How to best use social media for customer feedback
Q. Social media and the internet have changed how business is conducted. What advice does BBB provide businesses regarding social media and customer feedback?
A. In business, we often become so focused on what we want to say about our product or service that we fail to actively listen to the customers. This is a big mistake that can have long term negative impact on a company’s sustainability. When a business carefully listens to its customers, it can use what it hears to strengthen its business strategy and marketing message. When businesses do so, they better position their organization to attract new customers and grow.
It’s important for companies to develop good listening skills. The ability to know or predict what customers need gives a business an advantage over competitors.
BBB provides the following tips on how to listen well:
› Train your employees.
An employee who provides exceptional customer service is priceless. Teach staff how to be good listeners so that they can pinpoint customer needs and desires and help your company to cater to them more effectively.
› Create opportunities for feedback.
Whether you provide your customers with follow up emails, comment cards, or face to face conversations, getting feedback from them will allow you to get better insight into how they really feel about your business. For tips on how to gather customer feedback, go to bbb.org.
› Pay attention to online reviews.
In this day and age, customer reviews are a very influential part of growing a business. While advertising is an important tool for creating business awareness, customer reviews are also a way to increase exposure and customer confidence through an objective third party endorsement. Not only do customer reviews help businesses acquire more customers, but positive reviews can help protect a business’ online reputation. According to the Harvard Business Review, online peer-to-peer reviews are powerful because they give customers a good sense of what it’s like to use your goods or services. Businesses should make sure they have claimed their company’s BBB review report to ensure that information is correct.
› Turn negative feedback into positive experiences.
If you are in business, you know that you will never be able to make everyone happy all of the time. It’s important, however, that you listen for negative feedback and address those issues, keeping in mind that it is never appropriate to be rude or mean-spirited. A global study reported that for every person who complains, there are 26 who do not, so even one grievance is significant. However, if you see a pattern of complaints, you may have a serious problem and likely need to examine your internal operations. Go to bbb.org for tips on how to respond to negative feedback.
› Use your findings to make your business better.
Use the information you gather from customer reviews, focus group results, comment cards, and questionnaires to create an experience that creates devoted customers, and this can lead to exponential growth. Encourage satisfied customers to visit your BBB business review report and post a positive review. BBB invites consumers to post positive reviews; this is opportunity to express thanks for a good product or service excellence.
Jim Winsett is president of the Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga.