I don’t think there is a person among us who hasn’t filled out a customer satisfaction or loyalty survey. Sometimes we fill it out because we are angry, sometimes we respond because we want to give some “expert advice” on how that company can improve, sometimes we agree to participate simply because it’s easy, and sometimes we feel obligated to give feedback to our partners. Regardless of the reason that drives you to fill out a survey, the expectation is ALWAYS that it will be read, and that the company that gets the feedback will take action on your words of wisdom.

Reality check. That. Seldom. Happens. But when it does – WOW. You remember that company. I, for one, am still drinking wine because of a simple Net Promoter Survey. Actually, I probably would be drinking wine anyway, however, I am still a part of a wine club because of the action they took. And for those of us looking to keep our customers, it’s a good idea to take a page from this story.

I received a simple Net Promoter Score survey from a company that ships me a few bottles of wine on a schedule. I had enjoyed the first couple of shipments, but the third shipment was just okay. Nothing special or unique. And then, the Net Promoter Score survey hit my inbox.

How likely are you to recommend (our wine club) to a friend or a colleague? I scored them a 7 out of 10. 7 is Passive and they clearly understand that. Within 48 hours, I received an email from them that read:

We recently asked how likely you were to recommend “Our Company” and you gave us a score of 7 out of 10.

You also left this comment: "Wines are not great. I have had “comparison” wines for about same price and I feel they’re much higher caliber."

Thank you for your feedback. I'm so sorry to hear you haven't been delighted with all your wines. If you don't mind me asking, which bottles weren't for you and why? I would be happy to make a personal recommendation for you. :)

We source from exceptional vineyards and work with great winemakers from around the world. We ship all of our wine, domestic and international, in recyclable bulk containers to our centralized, state of the art winemaking and bottling facility on California's Central Coast.

By consolidating our bottling and distribution operation and through direct shipping to our customers, we operate more cost effectively and have a much lower environmental impact than a traditional supply chain. Each of our partners have their own projects so sometimes we need to be discrete. While we can't always name drop, these wines ultimately offer a great value.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask! Have a great day!

Cheers, Hanna

And then, I received this note the following week…

Based on the service Hanna provided, would you hire this Concierge for your team? We'd love your feedback. Please click to rate the service below.

Impressed? I was! Not only do they care enough about my measly order to take the time to understand my needs and wants, but they took the opportunity to further explain their services and the value it brings to me, and offer me personalized service. Prior to receiving these responses to my surveys, I was not going to place another order. Instead, I am a happy returning customer. This focus on me changed my buying behavior.

This did not take a lot of effort on their part, but it take a disciplined approach and plan to engage me and keep me from becoming a lost customer. Imagine if they had done nothing with my response. I would not have placed another order. I guarantee I am not the only one that they could have lost.

Are you set up to understand exactly how loyal your client contacts are and take action on the insights you receive?

At Butler Street, our philosophy is never, ever lose a client. We are also huge advocates of Net Promoter Score and the actionable insights they provide. We teach organizations how to create a disciplined approach to respond specifically to your contacts and capitalize on promoters as well as prevent detractors. If you would like to learn more about our Account Management Services and immediately improve your customer retention, Contact us…