Customer surveys have long been the gold standard for collecting feedback. However, innovation and technology have paved the way for new ways of interacting with customers and getting actionable feedback. Brands today are constantly searching for newer and better ways to improve customer experiences. A new study from Adobe and Econsultancy found that the single most exciting opportunity for B2B companies in 2020 is customer experience. So what does that mean for customer surveys? Let’s explore the types of customer surveys in the market today and if they’re effective.
The 3 Most Common Types of Customer Surveys
Net Promoter Score® (NPS)
The Net Promoter Score®, or NPS®, is one of the most popular customer surveys today and informs many of the customer experience solutions growing in the market. It measures customer loyalty by asking questions on a sliding scale, usually from 0 to 10. Here’s an example:
Based on your experience, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or loved one?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Those responses are categorized into 3 main groups – promoters, passives, and detractors – to determine how happy your customers are with you and how likely they are to recommend you to others. Emails and text messages are good avenues to send NPS surveys as well as within pop-ups or chatboxes on a website.
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Survey
A customer satisfaction survey, or CSAT, is similar to NPS® in the sense that it measures customer satisfaction with your brand. However, they zero-in more on overall satisfaction with your brand rather than if they would recommend you to a peer – and often fall on a 5-point scale.
How satisfied are you with your experience today?
- Very unsatisfied
- Unsatisfied
- Neutral
- Satisfied
- Very Satisfied
CSAT survey scores are measured differently than NPS®. Take the sum of respondents who were “Very Satisfied” and “Satisfied” and divide that number by the total number of survey respondents. Multiply that number by 100 and you’ve got your CSAT score as a percentage for easy measuring.
Post Purchase Surveys
When a customer purchases something from your business in-store or online, it’s vital to collect feedback on their buying experience so you can make improvements to the checkout process and overall experience. Post-purchase surveys include questions on a sliding scale that typically ask customers to agree or disagree to a degree with a set of statements from the first-person point of view. Open-ended questions offer a chance to get more in-depth feedback from customers.
Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of my product.
- Strongly Disagree
- Disagree
- Neither Agree nor Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly Agree
Please explain your response.
Going Beyond the Customer Survey
All three of these customer surveys – the NPS, the CSAT, and the post-purchase survey – are great options for measuring your success as a company in the eyes of a customer. Aspects from each of these customer surveys are must-haves in whatever customer feedback platform you incorporate into your CX strategy.
However, what most of these customer surveys lack is a way to respond to customer feedback and solve problems swiftly. While all of the metrics that come with these surveys are vital for measuring the success of your CX efforts – that’s only half the job. Incredible customer service comes with not only knowing what the problems are but being able to fix them.
A customer experience software solution like Mentor offers the opportunity to interact with your customers one-on-one through direct communication. Follow up with a customer issue through a phone call, text message, or email – and be able to solve their issues before they even leave your storefront. After all, studies show that 86% of buyers will pay more for better customer experience. That’s extra revenue your business could be bringing in by investing in the people who buy from you.
Mentor allows you to tailor your customer surveys so you can get a full picture of the situations your customers are going through. Users can not only fill out sliding scale surveys, but also upload photos and videos regarding their issue alongside an open text form for in-depth descriptions. The key to a great customer experience solution is being able to solve problems quickly and easily with the added benefit of having context regarding the issues your customers are having. Mentor gives your customers a voice and your CX team a way to listen – and solve problems on the fly.
If you’re looking for a way to supercharge your customer experience capabilities and go beyond the typical customer survey, reach out to us today and see how Mentor can transform your business.