Using Surveys to Improve Client Experience
How to Use Surveys to Improve Client Experience
Have you ever stopped to wonder—how are all the systems and processes I’ve built for my business affecting my clients? If you haven’t dived into your clients’ experience and perception of your work, you could be missing out on some seriously beneficial insights on how to improve your business.
side note: we are mainly discussing client surveys in this post, but we believe you should also be surveying your team and doing self reflection to strengthen your business and client’s experience as well!
What is Continuous Improvement of Processes and Systems?
As a business owner, you know that there is nothing stagnant about running a business, team, or working with clients. Even processes or offerings you believe are set in stone can and should be tweaked over time, but how do you know when and how to make adjustments?
Think about it like this—what if a store you frequent never asked for customer feedback, or stopped stocking items you loved, because frankly, they were unaware of the shoppers perception and needs? That business would go downhill fast.
Updating your processes and systems to better benefit you, your clients, and your team should be a main priority, not just for growth, but for client retention. This topic could be a whole other blog post—that’s how important it is!
What is Client Experience?
Client Experience in Business
It’s essential to know how your clients view you. And I’m not talking, do they think you’re an awesome person (hopefully, yes!) but I mean how do they view your business. Do they enjoy interacting with your content because it’s educational? Do they forward your newsletters to their colleagues? Do they like monthly virtual check-ins or are they more comfortable via email? Do they understand your processes or find them confusing and aren’t sure how to speak up?
This is all information you don’t want to just gloss over. You can want to use surveys to improve client experience.
Client Experience in Service-Based Businesses
Service-based businesses have a lot of moving parts, from onboarding, to technical automations, to communication variances between different clients.
We often ask our clients how their service is—we check in to make sure they are satisfied with the work being delivered, but what about the entire experience?
Have you ever ate at a restaurant and loved your meal, but the service was mediocre? That’s what we want to avoid. And that’s what client surveys can prevent.
If we don’t address the entire experience from their perspective, then we are left with gaps in our clients’ experience and satisfaction.
Client Experience in Product-Based Business
Client experience is very important in product-based businesses. Why? Because there is less hands-on interaction—a lot of systems are automated—which is a wonderful and essential tool, but it can leave the human interaction out of the equation. This is where personal touches can make all the difference, like emails, notes, and personalized offers. This alone can change client perspective.
PS - Check out our complete breakdown on how to
implement automations and take back your time!
Why are Customer Surveys Useful?
Why Use Client Surveys
The absolute best way to receive feedback and reflect on your processes is to get it directly from your clients—the ones who experience it!
Client surveys are powerful because they provide real time insights into what’s working (like your SOPs), what’s not, and may identify weak points that you, as the business owner, may not ever experience from your viewpoint.
When to Use Client Surveys
They can be used at every stage of the process, but you don’t want to poll every client at every touchpoint. Be strategic. Let’s break down some of the best things to use them for:
Onboarding Process: this experience sets the tone for how a client will perceive you and work with you. Your goal should be to make this as thorough and efficient as possible.
During the service - or waiting for the product: Think of this as a mid check-in point. How are things going? Anything we can improve on? It shows you care, and they are in the thick of it, so they will definitely have feedback.
Communication: Ask them how they feel about the communication. The method of communication/the cadence, etc.
Using client surveys during all these points paints an entire picture, instead of just a narrow view of a process. When you see the whole picture off the client process, you can identify where there is room for improvement.
How to Use Surveys to Improve Client Experience
As mentioned above, it’s important to be strategic about sending client surveys. Make sure you’re asking the right questions, sending them at the right time, and you’re gathering insights into actionable feedback—things you actually want to know, or are willing to change.
The last thing you want is to overload a single client with several surveys, because that’s going to have a negative impact on their experience. Poll different clients at different touch-points.
Using Client Experience Surveys to Improve Processes and Systems
Take time to think about your questions and the feedback you want. Generic questions are a waste of time, for both the client and you. Be thoughtful about what you’re asking, and get specific. The answers you receive are invaluable, and it’s information you can use to implement real change.
Analyzing Client Satisfaction Surveys
This is the part that takes time! You don’t want to just ask yes or no questions. You don’t need a fancy system to survey your clients either—you can use something as simple and free as Google Forms.
Once you recieve feedback, start charting it. Document it in a spread sheet, or however makes sense to you. You’ll want to analyze the data—are there commonalties in any of the feedback?
But this is important…do not make changes based on ONE client experience survey. Use statistical data to make informed decisions and changes, and remember that there are always outliers. You know your business better than anyone else, so keep that in mind. However if there is a pattern, do no ignore it.
Example Survey Questions for Aiding the Improvement of Processes and Systems
Open ended questions are the golden rule in client surveys! Here are a few example questions to help you get the ball rolling:
Questions for Improving the Client Onboarding Process
How easy was it for you to book a call with [whomever they booked with]?
How did you find the communication during the onboarding process?
What questions do you wish we had addressed or asked during the onboarding process?
During the onboarding process, did you ever feel uneasy or nervous about anything? Please explain.
Questions for Improving the Client Off-boarding Experience
How did (name of service provider) treat you during the off-boarding process?
What did wrapping up with our project feel like for you?
Is there anything you wish had gone differently with the way we wrapped up our project?
Questions for Improving the Client Acquisition Process
How did you find [business name]?
How long had you been on our email list (or equivalent) before you decided to work with us?
What was your initial impression of [business name]?
How did you feel the first time we interacted with you?
How did our emails influence you or deter you from working with us?
What could we have done to help you decide to work with us more quickly?
Designing Your Client Experience Surveys
This is the part we don’t want you to stress over. Client surveys can be super informal or formal. They should match the tone of your business—which is something only you can decide on. The most important part is that they provide you actionable feedback and are user friendly, so here’s how to make the most of them.
Using a Survey Tool
Tools can help! A survey tool can be easily shared, and appear professional and trust-worthy. Here are some recommended tools we like:
Tally.io (free!)
Typeform (free and paid plans)
Google Forms (free with Google account)
Kit (paid: has an option in the emails for polls, not the best, but can be used for some things)
ClickUp Forms (paid: integrates with ClickUp—it’s all right there and easily manageable)
Airtable (paid)
Asking in Email
You can keep it really simple—send your client an email with a list of questions and ask for their feedback this way.
Inviting the Client to an Interview
Set up an interview or coffee chat and invite your client to hop on a call with you to ask for feedback face-to-face. You know your clients and know if this would be the best approach. Make sure they know upfront that you want to get honest feedback and that you’re using the information to grow and improve your processes.
What Happens When You’re Ready to Send Your Client Experience Surveys?
This is the exciting part—send away! As always, be friendly and professional in your asking. Position it as a way to help you and your future clients have a better overall experience, and to improve your brand. Many clients will happily share their thoughts when it’s posed as something positive and helpful.
Tips for the Administration of Surveys for Clients
Automate it as much as possible [learn how here!] so that it automatically goes out to certain clients based on different factors—this way it’s a set-and-forget task.
Only ask questions that will help you get results.
Keep surveys short and offer many ways for the client to respond. Don’t make questions required.
Allow a way for surveys to be anonymous.
Always leave at least one open ended place for them to ask questions, share concerns, or write anything they may feel is important to share their thoughts and ideas.
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Client Surveys are Non-negotiables for growing businesses.
If you’re serious about improving your business, improving your clients’ experience and creating better systems, you need to be sending client surveys. Tailor them to fit your business, automate them, and make them another part of your daily procedures!
Questions? Leave a comment below!
