Since Kim posted Too Much Too Fast, we’ve received a few questions about customer or client satisfaction surveys. For the record, I think customer satisfaction surveys are more effective when measuring satisfaction over time. For example, you survey at the beginning of a campaign and then at the end to see if you’ve moved the needle. They are not a good starting point for owner-managed businesses – maybe not for any business (although I recognize how some marketers may want a baseline to validate their changes).
But when it comes to actually doing something about falling customer satisfaction, it’s easier for small businesses to keep in touch (and boost satisfaction) using the five tactics Kim wrote about. I prefer to measure customer retnetion – which is the goal, rather than customer satisfaction, which is merely a signpost. A 75% satisfied customer who receives the proper attention is likely to be a 100% retained customer. I hope this helps and keep your questions coming!
