Front-line proximity to customers feels like an information advantage and it isn't. Customers don't volunteer what they think, won't tell you in person, would rather leave than confront — and that's before the "do I look fat in this" effect. Here's why being close to customers blinds you to what they're thinking, and why the cheapest fix is to just ask via email.
What separates Zappos, Amazon and Southwest from the unmemorable companies in the same industries isn't doctoral-level statistics, sophisticated survey questions or charismatic leadership. The actual difference is the boring one: they do something with the feedback. Here's what "do something" actually looks like, step by step, across innovation, immediate action, sales opportunity and service recovery.
Customer feedback surveys are easy to push off the to-do list when you're small — "we already talk to our customers". Here's why that intuition is wrong: customers won't tell you bad news to your face, proximity blinds you to systemic issues, and innovation can't run on what they don't say. Small businesses need customer feedback surveys too, and arguably need them more.
![What is a Good Net Promoter Score? [Video]](/_astro/what-is-a-good-nps-1.xIPs6BEZ.jpg)
What's a good NPS? The honest answer is short, frustrating, and the one most consultants won't tell you. Six minutes of video on why the question is the wrong one — and what to ask instead.
More people name "getting management buy-in" as their biggest NPS roadblock than any other issue. The fix isn't more passion — it's a quantified business case that puts NPS on the same financial footing as operations' next phone-system business case. Here's how to build a rock-solid Net Promoter business case across sales lift, loyalty, and cost savings.
Some companies operate at high performance year after year, and others scrap to stay in business. The variable most often missing from the under-performers is genuine customer advocacy — a way of operating that goes well beyond fee-for-service. Here's how high-performing companies set themselves apart, written by guest contributor Seb Atkinson.