What is your Why?

Before we work out the best ways of generating customer feedback, let’s first think about what you’re aiming to achieve by collecting it: the ability to gauge whether your audience understand the purpose of your business.

Your Why is the reason your business began and the vision that drives it forward.

I wrote in December about how important it is to know your Why, and how it can get lost amongst the running of a business.

Examples of a business’s Why could be:

– A café aiming to feel like a community hub

– A service business positioning itself as stress-free and reliable

– A retail brand focused on sustainability

If you’re not sure how to work out what your Why is, then make sure you head to last month’s blog to help.

The problem: customers may not understand your Why …

We know that being clear on your business’s vision and purpose is key to achieving its goals.

However, communication issues can arise.

Customers judge businesses not through knowledge of a company’s intentions, but through the interactions they have with that company or organisation.

Small details shape the perception of a business.

Imagine a business which creates bespoke items. Their purpose and Why is to provide a service which is premium and personalised – but along the way, their slow communication and long response times leave customers feeling that the company is simply expensive and sluggish.

How does the owner realise that this is how their company is being seen, and close the perception gap?

Through generating customer feedback.

Why Generating Customer Feedback Is So Powerful for Small Businesses

Every business owner has felt that sinking feeling when they see a bad review or hear negative comments about their products and services.

But the key to riding that storm is to reframe feedback in your mind as a growth tool, rather than as criticism.

By generating customer feedback more regularly you can build a picture of how your audience see your business, which has huge benefits:

Feedback confirms what you’re doing right

Customer feedback will reveal which elements of your Why are landing well and allow you to lean into these strengths as a result.

Feedback identifies hidden friction

Customers often notice issues which are overlooked by business owners and help to identify easy fixes which lead to big improvements.

Feedback builds customer loyalty

Everyone values being heard and giving feedback to a business you’re invested in creates a personal link, especially when it brings change.

Feedback reduces guesswork

It can be easy to wonder whether the changes you’ve made are making a difference. Why not find out?

Generating customer feedback allows future decisions to become evidence-based rather than led by assumptions.

How feedback helps translate your Why into reality

So, how does generating customer feedback directly help to bring your Why to life?

It’s best explained in a series of steps.

1. Define your Why, and the intended customer experience.
2. Ask customers to share their actual experience.
3. Compare the two.
4. Adjust your operations and communications accordingly.
5. Keep measuring to track how you’re doing!

It’s an ongoing, long-term process of refinement and measuring which will eventually lead to your intended Why being the experience of your customers too.

For example, a business with a Why of being friendly and approachable in its industry may receive feedback that customers feel unsure of how to contact the company.

It therefore implements clearer calls-to-action and faster response times and continues to refine this process until customer feedback gives positive reviews which are in line with the company’s Why.

Simple Ways to Collect Feedback

Generating customer feedback doesn’t need to be complex.

Here are some practical, low-effort methods to find out more about your clients’ experience:

• Short post-purchase email questions
• Quick Google review requests
• One-question surveys
• Social media polls
• Casual in-person conversations
• Website feedback forms

It’s best to ask specific questions, for example ‘what almost stopped you from buying?’, or ‘how would you describe us to a friend?’.

Then it’s time to turn your feedback into action – the step that most businesses skip.

How to turn customer feedback into real change

Getting reviews isn’t the end goal, although most companies tend to stop there.

Through my work with countless businesses, I’ve identified three key principles that will help you to action your feedback and make the changes that your customers want to see.

1. Look for patterns, not one-off opinions. Anecdotal evidence can feel compelling but wait until you see trends so that you know you’re not just listening to the loudest voices.
2. Categorise feedback by topics such as experience, communication, products and pricing. This will enable you to think clearly about the key areas of growth needed.
3. Communicate improvements back to customers. This will enable the feedback loop to continue, as customers feel heard when they see their opinions change your actions, and then give feedback again in future.

Are you ready to respond to customer feedback?

If you’re ready to action customer feedback and help your clients to be sure of your Why, you’re in the right place.

Later this year we’re launching The Reality Check, an audio series which will help you to become realigned with your Why and make sure your customers know what makes your business tick.

If you want to get a head start on assessing how well your Why is being perceived, but you’re not sure where to start, then get in contact today and ask for my tips on generating customer feedback and finding your Why.