Client feedback: Do you shy away from it?

If you did a bad job for a client, would you be happy for them to let you know where you went wrong? Do you seek client feedback or would you prefer not to know?

I recently engaged a cleaner for our house as my reward for reaching a business milestone. I’d never had a cleaner before so researched what was involved and who was available in my area. After meeting with several cleaners, I had a fair picture of what I should expect and engaged someone to come every fortnight.

The big day arrived. The cleaners came, they cleaned and they left in record time. When I went to inspect my sparkling house, instead I found a number of things not cleaned the standard I would expect or simply not cleaned at all. I decided if I was going to pay for a service then I had a right to expect it to be done well.

Before reporting my dissatisfaction, I decided to test whether my expectations were too high, so I asked another cleaner to come the following week . They did a much better job so I decided to keep them on.

I promptly phoned the first cleaner to tell them I wouldn’t need them to return the following week. I had made a list of the things that had caused me to be unsatisfied with their service with the intent of providing client feedback which I hoped would help them in future jobs. Much to my surprise the only conversation that occurred was to be told “Okay, fine” and then the phone was hung up!

I couldn’t imagine receiving a call from a dissatisfied customer and not taking a moment to ask what it was that hadn’t met their expectation. How could I expect to learn and grow in my business if I don’t take the time to listen?

I can only speculate at what was happening at the other end of the phone. Based on tone of voice, this is my educated guess:

The cleaner was caught by surprise, maybe she thought she had done a great job.
She felt defensive and took my call personally.
She felt uncomfortable asking for further detail, preferring instead to abruptly end the call.

I understand these emotions, however if you have also found yourself shying away from client feedback it is important to note the following:

Feedback is not a reflection of you as a person, it is a reflection on a product or service.
Client feedback provides a wonderful learning opportunity.
Feedback won’t kill you so there is no need to be afraid to ask for it.
Your business will benefit if you take the time to listen to what your clients want to share…both the happy and the unhappy ones.

Do you shy away from client feedback? Make a commitment this week to actively seek client feedback. You might surprise yourself with the wonderful and interesting things you discover!

Linda Anderson is a Certified Professional Coach dedicated to helping people live bold and rewarding lives. Linda has an energetic and direct style of coaching which suits people who like to be challenged.

8 comments | Add your own 1 2 | Next» View all»

I have a policy that I try to implement time permitting, of calling and gathering feedback on a Monday, for the previous weeks work. I find this to be effective. Heather Smith from Brisbane
Great article. An idea for giving feedback is to ask the person if you can offer them feedback before you give it. EG "I'd like to offer you some feedback is that OK", then start with one positive thing, then offer the negative comment. It softens the blow a bit for those people that are not expecting to hear something negative, especially from a client. Melinda from Port Macquarie
Life's tough enough with rising mortgages and prices without having to take on more grief? I agree with you, Linda, but I also think Melinda's suggestion is very important. Grant Hyman - salescentral from Sydney
Unfortunately there are cleaners and then there ARE cleaners. The majority of cleaners are usually interested in what the customer has to offer in way of feedback, afterall how can we satisfy your needs if we dont know what they are. Most domestic cleaners only offer a basic clean, but the professional give that much more for a slightly higher price. Most domestic cleaners are not trained in cleaning, and they look at it as only a job. The professional usually has had some training and has made a concious decission that this is his/her career path to something bigger and better. Having spent the last 22 years in the cleaning industry the only time I knew the custiomer wasnt happy with what I did was when she told me and fortunately that didnt happen very often. If you not happy with the service please tell them patrick Burgess from north Ryde NSW
Good article Linda. I also agree with Melinda, it is important to start with a positive and move onto the negative to soften the blow. It is our own practice to welcome constructive criticism. As most of the feedback we receive these days is via email, we make sure to thank the customer for the feedback to encourage it to happen again. It is unlikely that you, Linda, will ring these cleaners again, but if you did, you might not feel like you were welcome to give feedback. And it is important to welcome the good with the bad - but don't let yourself get put out if it is something that was out of your control. -Jess, www.zulugraphics.com.au Jess from Zulu Graphics, Newcastle
We provide a feedback form to EVERY client to ensure we are all doing our job correctly. We also provide a scratchie card to ensure they complete it (little bribe) Having worked for the largest cruise line in the world I am well aware that feedback drove their business forward and let them know what they were doing wrong. We use some of the feedback as testimonials so it's works on several levels - Ronan http://www.blackjackknights.com.au Ronan from Melbourne

8 comments | Add your own 1 2 | Next» View all»

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