| Sometimes it can feel as though you're alone in | | | | something in return for their opinions. If this |
| the online business world, just trying to guess at | | | | seems to be the case, you may want to offer a |
| what will make your customers happy. It would | | | | discount on their next order or perhaps create a |
| be so much easier if customers would simply tell | | | | sort of contest in which one of the names is |
| you what they want and what they don't want | | | | drawn each day for a prize. If you find that your |
| from your business - wouldn't it? This is why | | | | customers aren't answering your questions, it |
| you're seeing more Feedback options on websites | | | | may just be a matter of giving them something |
| than ever before. But the trick is to encourage | | | | in return for their time - and it doesn't have to be |
| your customers to actually utilize this option for | | | | something substantial either. |
| themselves and for your benefit. Here are five | | | | Make it Fun |
| ways to encourage customers to give you the | | | | Feedback forms that are fun to use are the ones |
| feedback you need. | | | | that will get used more often. Simple multiple |
| Make it Quick | | | | choice surveys are bright and colorful and you can |
| When your customers are asked to provide | | | | see the results of others surveys as well, if they |
| feedback, you shouldn't necessarily give them a | | | | are set up in a certain way. Perhaps when they |
| list of hundreds of questions. While this might | | | | click on a certain answer, they will see a picture |
| seem helpful to you, if a customer has to spend | | | | or they might get a response for their opinion. |
| more than five minutes on a feedback form, | | | | Try to create a feedback form that is interactive |
| chances are high that they will either lie or they | | | | to help engage them and make the time they |
| simply won't fill it out at all. Try to limit your | | | | spend pass quickly. |
| questions to about five to ten questions with | | | | Make it Confidential |
| short or multiple choice answers. You can always | | | | Very often, customers are nervous to give |
| rotate your questions out when you have enough | | | | feedback for fear they will be identified with a |
| answers and then find out the answers to new | | | | negative response. Make sure that you are not |
| questions that come up. | | | | asking for any identifying information, if you can, |
| Make it Easy | | | | to show that you simply want feedback and |
| Feedback forms which are easy to find and easy | | | | aren't going to penalize anyone for something that |
| to use are the ones that will get used more | | | | went wrong during a transaction. Of course, this is |
| often. Place your feedback form somewhere | | | | harder to do when you have a feedback form |
| along the checkout process when people might be | | | | during the checkout process, so you might want |
| waiting for things to happen - the form will pass | | | | to leave the feedback as a separate transaction. |
| the time. Or you might want to create a link in | | | | The value of feedback is difficult to measure. |
| the receipt email that you send to them at the | | | | Feedback can help you find a new direction for |
| end of a transaction. You might also send out a | | | | your business or to choose a new product to sell. |
| short email after the transaction is over to see | | | | On the other hand, you might find out about |
| what their feedback might be. | | | | problems that need to be addressed immediately. |
| Make It Worthwhile | | | | In any case, make sure that you are reading the |
| Of course, some people will want to have | | | | answers and responding to them. |