Do you read email on your PDA before you get out of bed? Do you Twitter in the bathroom? Do you update your Facebook profile while IM'ing and talking on the phone? If this sounds like you, you're probably part of the hyperconnected culture, where multi-tasking communication is the norm. The power switch is always on. An IDC/Nortel study of...
Church of the Customer
You work hard to make sure your customers are happy. Don't waste happy customers. How easy is it for your customers to share with their friends? Learn more
Remodeling customer surveys
Submitted by Church of the C... on Wed, 05/14/2008 - 6:57am.
The other day, a big company sent me an email, asking for feedback about my recent purchase experience.
That's the good news. Even though sites like SurveyMonkey have made it ridiculously inexpensive (and easy) to gather and calculate quantitative customer feedback, I'm rarely asked for feedback. When a request arrives, I always consider it.
The bad news is that this particular company's web-based survey was too long. Some of its questions backed me into a corner. And it didn't ask me the most important question of all: would I recommend them.
I almost gave up after the second question: "How long has it been since you last used our service? Less than 2-3 months, Less than a year, 1-2 years, 3-4 years, More than 5 years." (I continued, knowing it might make for a good blog post.) I couldn't remember the last time I used them, but "I don't know" wasn't an option for that question, nor any others. Memory isn't factory sealed. Besides, what bearing does it have on my recent experience?
I trudged through some 15 pointless questions, dying to give up after each one. The things we do for blogging.
"Would you use us again?" the survey finally asked.
I don't know, I thought. Yes or no were the only answer options.
Well now. The product was good, but the service was pretty bad. If I found a viable alternative, I'd switch. So I answered no. It wasn't the correct answer but backed into a corner, why say yes? The answer is not always binary.
The survey concluded by asking me my age, income, gender, etc. Questions that help ensure survey drop-off rates.
What the survey never asked: If I'd recommend the company, and what I'd say if I did (or how I would recommend against them). This national company, known for its transportation solutions, squandered a free opportunity to understand word of mouth.
Which leads us to what a good survey does to gather valuable customer feedback:
- Its first question is: "Based on your recent experience with us, would you recommend us to your friends, family, colleagues, etc.?" Yes, no, or I don't know are the possible answers. (You could use the Net Promotoer methodology here, too.)
- Based on the answer to question 1, the survey then asks, "Tell us more about the reasons for your previous answer." Then I could select from a pre-determined list of reasons for my answer, or blank boxes for me to write my own.
- It would ask me how I would describe the company and/or my experience to friends and colleagues. Again, a list of possible answers could be presented along with a blank field for my own description.
- Finally, it would ask me how the company could improve. I could rank the importance of specific items or provide my own idea which, who knows, could be the dumbest idea ever or somewhat innovative. Process improvement is a never-ending marathon.
That's it. A short and easy survey based on recommendability. The data are actionable for operations, marketing and human resources, which could tie results to team reviews or if done right, to a key metric any employee can appreciate: compensation.
» permalink | add comment
More happy customers. More repeat sales. More referrals. Learn more
Yes, we're all replicants
Submitted by Church of the C... on Wed, 05/14/2008 - 5:36am.
The Chicago Tribune follows a student at Northwestern University who's a member of Macy's brand ambassador program and tries to paint a scary, Blade Runner-like future: "Lured by free goods and cash, everyday people are talking up products both in public and private, leading critics to envision a world in which every corner of American life is saturated with pitches...
You work hard to make sure your customers are happy. Don't waste happy customers. How easy is it for your customers to share with their friends? Learn more
5 things you need to know about women and word of mouth
Submitted by Church of the C... on Mon, 05/12/2008 - 12:32pm.
Wondering how word of mouth works when marketing to women?
We asked Michele Miller, co-author of the new book "The Soccer Mom Myth: Today's Female Consumer: Who She Really Is, Why She Really Buys" to share five tips for understanding word of mouth and women.
Do women and men differ in they way make recommendations or share information?
Women are three times more likely to share personal stories with a friend than men. Ask any woman how she found her hairdresser, doctor, or favorite wine, and she is likely to tell you that it was from a friend. Women are natural word of mouth spreaders. They are wired that way – with four times as many connections between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, women tap deeply into that area that is responsible for bonding and connecting with others.
What can you do to make increase women’s word of mouth?
Here’s the wrong way to do it: “Sign up three friends and we’ll give you a 15% discount.” This feels like you are asking her to sell out her friends. Instead, change the offer to “You and every one of your friends who signs up will get a 15% discount.” Now she has special access to a discount that she can pass along to friends. You’ve made her the hero. She can offer value to her trusted network. She has just increased her trust and standing.
What about asking women for referrals; good idea, or bad idea?
This is tricky. Because women are such great referrers, it seems logical. If you are doing business with her, and she values your relationship, it may seem perfectly acceptable to ask her for a list of friends who might benefit from your services. But that may not be a good idea, even if she thinks you’re the best thing since Starbuck’s drive-thru. She is the gatekeeper of her relationships. She’s not being stingy, she’s being protective. A better idea might be to give her a few of your business cards and say, “if you know of anyone who might benefit from my service, feel free to give them my card.”
If women talk more than men, how do we avoid bad word of mouth from them?
The “duh” answer is, meet or exceed expectations. The other answer is, communicate clearly and often. If something goes wrong, explain to her exactly why, then do your best to make amends. Basic, fundamental communication can go very far to deflect bad word of mouth.
How can you delight women?
Give her the personal touch. It does not have to be fancy or extravagant (though that’s always appreciated). A personal thank you note mailed the old-fashioned way may be enough to get her attention and touch her heart. Remember her kids’ names, and even more importantly, the names of her pets. Give her a gift she can pass along to family members. A financial advisor for my friend Holly knows Holly has two dogs. Every visit, he sends Holly home with two dog biscuits. He even knows their favorite – Snausages. Holly likes his work but what really endears him to her are the Snausages. It’s a personal touch that makes life better for those she loves.
Interested in a free copy of Michele's book? Go to the Society forWord of Mouth (registration is free) and add a comment expressing yourinterest to this forum post.Deadline for the book giveaway is Friday May 16 at 5 pm CDT. We'llgive 5 copies away (to be drawn randomly).
» permalink | add comment
You work hard to make sure your customers are happy. Don't waste happy customers. How easy is it for your customers to share with their friends? Learn more
Jargon and marketing maturity
Submitted by Church of the C... on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 12:21pm.
There's an inverse relationship between a company's ability to communicate well and its public use of jargon. Facebook is a good example. Smart people run the company, but their communication with the world is usually pretty awful. From my vantage point at a packed coffee shop in Austin this weekend, Facebook's familiar interface illuminated laptop screens on multiple tables. The...
More happy customers. More repeat sales. More referrals. Learn more
