The relationship between customer satisfaction and success of a service business is a direct one. Customer satisfaction measurement, however, is a much more complex matter. Customer satisfaction is a qualitative assessment of the services you provide, and therefore it is a surrogate measure of the value of your services to your customers.
The measurement method you choose can make makes a difference to the results obtained. Your motivation for measuring customer satisfaction will drive both your methodology for collecting the data, and what you do with it.
Client satisfaction data can be collected for:
Be clear about why you are collecting satisfaction data; to deliver a good report card (a primary motivation of units in a large corporation or public sector entity, or for businesses which are required to meet certain standards), or to diagnose and manage continuous improvement.
For a good report card, measure general satisfaction using a once-a-year survey. Every business wants a good report card, but that will not help you improve your performance. To obtain useful data you need to measure client satisfaction with specific attributes of your service at the time of the transaction.
Some tips:
Finally, never forget that emphasis on satisfaction of current customer demands can inhibit the development of innovations that can meet the future, or current, but unstated, demands of those same customers. That's why you need to keep talking to them.
Try the one question survey: pick a question for a period of time and include it in every conversation you have with a client.
Jennifer Cram is a sought-after civil celebrant based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She has also has 30 experience as a manager in the public sector and has published numerous papers on measuring service performance. For more information http://www.jennifercram.com and http://www.alia.org.au/~jcram/
Copyright © 2005 Jennifer Cram. You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.
The buzz is all about customer service and call center... Read More
On a recent airline flight I was an upset... Read More
The primary objective of a business is to get and... Read More
Different people call their Customers by different names. If they... Read More
Customer support is very important when you're running a business,... Read More
In my day to day practice in strategic human resource... Read More
Outsourcing seems to be the new-new thing and approximately 50%... Read More
7:00 a.m., the silence in the house is broken by... Read More
You've been going 6-to-late; exhausted by running the supersonic treadmill... Read More
The defintion of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) that I favor... Read More
Customer Service is a blessing and a curse; a blessing... Read More
When was the last time you received a handwritten note... Read More
There are five techniques that have been proven to be... Read More
When you make a mistake with a customer, should you... Read More
Winning Customer ExperiencesMuch research has been done on what the... Read More
Anyone who knows me knows my favorite fast food restaurant... Read More
Remember trading stamps? If you're over 40, chances are you... Read More
It's The Little Things That Make or Break a Small... Read More
A few months ago, I wrote about ingenious styles of... Read More
A growing number of individuals are finding themselves called to... Read More
Those of us in home based and small businesses are... Read More
Looking for hi-fi computer peripherals? Finding it tough to decide... Read More
Even the best business will receive an occasional customer complaint.... Read More
In order to maintain a successful business, the business must... Read More
"Society is always taken by surprise at any new example... Read More
In a mobile detail or mobile car wash business you... Read More
It all started a couple of weeks ago when a... Read More
Quest for new clients shouldn't ignore those who pay the... Read More
If you're like me, you've had plenty of experience with... Read More
How often have you left a meeting with a customer... Read More
Q: One of the big chain bookstores recently opened up... Read More
Recognize metaphors from every angle and round up more insight... Read More
One thing all successful small business owners have in common... Read More
Note to Kmart: It wasn't about the weatherIn the 1970s... Read More
Customer service today is getting worse. Win customers over and... Read More
When all else fails in your company to meet the... Read More
The other day a reporter call to interview me on... Read More
I returned a rental car at an airport yesterday. As... Read More
If there was a restaurant in your town that was... Read More
Some time ago a major UK food retailer decided to... Read More
Customer retention is vital to a business. If you cannot... Read More
Traditional marketing strategies encourage business owners to continually grow their... Read More
- Excerpt from Richard Saporito's latest e-book "How to Improve... Read More
In today's highly competitive economy, it is difficult to maintain... Read More
If you're like me, you've had plenty of experience with... Read More
It's a salesperson's worst nightmare- the phone call that comes... Read More
Are wholesale buyers and retail customers really different? Frankly, there... Read More
"Right, People. Let's blast out that mail campaign we've been... Read More
When you own a business, you may find yourself in... Read More
The best way to explain this concept is to tell... Read More
When was the last time you received a handwritten note... Read More
1) Being placed on hold endlessly. Don't you just love... Read More
Have you ever wondered why you often find a coupon... Read More
Landing a new client is like courting a potential spouse.... Read More
In order to maintain a successful business, the business must... Read More
At 8.30 am a wealthy client (on his way to... Read More
Good customer service just isn't enough anymore in the marketplace... Read More
Every customer looks for 3 special benefits when they do... Read More
With customers being smarter, more cost conscious, more product knowledgeable... Read More
The primary objective of a business is to get and... Read More
$350 million in bad checks are written each and every... Read More
Our most powerful instinct is to avoid customer complaints, but... Read More
Would you like to have customers that stay with you... Read More
From Ebay to the smallest home-operated start-up, e-businesses of all... Read More
What do you do when your client gets mad at... Read More
A growing number of individuals are finding themselves called to... Read More
Customer Service |