Customer satisfaction in a company: how to improve it and which tools to use

Customer satisfaction equates to a greater number of sales and a higher level of customer satisfaction. After all, a customer satisfied with a service received generates, in turn, new customers and positive word of mouth, that is, free advertising that increases the company value. In addition, this customer is more likely to make new purchases of goods, products and services. On the contrary, a dissatisfied customer generates negative word of mouth, which drives away new potential customers at the expense of the corporate image. Furthermore, the costs to the company also rise, as complaints, returns, problems to be solved etc. increase.

At We Are Fiber, we have studied "ad hoc" solutions and prepared specific customer satisfaction questionnaires to gauge the expectations and level of customer satisfaction. If you want to get an idea of ​​the services we offer, read our article on social customer care, which analyzes the satisfaction of consumers on social networks, commercial platforms that are of crucial importance in the marketing sector.

Customer satisfaction: why is it so important?

To better understand the meaning of customer satisfaction, it is important to appreciate how it affects the company's profit and image. Customer satisfaction activities are intended to identify the products or services considered by consumers to be underperforming, so as to intervene in a targeted manner. However, the service also helps to understand new needs, which are constantly changing in such a frenetic market, in order to offer suitable solutions.

Two types of customer satisfaction surveys can be identified: based on services / products and based on the company. In the first case, it is essential to investigate any issues with your products and how to optimize them to respond to customer requests; in the second case, the relationship between customer and company must be investigated and, specifically, the problems relating to product delivery, prices, communication, etc.

A satisfied customer becomes an added value, as this generates profits, brings other potential customers to the company and improves brand awareness.

Customer satisfaction questionnaire

Investigating customer satisfaction can be achieved by way of a questionnaire, which must be designed and shaped according to the target audience. Before crafting the customer satisfaction questions to ask in a survey, it is important to understand what information you want to collect.

There are two customer satisfaction survey models: Kano and Servqual. The Kano model determines the priority and improvement of products and services, based primarily on customer perception. The model operates across two dimensions: satisfaction and functionality.

Satisfaction can be measured over 5 levels:

• happy;
• satisfied;
• neutral;
• discontent;
• frustrated.

Functionality is also divided into 5 levels:

• excellent;
• high;
• base;
• low;
• none.

The Servqual model, on the other hand, measures perceived quality, and then compares expectations with real perception, based on 5 factors:

• tangible elements;
• reliability;
• responsiveness;
• ability to reassure;
• empathy.

By way of illustration, let's analyze 5 key questions for an example of a customer satisfaction questionnaire.

First question for a customer satisfaction questionnaire: who to interview

Firstly, you must be able to target your customers, so as to ask targeted and relevant questions. It is quite a simple task if you are operating in a niche market. If, on the other hand, yours is a product distributed on a large scale, you must try to tighten the circle further around your target audience.

What to ask

The questions to ask are closely related to the target and can vary considerably depending on the market. However, there are some valid questions for each sector that concern the price, the reputation of the brand, the services offered, customer support, delivery, product characteristics, etc.

What means to use

There are three ways to craft a questionnaire: via web, face-to-face interview and telephone interview.

A web questionnaire can be sent via email and is the ideal solution if you have a low budget, you want to give the interviewee time to reflect and you want to insert images or graphics. However, it is not advisable if there are many questions.

A face-to-face interview is recommended for those customers who live near the company. In addition to getting open answers, you can get to know the interviewee better and build a relationship. The costs, in this case, tend to increase slightly.

A telephone interview is generally the most popular solution, especially if you intend to reach a very large geographical area or if you want to ask many questions.

How to use a rating scale

This is a scale of values ​​that allows you to identify the level of customer satisfaction with a rating. Values between 8 and 10 indicate that the service is excellent; those between 7 and 8 show a good service, but there is room for improvement; anything less than 7 is worrying and you need to take immediate action for rapid improvement.

Repeat the interview over time

More than a question approach, this is a rule: repeat interviews over time, as people may change their perception of a company or product.

Now that the definition of customer satisfaction is clear to you, you will more easily understand the importance it has for your company.

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We are sure that together we will be able to find the right solution for your needs.