1to1 Magazine
Newsletters
Web Exclusives
Webinars & White Papers
Events
Resources
Are You Listening to Customers Where it Counts?
Over the past few months, I’ve made a few gift purchases from Macy’s jewelry department. Each time, I received excellent service from the customer service reps. And each time, at the end of the purchase, they asked me to go online when I got home to take a survey about the quality service they delivered to me. Although my intention every time was to follow through and note the outstanding service I received, I have yet to take even one survey.
Like most busy consumers, I forget about the experience I have as soon as I leave the store. In which case I ask, why are retailers still missing out on capturing this valuable customer information at the point of sale—when it matters most? Why aren’t companies investing in in-store kiosks so that consumers can log their suggestions and comments immediately after they make their purchases?
Not only does real-time feedback capture more accurate and abundant customer information, but it enables the company to respond to comments, suggestions, or problems right when they happen, allowing store management to resolve any issues before the consumer walks out the door and tells all of her friends about a negative experience and poisons a larger portion of the customer base.
Customer surveys should be a priority for all enterprises. Yes, traditional surveying tools are still helpful in taking the pulse of the enterprise, but real-time feedback goes deeper by providing critical and actionable information. It's an important indicator of whether customers will remain loyal and recommend a company and its products and services to friends and family.
I agree that it may be awkward for the sales associate to ask the questions. Not only would that process hold up the line of customers, but I think people tend to be more honest on surveys when not administered by the person they're asked to score.
At Macy's, I would have been more than happy to spend a couple minutes at a kiosk rating my associate's service.
I also think that the human relationship should be established when the customer walks through the door, and not after the sale.
It would be uncomfortable for a customer to answer questions from the sales clerk about the service. Another idea would be have a few questions after you sign the electronic sales slip. Instead of taping okay, the menu option could ask you to take a survey, yes/no and the next screen could be two or three short questions about the service. This would capture feedback at the time of service, while still fresh and would only hold up the customer another minute or two.
I agree that real-time feedback is key to learning more about the customer, but the kiosk removes the human relationship that could be gained if the person providing the service asks the questions.