Assess Satisfaction To Retain Customers

1. Assess Satisfaction To Retain Customers How-To Guide© 2013 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.Assess Satisfaction to Retain CustomersExecutive SummaryMaintaining prices and retaining customers in competitive markets depends heavily onyour ability to effectively service your accounts. Proactive organizations work withcustomers to identify their strengths and weaknesses to better serve their market. UseDemand Metrics very concise Customer Satisfaction Survey Template to benchmarkcurrent satisfaction levels, and improve these metrics over time.What are the Key Areas to Measure? Buying Process - getting customer feedback on your buying process will help yousupport sales more effectively, and identify any possible issues. Value Proposition - learning how your value proposition is perceived is critical indetermining the effectiveness of your branding & communications strategy.Additionally, reduce risk by identifying any customers who are not getting goodvalue for money. Products/Services - gather metrics on the effectiveness and quality of yourproducts to close the Product Development loop. Ask additional qualitativequestions that can provide insight into what the market is demanding. Strategic Direction - measure the perception of your customers on your position asa market leader and innovative organization. Use this data to demonstrate howeffective you are at communicating corporate strategy.

2. How-To Guide© 2013 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Customer Service & Support - gauge the responsiveness and courtesy of yourservice department to ensure there are no unhappy customers with outstandingissues who may be at risk. Website/Customer Portal - determine if your website or portal is providing apleasant experience or if additional resources need to be added. Brand Preference - this area provides an opportunity to bottom-line customers. Findout who are your advocates and dissatisfied customers.Action Plan:1. Discuss with Senior Management Table this idea during a management meeting to see if there are any othermanagers who agree that this type of data would be helpful. In particular,speak with leaders from the Sales, Customer Service, or Professional Servicesdepartments.2. Determine Timing Some industries are seasonal, so make sure that you time your surveyinitiative appropriately. Another alternative is to integrate this survey into yourrenewal or customer exit processes.3. Customize a Survey Use Demand Metrics downloadable Customer Satisfaction Survey Templateas a starting point. How-To Guide© 2013 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Customer Service & Support - gauge the responsiveness and courtesy of yourservice department to ensure there are no unhappy customers with outstandingissues who may be at risk. Website/Customer Portal - determine if your website or portal is providing apleasant experience or if additional resources need to be added. Brand Preference - this area provides an opportunity to bottom-line customers. Findout who are your advocates and dissatisfied customers.Action Plan:1. Discuss with Senior Management Table this idea during a management meeting to see if there are any othermanagers who agree that this type of data would be helpful. In particular,speak with leaders from the Sales, Customer Service, or Professional Servicesdepartments.2. Determine Timing Some industries are seasonal, so make sure that you time your surveyinitiative appropriately. Another alternative is to integrate this survey into yourrenewal or customer exit processes.3. Customize a Survey Use Demand Metrics downloadable Customer Satisfaction Survey Templateas a starting point.

3. How-To Guide© 2013 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.4. Communicate with Staff Discuss how this initiative will help the business grow and retain customers.Be sure to communicate how the results of these surveys will be measuredand used to identify any performance issues.5. Distribute to Customers Once you have decided what the most appropriate timing is for a customersurvey, distribute them accordingly. When sending out your survey, speak tothe benefits that your customers will see, including: better service & support,more valued products, etc.6. Gather Results & Analyze After you have collected the survey results, analyze them to find any flight riskaccounts, or other potential issues. Aggregate the data into averages tobenchmark your current level of performance, which you can use as ameasuring stick for next time.7. Report to Senior Management Compile a report that can be delivered to Senior Management highlightingthe key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.8. Integrate Feedback Based on your report, have a discussion to prioritize the action items thatneed be addressed first, and who will take them on. How-To Guide© 2013 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.4. Communicate with Staff Discuss how this initiative will help the business grow and retain customers.Be sure to communicate how the results of these surveys will be measuredand used to identify any performance issues.5. Distribute to Customers Once you have decided what the most appropriate timing is for a customersurvey, distribute them accordingly. When sending out your survey, speak tothe benefits that your customers will see, including: better service & support,more valued products, etc.6. Gather Results & Analyze After you have collected the survey results, analyze them to find any flight riskaccounts, or other potential issues. Aggregate the data into averages tobenchmark your current level of performance, which you can use as ameasuring stick for next time.7. Report to Senior Management Compile a report that can be delivered to Senior Management highlightingthe key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.8. Integrate Feedback Based on your report, have a discussion to prioritize the action items thatneed be addressed first, and who will take them on.

4. How-To Guide© 2013 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.Bottom LineIgnoring the voice of the customer is not how world-class companies operate. To keepretention levels high, define a customer feedback process that provides both quantitativeand qualitative results. How-To Guide© 2013 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.Bottom LineIgnoring the voice of the customer is not how world-class companies operate. To keepretention levels high, define a customer feedback process that provides both quantitativeand qualitative results.