint a customer satisfaction manager
One of the first places to start is by determining who in your organization is responsible for customer feedback. If there is no one assigned to such tasks, you should consider appointing a customer satisfaction manager for the role. The goal of this individual should be to ensure customer feedback is top of mind for those in the organization, and that is tracked and managed. While this person takes the lead on customer feedback, the rest of the department should follow suit and work toward the same goal.
Set up a clear feedback process
Once you have someone assigned to managing the customer satisfaction, you next need to establish a process for getting more input from customers. You also need to implement a feedback process if you want to keep the feedback loop running. Without a process in place, requesting and handling feedback can become fairly unstructured, and if your service desk is experiencing high peak seasons, during those it’s less likely that they will be able to address or collect feedback. If they are able to do so, it won’t be a top priority, but it should be.
Show appreciation for the feedback you receive
Every time feedback is received, you should show appreciation for the person that took the time to provide it. Thank them; compliment them; address their concern. It’s the best way to encourage additional feedback. For example, if you received positive feedback, send the person who provided it a thank you email. If the customer was unhappy with your service, give that person a call to better understand the problem and try to find a way to resolve the future for next time. More on that follows.
Calling your customer
Calling your customer when you are given negative feedback serves two purposes: You want to prove that you understand the customer’s worry, but also helps you figure out what went wrong with the service and what you can do to improve. During the call, try to avoid ending up in a discussion about who’s right. Also, don’t make these calls if the service desk is busy or if you’re having a difficult day.
Transparency rules the feedback process
Sharing feedback reports (scores) within the organization is a great way to prove the value of the feedback you receive. Doing so proves that you care about what people are saying, and ways in which that feedback is driving change for the service department. Plus, doing so also shows your customers that you actually use their feedback, incentive for them to keep providing feedback.
Share improvements
When improvements have been made to your service – especially based on feedback from customers – you must share this information with your customers. This, also, is further proof that their feedback had an impact.
Summary:
Getting Customer Feedback
Six tips for keeping your customers’ feedback rolling in, ultimately leading to your continuous improvement. 1. Appoint a customer satisfaction manager. 2. Set up a clear feedback process. 3. Show appreciation for the feedback you receive. 4. Call your customer. 5. Transparency rules the feedback process. 6. Share improvements.
