I cannot remember exactly when I started noticing the feedback forms in establishments here. But I remember so well that the first feedback form I filled out was that of Wendy’s.

Having feedback forms is good. To know exactly what your customers expect is the best way to make sure that we have kept them satisfied, and possibly serve them beyond their expectations.

In Andrew Griffiths book, 101 Ways to Really Satisfy Your Customers, he says that the best way to find out your customers’ expectations is to ask them. A simple flick-and-tick survery form can give you a lot of information. A sample question would be…

How important to you are the following areas of our business?

Taken from 101 Ways to Really Satisfy Your Customers

You can also space out your surveys, starting from the basic information you want to ask from your customers to the more detailed ones. Clearly, you will need to tailor the questions to suit your particular business. The information you get from these surveys will help you run your business and stop making changes that can jeopardize your customers satisfaction.

In carrying out these surveys, give your customers some privacy. Encourage them to fill out the form and then leave them to accomplish it by themselves. For some confidentiality, provide a box where they can drop the completed forms.

Some establishments I know even have ready pencils next to the survey forms. Others have representatives go around their establishments and request the customer to do the survey. Some put survey forms on every table. Other establishments too, just leave their survey forms on top of the counter.

I believe the last technique is not very effective. Only those customers who are probably concerned or are happy to fill out survey forms of this kind will bother. Also, I think, you only get the complaints since only irate customers would ever bother fill out those forms.

As a business who strives for quality products and service should get both positive and negative feedbacks.

Incidentally, Maria Palma of CustomersAreAlways wrote Surveys & Questionnaires on her March 22 weblog.