Surveying Customers Opens Windows of Opportunity

 

  
  Do you ever get a receipt from the grocery store that says, “Please call this toll-free number to complete a short survey? Or, have you ever hung on the line after completing a call to a utility company for a satisfaction survey? Your construction company should be no different. Asking questions will keep your finger on the pulse of your customer’s needs, wants, likes, dislikes and most importantly, their happiness.

Surveys can be sent out at a variety of times. First, you can send one out after an initial sales call- whether or not you have received the job. This can help you gauge what your clients are looking for, what they may be finding from the competition and why they are still making their decision. Questions to ask on this type of survey are:

1. Have you awarded this project to another company?

2. Was your decision based on the timeliness of our response, our ability to assess and meet your needs, our professionalism or our price?

3. If you decided not to proceed at all, why not? Will you in the future? When?
 
Once you have collected the answers to these survey questions, you will be able to put your finger on why they chose someone else, and perhaps can examine your sales process- so you can win next time! This is important. Just because they did not create income for you directly, but indirectly, their answers will help up.

If you think the next obvious survey is one to be distributed after the project is done, you are wrong! You should check in with your customers during the process, although they are already a customer, you want to ensure that they stay one!

Some things to ask during this survey are:
1. Are we meeting your expectations?

2. Do you have any immediate concerns?

3. Is the lead/foreman available when you need them?

4. Are the workers courteous, professional and prompt?

This will allow you to make any necessary changes during the project to ensure that customers are ultimately satisfied at the end. This is a good way to get any gripes, concerns or complaints out in a professional medium, rather than having customers who are afraid to speak up, shock you with disappointment at the end.
 
And finally, as hinted above, a survey should also be issued at the completion of the project. All of your survey forms should be typed professionally, with plenty of room for comments to be written in. Be sure to include a spot for their vital information, so once filed with other surveys, you will be able to tell them apart. Perhaps you should also
include an “office use only” part to write in where you took action.

Finally, send a note of thanks to those who completed the survey to thank them for their time. This is a subtle invitation to invite them to contact you once again. And remember; make copies of your five-star surveys to include in your portfolio.