How many clich\u00e9s have you found that apply to the “live” operator business such as “Your service is only as good as your worst operator?” How would you ever really know what impact your total business is having on your customers if you haven’t surveyed your customers? If you haven’t surveyed your customers, your business operation is based on guesswork. The bottom line is that customers are just about the most important component in any business. If you aren’t keeping them happy, they will find someone else who will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bottom line to the successful operation of a live operator business is maintaining a loyal customer base. Present answering service owners must look for new ways to improve their business which can be done by applying corporate management techniques. To apply these techniques, management must have the information to utilize the changes and improvements. Thus in order to improve customer retention and increase profits, management must have continual feedback from its customer base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Customer surveys can identify factors that are most predictive of customer risk and loyalty. Recent surveys conducted of answering service customers found that between 23% and 28% felt their existing service provided either fair or poor service. This alone indicates that an astounding number of customers might be ready to switch services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In real business terms, a lost customer is a shocking expense. New customer prospecting is expensive, so good customer care matters! For an example, the cost to purchase new customers from another service can range from $400 to $600 per account. Conversely, a dissatisfied customer can spread the bad news and undermine your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s some examples of how management can use the information produced from a survey:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The following responses are from a recent customer survey taken around the country. The question asked was “Please tell us how (name of TAS company) could become even more important to you?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In all fairness, there are many customers who also have a great many accolades to say about their service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only true way to evaluate your client base is to have an independent company perform the survey function. Many times it’s easier for customers to respond candidly to an objective third party. It will cost more than for example, enclosing a survey card to your customer base, but the results and analysis can make a world of difference in the way you conduct your business. It is not uncommon for a research company to achieve a response rate of 35% or more which gives a statistically accurate assessment of your customers’ loyalty factor. A survey can take anywhere from a few days to about 75 days depending on the complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are eight things to look for in a survey:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Surveys are one of the most important tools to use in determining customer loyalty. Contact a market research company for additional information. Your customer’s loyalty factor can either make or break your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
John Weikert, of J. Weikert & Company, may be reached at 203-371-6423.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [From Connection Magazine,<\/em> May 1994<\/a>]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"