You’ve likely experienced it before: a company asking for feedback at the most inconvenient time or bombarding you with endless questions. It’s far from enjoyable. Many companies are hesitant to request feedback because they don’t want to irritate their customers. But rest assured, asking for feedback doesn’t have to be annoying at all. In this article, we share 6 tips to help you gather feedback in a way that keeps the process irritation-free.
Timing might be the most crucial factor when asking for feedback. Is a customer frustrated while waiting for a delayed order? Then you certainly don’t want to send an email asking, “How do you like your purchased product?” By setting up your feedback tool intelligently, you can avoid requesting feedback at inconvenient times. For instance, send your feedback request automatically based on specific triggers, such as when an order has been successfully delivered. Alternatively, implement a delay between the purchase and the feedback request.
The channel you choose for your feedback request is equally important. You can send your request via email, WhatsApp, social media, or in-app messages, each with its own advantages. For instance, email is suitable for more detailed questions, while a brief WhatsApp message might be better for a quick check-in. Different groups also have their own channel preferences, so it’s wise to investigate which channels your customers prefer. Experimenting with various channels is recommended. It’s also possible to use multiple channels simultaneously (cross-channel), which increases the likelihood that customers will respond to your feedback request.
It’s crucial to ask questions that align with the situation the customer is in at that moment. Right after a chat with customer service, a customer is likely still willing to provide feedback, but that willingness may significantly decrease a day later, as they are already focused on other things. By concentrating on the right timing and context, you increase the likelihood that customers will actually respond to your questions. Automation can play a significant role in this process. With the help of automatic triggers, you can, for example, send a feedback request immediately after an interaction, such as the conclusion of a chat session or the receipt of an order.
If you ask for feedback too frequently, you risk irritating your customers, which is something you want to avoid. Here, too, you can leverage smart rules in your feedback tool. For example, set limits on how many surveys a customer can receive within a specific period. Some feedback tools (such as Insocial) also offer cross-channel customer recognition. This ensures that a customer only receives one survey, even if they are asked the same question through two different channels within a short timeframe.
No one enjoys filling out lengthy questionnaires. Therefore, don’t ask too many questions, and keep them short and to the point. Additionally, use clear language and avoid jargon. The easier you make it for your customers, the more likely they are to be willing to provide feedback the next time.
Following up on feedback is just as important as collecting it. Show your customers that you value their opinions by letting them know what you’ve done with their feedback. This could be through an email explaining the changes you’ve implemented based on their suggestions. By doing this, you demonstrate that you take their input seriously and that their opinions truly have an impact. This increases the likelihood that they will be willing to provide feedback again in the future.