In Depth Insight

The Hidden Treasure in Customer Feedback And How to Find it.

When it comes to gathering customer feedback, most business owners instinctively focus on identifying problems and areas for improvement.

"How can we do better?" and "Where can we improve?" are typically the first questions that come to mind. While these questions certainly have their place, they might be causing you to miss out on your biggest opportunities for business growth.

Consider this scenario: You're sitting down with a customer for a routine review meeting. Like most business owners, you start with the standard "How can we improve our service?"

The customer thinks for a moment, mentions a few minor issues, and you diligently note them down. But what if, instead, you had asked, "What do we do well?" or "What do we do that you particularly value?"

The difference in responses can be enlightening.💡

When asked about positives, that same customer might say something like, "Your response time is fantastic. Whenever I call with an issue, you're here before noon the next day."

This simple piece of positive feedback is actually a golden nugget of business intelligence that many would overlook.

The Strategic Value of Positive Feedback

Why is this positive feedback so valuable? Because it reveals what your customers truly value – their actual buying criteria and decision-making factors.

When a customer voluntarily highlights a specific aspect of your service, they're telling you exactly what keeps them loyal to your business. This is far more valuable than a list of minor complaints or suggestions for improvement.

In our example, the customer's praise for next-day service tells us several crucial things:

1. Quick response time is a key factor in their satisfaction

2. The specific timeframe of "before noon the next day" is meaningful to them

3. This level of service distinguishes you from competitors in the customer's mind

Turning Good into Exceptional

Once you know what customers value, you can transform a merely satisfying service into an exceptional one. If next-day service makes customers happy, imagine their reaction to same-day service.

If they appreciate your current response time, consider how they'd feel about an even faster guarantee.

This approach creates what I call the "Advocate Multiplier Effect." When you take something customers already love and make it even better, you don't just increase satisfaction incrementally – you create passionate advocates for your business.

These advocates become your most powerful marketing force, naturally referring new customers because they genuinely believe in your service.

The Psychology Behind Positive Questioning

Traditional customer feedback often focuses on problems because of our natural problem-solving orientation. However, this approach has limitations:

• It puts customers in a critical mindset

•  It focuses on negatives, potentially overlooking your unique strengths

•  It may miss opportunities to capitalise on your existing advantages

• It can make satisfied customers search for problems that don't significantly impact their experience

In contrast, positive questioning:

• Helps customers articulate what they truly value

•  Reveals your competitive advantages

•  Identifies opportunities for differentiation

•  Creates a more constructive dialogue

Implementing a Positive Feedback Strategy

To leverage this approach effectively, consider these strategies:

Get specific: When customers mention something positive, dig deeper. Ask follow-up questions to understand exactly what makes that aspect of your service valuable to them.

Look for patterns: Track positive feedback across multiple customers. If several customers independently praise the same aspect of your service, you've identified a key differentiator.

Amplify strengths: Once you identify what customers value most, invest in making those aspects even better. This strategy often yields better results than trying to improve areas customers haven't mentioned as important.

The Referral Connection

The link between positive feedback and referrals is crucial. Customers who can clearly articulate what they love about your service are more likely to recommend you to others.

They're also more likely to provide specific, compelling reasons why others should work with you.

When a customer says, "Your response time is amazing – you're always here before noon the next day," they're not just expressing satisfaction. They're rehearsing near on the exact words they'll use when recommending your business to others.

Final Thoughts

While identifying areas for improvement will always be important, don't underestimate the power of understanding what you're already doing right.

By uncovering what customers truly value and then exceeding their expectations in those areas, you create more than just satisfied customers – you create enthusiastic advocates who will help grow your business through genuine, heartfelt referrals.

The next time you're gathering customer feedback, start with "What do we do well?" The answers might just show you the fastest path to business growth.

Your First Step…

To see tangible results from this article consider starting your next customer feedback session with the specific question: "What do we do well?" or "What aspects of our service do you particularly value?"

This small change can yield immediate, tangible results. When customers articulate what they value most about your service, you gain:

• Clear insights into your competitive advantages

• Specific language that customers use when describing your value

• Concrete examples of what aspects of your service to potentially enhance

• Natural talking points that customers might use when referring your business to others

Speak soon