It’s a fact of life that not everyone will be happy with your product or service, and in the age of online reviews, it’s easier than ever for unhappy customers to tell the whole world about their experience.
If you’re a smart marketer, you know that customer feedback is an extremely valuable resource that helps you understand what’s working and what’s not, and how you can improve your products, services, and overall customer experience.
That’s why you’re proactive about collecting customer feedback. You use a variety of tools to gather feedback from your customers and pay close attention to what they have to say.
While that’s good in theory, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. If you ask for feedback too often, or if you use the wrong tools, you can annoy your customers and end up with less feedback, not more.
There’s a right way and a wrong way to collect customer feedback. Here are nine ways to collect customer feedback without annoying users.
1. Use a net promoter score (NPS) survey
A net promoter score (NPS) survey is a quick and easy way to gauge customer loyalty and satisfaction. NPS surveys ask respondents one question: “On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend our product to a friend or colleague?”
Based on their answers, respondents are then grouped into one of three categories:
• Promoters (score of 9-10): Loyal customers who will keep buying and refer others, fueling growth.
• Passives (score of 7-8): Satisfied but unenthusiastic customers who could be swayed by the competition.
• Detractors (score of 0-6): Unhappy customers who could potentially damage your brand through negative word-of-mouth.
• To calculate your NPS, subtract the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. This will give you a score between -100 and 100.
NPS surveys are a great way to measure customer satisfaction and loyalty because they’re quick, easy, and only require one question. Customers are more likely to take a survey if they know it will only take a minute or two of their time. Some companies also pair NPS insights with eNPS questions to better understand internal employee sentiment alongside customer sentiment, creating a more holistic experience strategy.
Once you identify your promoters, you can channel that enthusiasm into structured advocacy. Many companies connect NPS insights directly to referral programs using tools like ReferralCandy, allowing happy customers to share your product effortlessly and earn rewards.
2. Use an in-app survey
In-app customer surveys are a great way to collect feedback, especially if you have an app that your customers use regularly.
These surveys can be as quick and easy as a one-question survey asking customers to rate their experience. Or, you can create a more in-depth survey that asks multiple questions and allows customers to provide written feedback.
The key with in-app surveys is to make them as quick and easy as possible. Customers don’t want to spend a lot of time filling out a survey, especially if they’re in the middle of using your app.
3. Use a customer effort score (CES) survey
A customer effort score (CES) survey is a one-question survey that measures how much effort a customer had to put into their interaction with your company. This can be a good way to measure the customer experience.
To collect a CES, ask customers, “On a scale of 1-7, how much effort did you have to put forth to get your question answered?” You can also change the question to fit your needs, such as “How much effort did you have to put forth to make a purchase?”
This is a quick and easy way to measure customer satisfaction and can be used in email, on your website, or in your app.
4. Use a chatbot
Chatbots are a great way to collect feedback in real time. That’s because they’re available 24/7 and can be used on your website, in your mobile app, or on social media.
Chatbots are also a great way to collect feedback from customers who may not otherwise take the time to fill out a survey. That’s because they can be used in a conversational way, making it easy for customers to share their thoughts and opinions.
Another benefit of using chatbots to collect feedback is that they can be used to ask specific questions based on the customer’s behavior. For example, if a customer is browsing your website, a chatbot could ask them if they need help finding something. If a customer has just made a purchase, a chatbot could ask them how their experience was.
By using chatbots to collect feedback, you can get more accurate and timely information from your customers. This approach is especially effective in industries with high volumes of service-related questions. For instance, a moving and storage company implemented a chatbot to handle common inquiries and gather post-service feedback automatically. After adding behavior-based prompts, they received significantly more detailed responses about scheduling, packing assistance, and delivery timing. These insights helped them refine their customer communication flow and reduce support workload without interrupting users.
5. Use a feedback button
If you’re worried about pop-ups and modals being too intrusive, consider using a feedback button.
A feedback button is a small button that sits in the corner of your website or app. When users click on it, they can leave feedback, report a problem, or ask a question.
Feedback buttons are less intrusive than pop-ups and modals because they don’t cover up the content on your site. Users can choose whether or not they want to click on the button, and they can also choose what kind of feedback they want to leave.
6. Use social media
Social media is a great place to collect customer feedback. People are already talking about your brand, products, or services, so why not join the conversation and ask for their opinions?
You can ask questions on your social media profiles, join relevant groups and forums, or even create your own social media community where customers can share their thoughts and feedback.
When using social media to collect customer feedback, be sure to respond to comments and questions in a timely manner. This will show your customers that you value their opinions and are listening to what they have to say.
You can also use social media monitoring tools to keep track of what people are saying about your brand and products online. This will help you identify trends and patterns, as well as any potential issues or problems that need to be addressed.
7. Use a review request
If you’re looking to collect customer feedback about a specific product, consider using a review request.
With a review request, you can ask your customers to leave a review of your product on your website, in a review widget, or in a review platform like Trustpilot or G2.
Review requests are a great way to collect customer feedback because they allow you to target customers who have recently purchased your product. This means that you’re more likely to get high-quality feedback from customers who are familiar with your product and your brand. It’s especially useful for quick mobile purchases, including those made through QR code payments.
8. Use email messages
Email is another popular way to ask for feedback. You can send a simple message to your subscriber list, rather than a cold email, asking for feedback on your website or business.
You can also use email to send out surveys and get more in-depth feedback. Email surveys are a great way to get feedback from people who have already purchased something from your website.
Consider using an AI agent for email outreach to help send out feedback requests to people who have recently interacted with your customer service team, since these users or clients will be familiar with your customer service process.
9. Use a customer community
A customer community is a place where your customers can connect with each other and with your team. This can be a great way to gather feedback because your customers will be able to see that they’re not alone. They’ll also be able to see how other customers are using your product or service, which can be a great source of inspiration.
You can use a customer community to gather feedback by creating a forum where customers can post their ideas and suggestions. You can then use this forum to gather feedback and see what ideas are most popular.
You can also use a customer community to gather feedback by asking your customers to participate in surveys or polls. You can create a survey or poll and then post a link to it in your community. This is a great way to gather feedback because your customers will be able to see that you’re listening to them and that you value their opinions.
Conclusion
Customer feedback is the most important information you can have to improve your business and keep your customers happy. There are many ways to collect customer feedback, but the methods you choose should be as beneficial for your customers as they are for your business.