I used to never fill out surveys or reviews. Back at the dawn of Amazon, Yelp, Angie's List, and other review specific sites, I didn't bother to give my feedback on products or services. Mainly because I didn't believe my opinion mattered. These huge companies have thousands of customers and my voice was but a blip among them. But now, as a small business owner, I now go out of my way to provide feedback as much as possible. Why? Because I know how important it is.
There has never been a time in human history where we as a society were so connected. The internet bridges all the gaps of geography to bring producers of products, and providers of services, closer than ever before with end-users and customers. We have the opportunity to let the people who make things know how good (or bad) they are doing. And knowing that they listen does great things for both sides. We inform them of issues and this gives them the chance to address them. We are the extra eyes and ears of a business that might have missed something along the path of production (it happens more than you would imagine) and most are grateful for the assistance.
Small businesses rely on customer feedback as well as referrals. A happy customer will share their experience with the people closest to them which will drive more business. But the range is limited to the circle of influence that one customer has. What a survey can do is take that positive energy and give the customer a platform to tell more people. The business essentially provides their customers with a megaphone to tell a wider audience about their experience. This open form of communication benefits both parties. It provides a platform for customers to express how they feel about the product/service they utilized, and shows the business as trustworthy and welcoming.
I admit to being intimidated about asking clients to provide testimonials and reviews. I always felt as if I was invading their space and requesting for more of their time. But this wasn't the case at all. In fact, everyone I ever asked was more than happy to supply feedback about their experience working with me and my company. It's another 2017 resolution I will be implementing after every finished project and hope it will become second nature in time. Aside from having a new portfolio piece to show off, I want to show off my happy clients with their own words. So be on the look out in the near future for a survey popping up in your inbox (if we have your email that is). I want to have relationships with my clients built on trust and honesty.
If you're a past client of ours and want to give feedback on your experience, here's your chance to have your voice heard! You can leave us a review on our Google Business Page or on our Angie's List Page. Your feedback matters more than you think. So don't be shy, we're always here to listen!