Customer feedback is critical to customer-centric strategies; if the truth be known, oftentimes, the feedback is not exactly good news. For example, software companies sometimes receive bug reports and feature requests from their customers. Yet, despite their best effort to ensure quality, a glitch in the software application may occur. And despite best efforts to really listen to their target market, there is always room for improvement – meaning, feature requests.
Many times customers have to fill out a report form and either fax, mail, or email it to a technical support department, where it is then hand-entered into the master bug database. This low-tech procedure provides no support for file attachments (for example – screen shots) and leaves room for communication error. In addition, the customer is not automatically notified that their issue has been added to future projects.
For ISVs, technology opportunities exist that allow for more effective and efficient beta programs and software releases. This technology allows customers to submit bug reports and feature requests directly into the issue management and defect tracking tool thus eliminating data entry errors and also saving data entry time. Are you likely to find these types of solutions under the normal CRM banner? No. But they are intended to keep your customer-focused strategy on track, nevertheless.
Even with automation and integration, but if there is no follow up on feedback provided by customer, it’s still not being customer focused.
Daryl Choy
Make Little Things Count
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