I was recently sent an online customer survey triggered by the servicing of my car - and it's an occupational hazard I know - but as I navigated my way through the "rate this", check-box style survey, it struck me that my car company had missed a real opportunity to listen to a loyal customer.
Our experience at WebFeat has taught us that, as important as it is to know what customers think, the more important learning is why. I know I’m ranting a bit here – but it’s a huge pet peeve of mine – when I see survey questions assume things about customers that don’t necessarily apply to all. Surveys all-too-often can miss the mark, because the questions being asked aren’t particularly useful or measurable. An example from the car survey comes to mind:
"Based on your service experience, how likely are you to purchase a new model from X Dealership?"
My decision not to buy a newer car model may have nothing to do with the service history of my current car. A more useful and measurable question would be something like:
"Is your service experience a factor of whether you’ll purchase a new model? What else might influence your decision?"
Open text boxes combined with carefully-worded encouragement will ensure more-authentic customer feedback and ultimately allow better customer insight.
This survey – any customer interaction for that matter – represents an opportunity for real customer dialogue, and the chance to capture my perceptions and particular interests as a unique customer. It might interest my car company to know why I still love my six year-old car, and that I’ve recommended owning one to others. Surveys done well, fully leverage the opportunity for personal customer interaction.
First Name basis just isn’t personal anymore
In simpler times, it used to be that communities, business owners and employees could converse face-to-face with customers, and get to know each other on a first name basis –ultimately understanding who their customers were, what they needed, and how to best provide them with relevant products and services. This isn’t quite how it happens today.
Face-to-face connections with customers are becoming scarce and Retailers in particular, must seize every opportunity and explore new methods to get to know their customers more personally. If businesses can find ways to mitigate customer attrition, while at the same time attracting new customers, then drinks all around.
Despites our ongoing challenges with Web 2.0 and Vista (sorry Bill) and all this world wide competition, the age old remains true: business success still relies on meaningful and sustainable relationships with the people we call employees, partners, vendors, and of course, customers. Personal relationships matter.
Addressed Email isn’t personal
More often than not, people assume that an email addressed to John Smith is a contextualized/personalized message. Yes, we can infer that John is somehow personally interested in receiving a newsletter/sales flyer/white paper because he has submitted his name and email address – but my point is that his name at the top is no more personal than addressed admail. Finding out more about John allows for real personalization of a message.
Personal is personal.
Call it what you want, but the “Personal/Relevant/Contextual” is what matters most to customers. And the Internet can help companies learn what makes a customer tick. Learning customer needs, aligning your business efforts to fulfill these needs, and engaging customers in real conversation will arm your business with the context needed to meet their expectations. Every time.
How can you personalize online?
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Don’t just survey, converse – use open-ended questions and text boxes that allow customers to give suggestions, feedback you haven’t thought of. Ensure your survey questions aren’t latent with assumptions. Share customer feedback with other departments.
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Offer preference-based or contextualized messaging – personalize experiences by asking users what they want and need, and then deliver preference-driven messages to them. Have you seen WebFeat’s Empower? (shameless plug)
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Pull, in addition to push – provide alternative experience channels that allow the customer to choose their communication and delivery (i.e. Email, RSS feeds, SMS, Social Network environments).
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Design according to Customer Archetypes – research your customers and develop user personas to differentiate and capture key motivations, patterned behaviours, abilities, perceptions, and needs/goals. Leverage this information when making product and merchandise decisions.
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Qualify your “Customers” – segment your list in multiple ways, including how the person came to be on your list so you can qualify the most appropriate message per where they sit within your customer funnel. Remember: a name on a customer list does not a customer make.
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Analyze your Web Data – recognize that user-generated data is meaningful. By analyzing your customers’ behaviours, attitudes and interests, and applying what you learn to your business, you can better serve them and help yourself.
Book Recommendations:
About Andrea:
Andrea is passionate about Human Psychology and HCI. Together with the WebFeat team, she seeks to create new strategies and methods that can empower companies to gain intelligence about their customers, and ultimately improve their processes, products and services.
With 12 years of Interactive experience, Andrea’s diverse credentials include Finance, Organizational Development, and Sales and Marketing. Andrea joined WebFeat in 2000 from ICE Integrated Communications & Entertainment Inc., and has been a key driver of web strategy for such WebFeat clients as BMO Institute for Learning, Fuji Photo Film Canada, and Universal Pictures.
