Customer Satisfaction Surveys - Are you using them? Well, you'd better start today if you want to retain your customers and keep them coming back.



If you are a small business owner then you don't have to look too far to come up with ways to increase their sales because their current database is being neglected and dying a slow death. Sooner or later, a major competitor will come into town and lure them all away.

If you are the owner of a business and care to make money, then you'll want to sit up and listen to this. It's better than a pint of your favorite Ben & Jerry's ice-cream.

Find out what your customers want. I know you were expecting something truly revolutionary but let me tell you a little secret: most of your competitors are not doing this.

If you take heed to what I'm about to say...then you will find that it is one of the easiest ways of increasing sales of your products and/or services. Go and ask your customers what is that they want and then give it to 'em.

You can put together a survey asking your customers to let you know what it is that you are doing well and what needs improvement. Believe me, they will be happy you asked.

There are people everywhere who live to fill out those little survey cards and they take it very seriously. This is what you want. This kind of thing will make your customers feel that you appreciate them and the value that they bring to your place of business.

Oh, I can hear some of you moaning already: "I don't know how to conduct a survey. I wouldn't know where to even start." Okay, that's why you've got me leaning over your shoulder giving you instructions on how to get this thing up and rolling. Turn off your instant message box and lean forward, my friend.

Let's pretend you have a pet daycare business for the super-duper affluent folks (just because I want to spend some of their money!).

Some of your services include:

Pooch Massage & Evian Water Treat: Fido gets reika massage fingers running up and down his spine and a big bowl of all he can drink Evian water afterwards.

15 Minute Story Book Time: Pets boarding over night can have mother goose rhymes read to them by a staff - extra $$ if a goose costume is required to be worn by the employee.

Belly-Rub Hour: You pick the time for a staff to spend time with your pet and do nothing but rub its' belly.

Hey, you can laugh and shake your heads all you want but pet parents are serious about their little furry friends and they will beg, borrow, and/or steal to provide them the very best that life has to offer.

I should know as I'm a pet parent myself - proud mommie to the world's greatest boxer girl. Oh, how I love her!

Alright, enough about that.

We were talking about conducting surveys for your pet business (or any business for that matter) in order to give your customers what they want. You can design a feedback card that your customers fill out when they make a purchase.

Ask them to let you know what they think about the pet services you provide and/or what changes in behavior do they notice since Fido has been using them. One of the things you can do is offer a prize drawn every month in exchange for their comments.

I would advise you to take it even further and conduct a phone survey through an independent third party, especially if you are offering high value services or items to learn from your customers the good, the bad, and the very ugly.

This is the kind of thing that will get your customers spreading good word of mouth about your business because it makes them feel great that they are being acknowledged.

They will be more than happy to give you the feedback that you need to provide excellent service and stay competitive. Your competitors are not doing this. Many are lazy and simply don't care about their customers on this level and frankly don't want to do the work necessary.

I need to prepare you to expect your customers to tell you exactly what's on their mind about what they think about your business during the call placed by an independent third party. Why should you hire a third party, you ask?

Well, if you were the one doing the calling....your customers may not be as honest as you'd need them to be but if the survey is being conducted in which they can remain anonymous...people are more likely to express every single problem they may have with your services:

"Fido told me that you cheat him out of his belly rubs - giving him 45 minutes of the one hour required!"

"Kitty has awful flatulence since she's been drinking your water. I specifically asked your staff to give her Evian, you morons!"

Here is another idea: you can also set up an on-line survey where you allow your customers to create anonymous accounts when logging in so they can feel that they can openly share their concerns.

This is excellent research for you and it will save you so much agony from having to come up with your own ideas when it comes to creating new products.

All you have to do is turn to your already existing client base and ask them for their input about what they want by way of product suggestions, new services and/or items they would like.

Once you've read through all the comments and suggestions you will then be able to make smart decisions as to whether or not you want to introduce new products and/or services. You'll have the data to help you improve the areas in your business that you need to immediately focus on.

Also, you'll know exactly what you need to do to increase your profits because your customers will tell you everything and guide you every step of the way to keep your business thriving successfully for a very long time to come - even in a slow economy.

Reason to fear a recession? Your competitors, yes. But not you!