How To Ask for Feedback from Customers

Updated July 21, 2022

The customer experience is central to a business's operations and strategy. Companies need feedback from their customers to gain insight into how consumers perceive and interact with their brand. Learning how to ask for feedback from customers is an important process for a business to consider.

In this article, we explain the benefits of asking customers for feedback, share ways you can ask for customer feedback and give tips on how to request feedback from a customer.

Benefits of asking customers for feedback

Asking customers for feedback benefits a company by providing data that can shape the way a business serves existing customers and attracts new ones. Feedback offers businesses an opportunity to improve their products or services. Here are some of the areas that benefit from customer feedback:

Customer service: When customers give feedback about their experiences, businesses can better understand how to improve their service standards to increase customer satisfaction.
Marketing: Requesting customer feedback can give marketing professionals key insights into consumer trends and buying habits. Marketing teams can use this information to drive decisions that help the company reach customers in new ways.
Quality assurance: Asking for customer feedback can give companies insight into any product flaws or irregularities in service. The data gained from customer responses offers a valuable assessment that can help drive product updates to better serve consumers.
Product development: Asking customers for specific feedback about a product helps companies understand the type of products customers actually want.

Ways to ask for feedback from customers

There are plenty of ways to ask for customer feedback, especially through digital methods. Here are some strategies to consider:

Send an email

Requesting customer feedback through email can be an effective way to connect with consumers. One way to reach out through email is to Include a survey. Surveys provide structured response templates with quantifiable data.

You can also ask for an open response in your email that redirects customers to a form on your website or another data collection tool. This kind of response can provide you with detailed information about customer choices and habits.

Use a pop-up survey

Ask for feedback immediately after a customer experience like a live chat or an online purchase. Pop-up surveys can take the form of a rating where customers choose the number of stars to assign to their experience. Surveys can also consist of a numerical choice where the customer chooses a high or low number with the option of adding a comment. Pop-up surveys are a fast and quantifiable way to ask for customer feedback.

Add a poll on social media

Companies can use their social media channels to ask for customer feedback. A quick poll where followers simply click a response is a great way to gather data. Keep social polls short and easy to answer.

Post a feedback or contact form on your website or app

Adding contact or feedback forms on your website or mobile app can give your customers a chance to give feedback at any time. To get the most out of this method, make the form easy to find and complete. Use a call-to-action button that customers can click on from any page on your website or app.

Request a third-party review

You can also add a call-to-action button that takes customers to a third-party review website or social media platform. These reviews help showcase your product to the public. Find the third-party reviewer that best fits your industry and product. For example, many restaurants use Yelp for reviews.

Ask for article feedback

If you offer customer support or educational articles on a blog or website, consider using a call-to-action button for customer feedback. Companies often ask, "Was this helpful?" and add one button to respond "yes" and another to respond "no." If a customer responds with no, a dialog box appears where they can explain their reason.

Send a text

Connect with customers using a text message to request feedback. You can send a link to a survey on your website or suggest that they leave a review on your social media page.

Call on the phone

In the days of digital connections, you can still reach out to customers with a phone call. Use this personal connection to ask specific questions regarding a product or service. A quick follow-up call can produce the best responses. You may also want to let customers know that they will receive a call from a certain number so that they recognize the caller and answer the phone.

Mail a questionnaire

Using a printed survey is still a good way to ask for feedback from your customer base. Mail a set of questions to customers with postage paid so that all they have to do is fill out the form and put it right back in the mailbox.

Questions you should ask your customers to get feedback

To get the best possible answers when you ask your customers for feedback, use open-ended questions like these that specifically relate to your brand, service or product:

How was your experience today?
How could this product be better?
What do you think about this product?
What specific features about this product did you like?
What could have convinced you to purchase the item in your cart?
What service did we provide for you today?
Why did you choose us to provide this service?
How would you rate this product or service?
How could we improve this product or service?
How satisfied are you with your product or service?
Would you recommend our product or services to others?
How did we meet or exceed your expectations? If we didn't, what else could we have done?

How to ask for feedback from customers

To begin requesting feedback from customers, follow these steps:

1. Decide which questions to ask

Plan what you will ask your customers first, and decide on the most engaging way to word your questions. Ask for feedback with a specific purpose in mind. Before you request a response from a customer, determine what area of the business you want to focus on with your feedback and ask specific questions about that area.

2. Plan your method

Determine which contact method or methods work best for your particular product or service. Digital methods are most popular, but many businesses can still benefit from a more traditional approach of a phone call or print survey sent through the mail.

3. Make a connection with your customers

One of the best ways to engage customers is to make the contact feel as human as possible. Address customers by their first name when you ask for feedback, and end an email with a signature from a specific team member instead of a general closing. The key to getting better feedback from customers is to make a personal connection.

Tips for asking for customer feedback

Here are some ideas to help you collect better customer feedback:

Ask open-ended questions that encourage a conversation. Customers are more likely to respond in more detail if you avoid asking "yes" or "no" questions and instead ask "how," "what" and "why."
Focus on your subject line in an email feedback request. Make a subject line stand out with a call to action. For example: "Help us improve our online experience." A strong subject line prompts action from a customer.
Always thank customers for feedback. Experts agree that this is one of the biggest opportunities to build customer loyalty that companies often overlook. Whenever a customer provides feedback, show your gratitude in the form of an automated response or, even better, through a personalized thank you.
Include a promotion for customers who give feedback. You can reward customers for providing feedback by offering a discount or special gift. Offer a coupon with a percentage off for customers who complete a feedback form.
Find out if customers leave feedback without being asked. If you notice that many customers seek out your website comment section or are quick to leave messages on your social media posts, determine what type of customer is doing this. Find out if they are engaging because of a positive or negative experience.
Respond to negative feedback. You can improve your brand reputation by responding quickly and fairly to negative feedback. It's even better if you can do this publicly so that other consumers can see how you solve problems and value customer satisfaction.
Allow customers to vote on feedback submitted by others. Some companies allow customers or users to participate in an open feedback chat that shows how others have responded. These companies often let people vote on others' feedback, which shows what customer opinions are most popular and relevant.