People want to be appreciated and feel valued. Talking to your customers directly is one of the better ways to do that. Human contact always works best since people want to do business with other people, not soulless corporations or robots.
You shouldn’t just talk to your customers when there is a problem or when you’re trying to sell them something. You can just check in on them and ask about their experience with your product and service. Everyone believes their own opinion matters so validating that belief will make them very happy. Happy customers buy more and encourage others to buy.
Phone or video call
If you can, get as many of your customers as you can on a phone call and if they’re willing, a video call. Always ask if your customers are available to talk before proceeding.
You should also mind your call times. Late afternoon is the most convenient time for most people. Also take care to never initiate a video chat, the customers don’t know you like that. It’s a fairly intimate communication medium and many people would be reluctant to video chat with just anyone. Ask them a few questions to get insightful feedback on your store.
Questions to ask
Below are some questions I asked to several customers in one of my last audits:
- How did you end up on the COMPANY website? Google search? Recommended by a friend?
- What other options did you have as alternatives to COMPANY?
- Why did you choose COMPANY as opposed to its competitors?
- What did you like about the site and your shopping experience?
- What did you not like? Was it easy to find what you were looking for and choose the right product for you?
- How could COMPANY make your shopping experience easier?