Good LSM: Customer Chats

Happy Friday! We’ve got an easy and effective marketing idea for your small business today. We spotted this idea at Whole Foods in Atlanta, GA in November, and completely forgot to post about it!

What a fantastic idea! By setting up a specific time (maybe once a month, or once a quarter) that a customer can come speak with someone who is empowered to act, your loyal customers are more likely to actually give feedback. And, as opposed to an online form or suggestion card that may seem to disappear into the void, this face-to-face communication will help your customers feel heard and respected.

We understand that for small businesses, collecting customer feedback requires a bit more effort than it might for a big company. After all, you don’t have a customer service “team” at the ready to organize feedback and provide solutions.

So, before you begin collecting feedback, you need to ask yourself: what will you do with it? How will you act on what you hear? You must also be prepared to hear some not so nice things about your small business – maybe your prices are too high, or your employees aren’t giving the service they should be. A good idea is to segment the feedback you receive into three categories:

• Quick fixes that can be made within the next quarter
• Actions that will impact your business over the next year
• Game changing ideas to revolutionize your business in the long term

That being said, you don’t have to implement every idea a customer gives you. It’s unlikely that every suggestion will be feasible or appropriate for your business. But, it’s important to let customers that have given feedback know that you hear them, and that you appreciate their suggestions. If you do make a change because of a customer, let that customer know! Close the loop to say, “Thanks for the great idea on _____. Stop by to see your idea in action!”

Lastly, while it’s nice to incentivize your customers to provide feedback, it might not be necessary. It’s likely that your loyal customers just want to have their feedback incorporated into the long term plan for your business because, believe it or not, they want to continue spending their money with you.

How do you get feedback from your customers?