Customer feedback is an essential part of a thriving business. Not only does it help leaders better understand what is working well within the organization, it also serves to reveal what changes need to be made in order to continually attract and retain customers long term.
While the benefits of feedback are well-known, effective methods to gather it are less so, causing many businesses to make avoidable mistakes when seeking input from their customer base.
As experts, the members of Forbes Business Council are familiar with the strategies that should be used to effectively collect feedback. Below, 12 members share common mistakes companies make when attempting to get feedback from customers and what leaders should do instead.
1. Not Being Customer-Centric
When businesses ask for feedback, it should not come from a generic source and it should not be focused on the business benefiting from it. In order to get better results, the key person who handles customer relationships should be the one approaching each customer for feedback and the focus should always be on helping the business be better known in order to help the business succeed. – Raquel Gomes, Stafi
2. Not Diversifying How Feedback Is Gathered
One common mistake companies make when seeking customer feedback is relying solely on surveys or feedback forms. Instead, business leaders should consider more interactive methods such as focus groups, user testing or social media listening to gain deeper insights and build stronger relationships with customers. – Ran Ronen, Equally AI
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3. Not Asking Unbiased Questions
One common mistake companies make when collecting feedback is asking leading or biased questions. Instead, they should ask open-ended questions and actively listen to customers’ responses. This will provide more insightful and genuine feedback. – Daniel Danino, Volta Metals
4. Not Creating Safe Spaces To Share
Some businesses do not create the right space for authentic feedback to occur. Often, companies ask for feedback when they need a customer to do something for them like make a referral to another potential customer or support some other initiative at the company. These occasions do not always provide the best opportunity to obtain feedback that is relevant or actionable for the company itself to change anything. – Troy Wray, Institute for Development Impact – I4DI
5. Not Being Upfront About Wanting Feedback
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is not coming out and just asking for feedback. Ask customers where you excelled and what you could have done better, listen to both the good and the bad and then, most importantly, change things to make improvements. Many people that do get feedback never implement anything. – Todd Price, Perimeter Roofing
6. Not Making Any Changes
Many businesses ask for feedback but then make no changes. In other words, no follow-up mechanism is in place to address feedback. If you are going to ask for feedback, the customer will expect something to change. You have to be willing to do something that shows them you’ve listened; otherwise, customers will become frustrated. – Rocky Romanella, 3SIXTY Management Services, LLC
7. Not Being Open To Feedback
Good businesses will be open to and have systems in place to welcome feedback. This allows them to be dynamic and make improvements to products and services for customers and employees continually, not only when things go wrong. Build a culture of honesty and communication, value differences in opinions and listen to understand the perspective of others. – Chris Coldwell, Quicksilver Software Development Inc
8. Not Embedding Feedback Throughout The Customer Journey
Ensure that it’s clear that customer feedback will make the product better and isn’t just for “show.” Don’t design everything in a silo and then suddenly ask for feedback at the finish line. Instead, along the development journey, ask repeatedly for feedback (good and bad) and include decision makers within your organization in those conversations, too. – Tyler Christiansen, Funnel
9. Not Making Feedback An Easy, Accessible Process
A common mistake companies make is not making the feedback process easy and accessible for customers. To address this, companies can use simple and user-friendly survey tools, provide incentives for participation and offer various feedback channels. Additionally, businesses should ensure they communicate how the feedback will be used and show appreciation for customer input. – Mark Snell, Polestar Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning
10. Not Asking Specific Questions
One common mistake companies make when attempting to get feedback from customers is using vague or generic questions that don’t provide actionable insights. Instead, they should ask specific questions that are relevant to the customer’s experience and provide a clear understanding of their needs. Using multiple feedback channels can also increase response rates and improve the quality of feedback. – Matthias Walter Eser, ESER Capital Vermögensverwaltung GmbH
11. Not Providing Context Or Purpose
A mistake companies make is asking for feedback without any context or purpose, making it feel like a chore for customers. For better results, leaders should set clear objectives, use specific and targeted questions and make it easy for customers to provide feedback in a convenient way for them. This helps build trust and engagement, leading to more valuable insights and stronger relationships. – Johan Hajji, UpperKey
12. Not Making Feedback An Ongoing Process
Getting feedback is an ongoing process, not a quarterly event. There should be a streamlined process for salespeople to consistently get feedback from customers, as well as a consistent way of collating and filtering the feedback. When the account executives ask their customers “How are you?”, they should be looking for real and meaningful answers. – Tamara Kostova, Velexa
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