This introductory article discusses the importance of receiving consumers' feedback positive or negative to improve in your business dealing with your customers and prospect.
Consumer behaviour is dictated by the outcome of the relationship with the company or a person that could result in customers' or prospects' satisfaction or dissatisfaction.
The latter suggests that a positive relationship between the company and the consumers should exist because of its effect on consumers' satisfaction. This evidence is well supported in varied literature and empirical research in the subject matter have been carried out by academic, specifically in the service marketing literature.
Several mediums to obtain feedback information has been devised either manually or digitally, part of a system to acquire consumers opinion on service provision or product purchase, the company itself or a particular staff member.
Many tools are available either free or on subscriptions or a one-time purchase to obtain feedback from customers, prospective customers, and the company itself whether online or offline.
Large companies and small companies rely on consumers' feedback to improve or to discipline the staff who brought the company into disrepute, directing services or products to improve a product or create a new one to satisfy consumer consumption.
When consumers experience an excellent service this tends to leave an imprint in their memory that is available to recall and when the need arises they will tend to contact the company where they received good service, to repurchase services or products. Satisfied consumers are more likely to refer you or your company to others due to loyalty as they enjoyed a perceived strong positive relationship with the company.
This results in an increase in brand awareness, personality, and identity which has a significant impact on brand perceptions, quality and value, reputation, image, and loyalty. These perceived qualities bring commitment and trustworthiness.
A study conducted in 2013 finds that brand personality is the key driver to successful consumers' outcomes and that hedonic communication has benefits as well as, ethos, culture, brand activities, brand's country-of-origin, consumer expectation, and personalities.
The study highlight that the effects of brand personality are stronger for mature brands than brands in their early life cycle. However, sincerity and competence have the strongest influence on brand overall success toward attitude, image, commitment, and purchase intention, while excitement and ruggedness have the weakest influence on brand, product or service provision attitude and brand, product, or service provision commitment. Hence, feedbacks are sought-after by companies that seek improvement and a better relationship with their customers and prospective customers.
Ways to get feedback
Survey
A survey is a list of questions aimed at extracting specific data from people. There are several methods to conduct a survey: by phone, mail, via the internet, and sometimes face-to-face on busy street corners or in supermarket halls. Surveys are often used to garner consumers' opinions, social research, and demography.
A survey consists of a predetermined set of questions that are given to a sample that represents your business views about service provision or product offers in a view to gather consumers feeling, thoughts, and opinions on the said services or products purchased.
Rating
Is a classification or ranking of your business based on a comparative assessment of your quality, standard, or performance. The form of rating varied greatly and can be in the form of reaction, and stars, icons, numbers, or words.
Comment
A comment is a verbal or written remark expressing an opinion or reaction, in speech or writing about your business or your staff. People love commenting on your business and your service provision or service delivery, product functionality, design, and usefulness. Hence, comments can be useful to improve your business and relationship with your customers and prospective customers whether positive or negative it serves its purpose.
Opinion
It is the view or judgment of your customers or prospective customers formed about your business and staff, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. Your business could be affected by a majority of people or groups of people against your business service provision. Your customers can be opinionated about the quality of your work or products purchased or give you advice on how you should run your business because they feel that they are experts in the industry your business pertains to.
Response
A response is either verbal or in writing typically given as an answer to your survey or reaction towards a comment made by someone else or replying to a comment you have made. Customer's responses can be hedonic in nature.
Result
Is the outcome of a business improvement of a product or service upon receiving a response to a survey, comment, or responding to a situation (ie:- The safe-write antimicrobial pen has been developed by a Swiss company in response to the pandemic).
Idea
A thought or suggestion to a possible course of action brought on by opinions or belief or a situation. ie:- The Swiss company which developed The safe-write antimicrobial pen had an idea based on the current situation by responding to a need for safety and created an antimicrobial substance that they incorporated into the pen barrel neutralising 99% of germs and microbe.
Advice
Advice is considered guidance or recommendation offered by your company to prospective customers or customers by providing your expert opinions about your industry or your company could seek advice from your customers through survey and questionnaire or within the company via staff communication on how to complete company activities or how to deal with difficult customers behaviour... or a customer could advise their friends, family, colleagues, or associates to use your company because of the good service they received.
I conclude that feedback has its importance in your business growth and are useful to improve your dealing with your customers and prospective customers. Positive feedback can increase your revenue due to the acquisition of new customers and customer retention due to consistent good service provision. However, negative feedback has its purpose too because it helps you review your business processes and helps you improve your outcome with consumers, your staff, and your brand image.
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