How to Create an Informative Client Satisfaction Survey

January 9th, 2024 by

GuildQuality Team

Creating an informative client satisfaction survey can feel like a big task.

You might worry: “Will my customers even want to fill this out? How do I make one that people will answer? What do I do with the answers?”

These are common concerns. But, a good survey can really help inform your business. It tells you what you’re doing well and what you can improve. This means you can make your service exceptional for your customers.

In this article, we’ll guide you through making a useful client satisfaction survey.

We’ll discuss what to put in your survey, why you need to set goals, and how to get your customers to participate.

By the end, you’ll know how to make a survey that gives you clear ideas on how to make your customers even happier.

Feedback options illustrations over person working on laptop

The Importance of Client Feedback

Client feedback is vital for your business. It tells you what you’re doing well and what needs improvement. When customers share their thoughts, you learn what they like and what they don’t.

Without their words, you’re in the dark. You won’t know if your customers are happy or if they plan to stick with you. Getting their feedback is key to lighting the way.

This form of feedback is extremely valuable because it comes straight from the people who use your services. It helps you see your business through the eyes of the consumer. It also helps you get to know them better.

And when you really know your customers, you can make their experience with you even more memorable.

Customers today expect you to inherently understand them. They think you should be able to anticipate their preferences.

For example, 73% of people worldwide think businesses should recognize their unique needs. And if you personalize their experience, more than half will likely buy from you again.

Plus, business leaders say that when things feel personal, customers spend an average of 38% more.

Establishing Clear Objectives for a Client Satisfaction Survey

Before sending out a survey, consider what you want to learn from it. This is important because it guides your survey questions.

Here are some goals you might have:

Identifying strengths and weaknesses. Find out what you’re good at and what needs work. This can help you shine even brighter and fix any road bumps.
Creating an action plan. Use what you learn to make a plan. This plan can help you get better and grow.
Enhancing products or services. Learn how you can make your services even more useful and valuable for your customers.

To figure out your goals, ask yourself:

What do I really want to know from my customers?
How can this survey help my business do better?
What specific areas of my service or product am I curious about?

By asking these questions, you can create a survey that’s like a laser beam—focused and illuminating. A well-designed survey helps you get the answers you need to continue improving your business for your customers.

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: 13 Best Business Survey Questions to Ask Your Customers

Key Components of an Effective Client Satisfaction Survey

Here are some must-haves for your client satisfaction survey to include:

Overall Satisfaction Rating

Ask your clients how happy they are with your service. This can be a simple question where they rate their happiness on a numbered scale.

Demographic Information

This is about who your clients are. Things like age, where they live, or what job they do. This helps you see who uses your services the most.

Open-Ended Questions

These are questions where your clients can write more than just a yes or no. They can share their thoughts in their own words. This gives you deep insights.

Specific Experience Questions

Ask about certain parts of your service, like how easy it was to book a service or the quality of the work. This shows you what parts are great and what parts might need some work.

Privacy Note

Tell your clients how you’ll use their answers. Make sure they know their information is safe with you. This makes them feel secure in sharing their thoughts.

Encouraging Customer Participation in Feedback

Getting your customers to fill out a survey can be a challenge. They are busy and may not feel like spending time sharing their thoughts.

But with the right steps, you can make it happen. Here’s how:

Tell Them Why It’s Important.

Let your customers know why you’re asking for their feedback. Explain how their opinions will help make your services better. This makes them feel their voice matters.

Keep It Short.

Nobody likes long surveys. Try to keep your survey short and sweet. About 5 to 10 questions should be enough. This way, customers can finish it quickly.

Ensure Their Privacy.

Make sure your customers know their answers are private. Tell them you won’t share their personal information. Give them the option to remain anonymous. This makes them feel safe to share their true thoughts.

Use Different Ways to Send It.

Not everyone likes to do things the same way. Send your survey in different ways, like email, text, or even on paper. This gives your customers choices on how they’d like to answer.

Remind Them, but Not Too Much.

It’s okay to remind your customers about the survey. But don’t do it too often. One or two reminders are enough. You don’t want to bother them.

Offer a Reward.

Sometimes, a little thank you can go a long way. Offer a small reward for filling out the survey. It could be a discount or a chance to win something. This makes it fun for your customers.

By following these tips, you can increase your participation rate.

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How to Get Customers to Leave Reviews for Your Local Home Services Business

Take Action Now with These 3 Tips

Ready to get started?

Here are three quick tips you can use immediately to prepare a high-value customer satisfaction survey:

1. Brainstorm Questions That Matter.

Start by thinking about parts of your service you want to know more about. Maybe it’s how fast you respond to calls or the quality of your work. Write down questions that will give you real insights into these areas.

2. Choose How to Share Your Survey.

Think about the best way to reach your customers. Is it by email, text, or social media? Pick the formats that your customers use the most. Also, consider the contact details you have access to.

3. Plan for Feedback Use.

Make a plan for how you’ll use what you learn from the survey. This might mean setting up a team meeting to discuss feedback or planning changes to improve your service. Knowing how you’ll apply the feedback helps you take real steps to make your service all it can be.