What are the best tools and methods for collecting customer feedback in your industry?

I have used tawk.to in my personal blog and company's website. It is really easy and simple. User-friendly and it seriously helped me in enhancing our company's customer support experience.

Additionally, leveraging AI chatbots for instant feedback collection and analyzing feedback data with sentiment analysis tools can unearth hidden trends and customer preferences. Tailoring strategies based on this data enhances customer experience. #AIinFeedback

It's also really helpful to try the products or services as a customer to experience it firsthand and relate to customers better from the business side after.

Efficient and productive approaches to analyzing customer feedback is paramount. Ideally, a consistent cadence of root cause analysis with appropriate tracking is important, as it allows the trending of data over time to identify pain points, and address accordingly. The ultimate method is predicated by the method and mode of gathering information, I.E., what types of questions does your survey ask? Does it quantify customer effort? If customer facing, does it quantify the knowledge, courtesy, and confidence of the agent or employee? The data is only half the battle. Being able to quantify trends, and create remediation through actionable steps is key. Customer verbatims or “The voice of the customer” is a very effective way to analyze.

Talking to a lot of fellow PMs in the space, I've grown to like the concept of 'rivers' (that Sachin Rekhi also quotes)—feedback rivers are the way to channelize quotes, suggestions, bugs, goodwill, from customers spread across different platforms (like email, chat, socials). With basic automation through Zapier or setting up scripts/integrations, it's possible to surface up threads to the primary collaboration tool of your team. Even more, setting up specific groups or channels in that collaboration tool where product teams get notified is the most simplest way to help everyone notice trends and critical stuff to look into.

To drive a GREAT customer experience, it is critical to understand that true engagement starts with how we engage with our teammates. Our internal customer (teammate) is the conduit to our external customer. They mirror as a reflection of what leadership models consistently. When you truly show up in the development of fulfilling the dreams of our associates, with intentional purpose, it organically flows into how the customer is treated. Truly value your teammates and they will value others. Data is important at what, and where to look at key learnings, and opportunities to improve in moving the business forward.

I would like to add that while collecting customer feedback is important, the how can be demoralizing to support staff. Customer satisfaction surveys must be solely based on the interaction with support. Surveys should not be used as a way of customer feedback regarding devices, services, or features. When a customer receives satisfactory support, which the customer makes a point of stating so. But, the interaction is scored as unsatisfactory due to the above mentioned, it can be a big discouragement for the support person. Customers should be educated on how to provide feedback when not related to receiving support.

I agree wholeheartedly with Michael's comment but would like to praise the unsung heroes amongst our team-mates in this context - Customer Service representatives. Customers are getting over-saturated with feedback requests from all angles, when companies already have the best, most thorough and realistic form of feedback at their fingertips - their Customer Service team member. The needs to be seen as it truly is - as fantastically skilled and invaluable - and not as the second thought it is by many in leadership roles. These are the people with their finger on the pulse and their insights into customer feedback are worth more than most review requests and feedback forms. Listen to and value your customer service team!