Sure there are faceless flower corporations that seem to rule the industry, but these days, people are getting back to basics and going more local. It is common knowledge that computer technology and the Internet were going to be tremendous assets in your business. That’s why you had a website created and started online customer service to facilitate your small business. You may be wondering, however, if you are getting the full advantage of online customer service, and if your customers are satisfied with what you are offering. There are several ways to determine this.
Take advantage of different online tools such as online survey software.
Online survey software is generally very user-friendly, on both ends, which is important. The easier it is to use, the more likely your customers are to respond to your survey questions. And, the simplicity of the software will make it easier for you to review the responses and take the appropriate actions to improve your online customer service, if necessary. Questions can range from the value of the arrangement they have received, to the checkout process, to their overall flower-buying experience.
Give survey responses the attention they deserve.
If you receive several, go through them and pick out two or three positive ones and two or three not-so-positive ones. Here are some suggestions of how to evaluate your responses:
• Look at the positive ones and take note of what they say is being done right.
• Then look at the negative ones, and determine what exactly the issue may be.
• Determine if this is something in the online customer service process itself that needs to be addressed, or if there is an issue with the website.
• Check both places, and any others that you think may have caused the negative feedback.
Thank respondents whenever possible.
If you use specific feedback from your online surveys, and it proves to have a positive effect, and you can determine the person or company that provided the feedback, consider sending a personal thank-you and recognizing the person or company responsible for the changes made in the online customer service offerings.
Make frequent updates and changes so that the website content will remain fresh and exciting.
Don’t get so caught up in changes, however, that you neglect still giving customers what they need. And make sure design and content changes work before placing them permanently on the website.
These may seem like suggestions that anyone should have thought of, or that you may currently be using. That’s fine, but if you’re like everyone else (and are willing to admit it) every so often you appreciate reminders of how you can improve online customer service as well as other areas of your business.
Also consider this: in this age of instant everything and almost daily changes in technology and other areas, the old adage of “you snooze, you lose” has never been truer. One of the absolute worse things a business can do is become complacent or lackadaisical in its approach to customer service, whether it is online or face-to-face.
If business owners or managers don’t care enough to stay abreast of changes and offer their customers what they want or need, they should not be surprised if they find their business slacking off. Not only will new business not be attracted, but it is possible that existing customers may decide to take their business elsewhere. And besides flower giants monopolizing the industry, this is the last thing that a small business wants to happen.
At first, I thought surveys were sort of unreliable. People tend to rush through them and others don’t seem to care at all. There might even be people who mess around on surveys without telling the their actual feedback.
However, I implemented a survey project and got very good results. Majority of the surveys resulted to similar answers, which gives me the feeling that majority does tell the truth.
Try making surveys that involve them to write that their comments. Therefore, you get an actual sentence-answer from them.
Using surveys is one of the best ways to get to know your market, learn what it responds to and what it absolutely hates. You can also see how much people would actually pay for some of your products and price them accordingly.
In my opinion a survey should be short and to the point. I shouldn’t have more than 5-6 questions so that the user doesn’t get bored and just stop doing it.