Customer Surveys: Feedback is a Two Way Street

As organizations focus on “voice of the customer” programs, you may notice that you are receiving more and more surveys.  You purchase something at a store and your receipt provides you with an incentive to log in to their web site to provide feedback; you stay at a hotel and you are emailed a follow-up customer survey.  

Surveys are a great way to get information directly from customers, but it’s equally important that companies use the information effectively.  Surveys that serve to simply understand levels of customer satisfaction are worthless unless there are some measurable actions taken as a result.  Listening without taking action does nothing to improve the experience and will not encourage customers to continue to provide valuable feedback. 

I recently was reminded of this when I received my quarterly newsletter from My Marriot Voice. My Marriott Voice is a closed community initiated by Marriott to solicit feedback from a select number of customers who have opted in to surveys and can participate in forums in exchange for points or other rewards.  One of the best things about My Marriott Voice is the newsletter; it lets you know the results of the surveys and actions that are being taken as a result.  In fact, Marriott is creating new interactions with you – creating two way dialog and engagement, resulting in increased loyalty while reinforcing their brand.   And, speaking personally as a customer who regularly gets asked to take surveys – sometimes quite extensive ones – it’s nice to see that feedback can be a two-way street.