People who succeed in business aren’t afraid to hear feedback from their customers. They actually thrive off of it. So, what does this tell us about people who don’t want to listen to feedback? It says that they probably won’t be in business very long.
Feedback is an intricate part of performing well in business, because it gives a platform for people to express their needs, and it also gives you the chance to meet those needs. Only 4% of dissatisfied customers give businesses a chance to make it right, so making it easier for customers to give feedback is a necessary measure to grow.
Only 4% of dissatisfied customers give businesses a chance to make it right. Share on XThe easier you make it for people to give feedback, the more often you’ll gain the opportunity to make things right. Forget only hearing from 4% of people. Try hearing from at least 50% of people who experience your service or product when you build this bridge of feedback.
So, how can you make giving feedback easier?
There are so many ways to implement this into your own business, but the method I want to focus on is e-mail. Keep your inbox open, and stop complaining about getting emails. That’s right. If I had a dollar for every time I heard a CEO or entrepreneur complain about the amount of emails they get, I’d be able to retire on the mountain of money that their complaining produced. What most don’t understand is that each email represents a person with a question, a voice, an issue, a problem, a concern, and these emails give each of us an opportunity to meet the needs of others. If that’s what this whole leadership thing is about, I want to be available for it — don’t you?
I saw this idea take place recently when I made a purchase from Apple. One of the most successful companies in the world made sure to grab my email address before the transaction was completed, not so they could send me promotional items, but so they could follow-up with me two days later to make sure that my experience met and exceeded my expectations. Coincidence? No way. They sent an email, I gave my opinion, and I went on with my day. They gave me a chance to be heard, they took the time to listen, and even though the email was automated, I felt that my feedback was valued. You and your business can only become better once you open the door for this necessary conversation to take place.
You and your business can only become better once you open the door for feedback to take place. Share on XShould each negative comment control your existence, though? It’s a “no” again. The only reason to gather feedback is to give a glimpse into how customers perceive your business. Once there is a majority of customer perception tallied, then you have enough survey feedback to do something constructive with. Until then, you are handling customer needs on an individual basis.
If you create a dialogue for feedback to take place, you’ll get it. If you don’t allow for feedback, very rarely will your customers push their demands on you. Instead, they’ll go somewhere else where their needs are met. This information should cause you to pause for a moment, and at least question if you’re giving ample room for people to voice their questions and concerns.
This being said, don’t ever let your ego get in the way of meeting the needs of others. That’s very dangerous territory for any business to find themselves in. A huge ego will destroy any good momentum that could ever take place from hearing honest feedback, even if it is honest. Trust me, you need to hear honest, negative feedback, over positive, untruthful feedback; it’s the only way to become better. Surround yourself with people who will speak truth, and when a majority points out a specific problem, listen to their feedback and take the time to fix it.
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