5 Ways to Use Your Customer Surveys To Get More Business
There is an inherent problem with surveys. The less than favorable ones are usually discussed at sales meetings or copies are given to the offending staff member. (which further depresses them). The favorable ones are also shared, but then filed away somewhere in a drawer, never to see the light of day again.
Take your great customer surveys out of the drawer.
Here are 5 ideas on how to use your surveys for both marketing and referral purposes.
- Prepare a closing booklet
If your client has given you a favorable survey, include a copy of their survey to remind them of what they said about you. Chances are that when it comes to buying another home (or refinancing their current one), they will refer back to the closing booklet and the survey is a reminder of what they have said about your company and the great experience of working with you.
- Send a copy of the survey to the referral source
If an affinity partner has referred a client, send a copy of the survey to the referral source along with your thank you note. It shows your referral source that the experience they had with you was a good one.
- Send a copy of the survey to both the listing agent and the selling agent
Yes, especially the listing agent so they know what a great job you did. Be sure that the sales manager (of both real estate companies) receives a copy of the survey. Send one to the builder (if new construction). This reinforces your commitment to great customer service.
- Send a copy of the favorable survey to the president
Let’s say that you just closed a loan for a newly transferred vice-president of one of the companies in your area. Send a copy of the favorable survey to the president and a copy to the human resources director. They are more likely to refer more employees to you. It would also serve as a great marketing piece if you want to get your foot in the door with corporate accounts endorsing you as their mortgage lender of choice.
- Don’t file your surveys away in a drawer ever again
Put them in a scrapbook in your lobby. Create a booklet of surveys to mail to your top referral sources. Add them to your website (scan them instead of just you writing text). Include the following and scan (for your website) thank you notes, cards from flowers you have received. Scan in notes from Christmas cards.
The title of your scrapbook and toolbar on your website might say...What other customers have said about us!
Your customer survey may ask different questions but ask some essay questions, instead of the traditional “yes” or “no” responses. Based upon the feedback you want — but here are 2 questions that should be included in every one of your surveys:
Would you refer us to your family and friends?
Would you please say a few words about how our staff helped you?
Of course, don’t ignore the unfavorable surveys. Get on the phone and call them immediately. Find out what the real problem is. If you screwed up, apologize. Send them a gift certificate. Consider it damage control. The client will appreciate your taking the time to call—and in fact could become your biggest advocate.
Copyright - 2007 - – Used with Permission 
