You already know that mystery shopping, customer survey cards, focus groups, and customer surveys can be a great source of customer feedback. But did you also know that picking up the phone and making customer contact calls can be yet another source of valuable information to your organization?
I know business leaders reading this posting will argue that there is no time to reach out to customers. They will tell me that they have a customer service department in charge of that function or that their administrative assistant is in charge of placating that customer who is unhappy for whatever reason. It’s the “whatever reason” that business leaders need to focus on and it’s the reason that outreach calls are such an important task – one that should not be delegated.
So as a business leader, business owner, and a business coach, let me suggest a simple way to get into the habit of connecting with your customers. Consider this simple process. Make a list of current customers and make one call a day. Make it the first thing you do in the morning so that it doesn’t drop to the bottom of your pile. Your calls can be such that you ask a specific set of questions or they can be general by asking something as simple as, “How are we doing?” You are going to be amazed at the results.
Do you connect with your customers personally on a regular basis? What ways have you found to be efficient and effective? Please comment below to join the conversation!