The Crucial Role of Individual Feedback in Your Net Promoter Scores Blog
Net Promoter Scores (NPS) are essential in measuring customer loyalty and the likelihood of customer recommendations. When we get positive NPS scores, it boosts our team’s morale and helps encourage customer referrals. It’s important to address individual feedback, predominantly negative comments, because that’s how we can improve things. At InSource, we take detractor scores seriously by discussing them internally and making follow-up calls to understand and resolve any issues. By closing the feedback loop, we ensure that we’re constantly improving. Taking genuine follow-up and proactive actions based on feedback helps enhance customer satisfaction in customer success roles. Learning and adapting from imperfect experiences is a crucial driver of business success for us. When we combine NPS with individual feedback and proactive measures, we know we’re on the right path to continuous growth and client satisfaction.
Net Promoter Scores (NPS) have evolved into a fundamental tool for evaluating customer loyalty and forecasting the likelihood of customers endorsing and recommending your company. Although NPS provides crucial insights, it’s important to note that individual feedback holds equivalent, if not greater, significance.
At InSource Solutions, we recognize that while NPS scores offer a broad overview of customer sentiment, the real value lies in understanding the specifics behind these scores. Each piece of individual feedback, whether a glowing review or a critique, provides actionable insights that help us refine our services and enhance customer experiences.
Celebrating NPS Promoter Scores
I would love to see our Friday afternoon NPS Promoter scores (9’s and 10’s) in my email inbox. My smile increases a little bit more if the feedback includes a Client praising one of our employees for going above and beyond to deliver an excellent Customer experience. We praise our employees and thank our customers. Life is good, and they will recommend us for additional work! That’s what it’s all about, right?
The Hidden Value: Individual Feedback
Yes, that is important, but individual feedback, whether good or bad, can be even more critical. Especially if you listen to the customer’s feedback, understand what you could have done differently, and take action to improve their experience. At InSource, we internally discuss each detractor score (0 – 6) and make individual follow-up calls to each detractor. We thank them for taking the time to provide us with feedback and ask what we could have done to improve their experience. Then, we listen with empathy! It is our experience that most clients value the call and appreciate us asking how we can improve their experience. Then, our Client Experience Committee and respective departments review the feedback and make improvements where necessary. We also use compiled feedback in our overall strategy and planning efforts.
Closing the loop is crucial, and I see many providers fail. Does this make every situation perfect? It ensures a continuous closed loop and an improved process. In an article by Stephen Austin, he claims, “Far too many companies make the mistake of treating their NPS survey as the finish line rather than the starting block. They pour time and resources into collecting NPS data, only to let those valuable insights sit in a spreadsheet gathering virtual dust.” He goes on to say, “If you’re not closing the loop with customers after an NPS survey, you’re leaving money and loyalty on the table.” (Reference Below-1)
A Customer Success Perspective
Being in Customer Success, I often overanalyze support providers for services such as ISPs, Streaming Services, and other utility providers. I try to imagine how I would want the situation handled. At the end of a call, I often hear questions like “You will receive a survey, and we would greatly appreciate your feedback.” In both good and bad experiences, I like to provide specifics where they could have created a better experience. Sometimes, I receive an automated message thanking me for the response and that they will use my feedback.
However, I can only remember 1 or 2 circumstances where I received a follow-up call to listen and better understand how they could have improved the experience. Are they listening to enhance their expertise or just going through the motions? I’ve asked myself this question many times.
Imperfect Experiences and Growth
It’s a reality; less-than-perfect experiences are bound to happen. What’s essential is handling those situations, learning from the experience, and adjusting to improve. Always remember that NPS is a valuable tool, but the combination of scores, individual feedback, and proactive action truly drives client satisfaction and business success!
Sometimes, calling a customer who had a bad experience can be difficult. However, I am confident you will see improvement and growth if you listen and act to improve.
Discover how InSource Solutions is dedicated to advancing client success through innovative resources like our newly launched client portal. For more information about InSource Solutions, please contact us.