How to Evaluate Customer Service?!

Informal Feedback - Informal Feedback refers to asking customers questions in a non-threatening, informal manner. It could be gathered over a dinner or in a casual conversation, where the customer may feel freer to express their opinion. Other methods include watching customers as they come in and go out and making polite conversations with them.

Customer Surveys & Questionnaire – Many businesses want more information then would fit on a comment card so they issue questionnaires for customers to complete. Most of time it’s only an A4 sheet with a questions and with a tiny box on the side so we can tick it if we agree. Questionnaires are usually being send out regularly online to representative customer group to check their views e.g. Dagenham’s.

Comment Card – Because the customers might be too shy or may forget to talk to the manager about comments, complaints or compliments, a lot of restaurants prefer to put a comment cards on the desk and if you are available you can complete it before you leave. Comment cards about restaurants/pubs help the manager to find out more about advantages and disadvantages about his business. Usually comment cards allows you to write a bit more then you can do on a questionnaires. Most of time customers writing down what they like and what they dislike at the time they were in the local area.

Staff Feedback – Staff feedback is valuable for two main reasons. First, many staff deal directly with external customers – They can therefore pass on comments made by customers (positive and negative). Second, staffs are internal customer, so their views are also important. If many staff is unhappy and leaving to work elsewhere it is sensible to find out why.

Mystery Customers – Some retailers employ mystery customers whom the job is to act like a customer but in the same time check the speed of service, the way in which the service was delivered, the attitude of the staff and the quality of the finished result. At the end of the day mystery customer needs to write a report and pass it on to some on who is responsible for it in the store.

Complaint Letters – If a customer makes a complaint, either by phone or letter, this indicates a possible problem area. If there’s a lo9t of complaints about the same thing then obviously it must be a serious problem to that needs it sorting out. This is why a lot of retailers organisations record the complaints they receive in a term time and then check to see if there was any improvements.

Compliment Letters – Compliments letters are very similar to complaints letters but you can write down in them only positive messages. The customers are available to write acknowledgements to the staff for wonderful service or praises a product is to be treasured – which is why many organisations pin these on a notice bored or make mention of them in their newsletters so other irregular customers can find out how really the restaurant/pub is.