Are Customer Surveys Worth the Effort?

Customer feedback is critical not only for the growth of your business but also for catching small problems before they turn into a crisis. While some portable restroom operators prefer face-to-face conversations, others find that surveys provide more accurate information.

Here’s the thing, many people won’t complain over minor issues with cleanliness. Instead, they’ll choose a different service next time. Questionnaires give clients the option to rate their satisfaction from the comfort of their couch. This type of data collection shows your clients that you care and helps you catch and fix minor problems, which plays a role in your ability to grow your business.

Types of Customer Surveys

Clients are full of opinions, so it’s necessary to have a clear goal in mind when developing your survey. Common goals include determining a customer’s satisfaction or generating feedback on the types of products used. While you don’t want to bombard clients with tons of surveys, it’s acceptable to ask for feedback after a completed service or as part of a yearly review.

• Satisfaction survey. This essential survey asks clients to rate their experience in various areas, including if they’d rent your portable restrooms again or recommend your company to friends and family. Satisfaction surveys work best immediately after service.
• Service improvement questionnaire. Asking current and former clients targeted questions gives you results specific to your goal. For example, if you’re trying new cleaning products or fragrances and are unsure if you want to keep them or try something else, ask clients if they found the aroma pleasant or how they’d rate their unit on cleanliness.
• Feedback for business growth. If you’re looking to expand your business with different types of portable restroom units or add-ons, then query your loyal customers. Ask them if they need differently sized units, want a place for business advertising, or would pay more for additional lighting. Questionnaires that offer insight into your customers’ purchasing habits help you make better business decisions.

Ways to Distribute Questionnaires

The most common way that portable restroom operators request feedback is by including a spot on their invoice. Unfortunately, this box often goes unseen. Improve your survey return rates by trying out various methods and seeing which one works for you.

• Attach a survey to your invoice. Including a separate questionnaire and prepaid envelope gives you more space to make an impression. It’s easier for clients to read and fill out. Include a prominent line on your invoice that tells clients to complete the attached survey.
• Send out an email. Follow up with recent customers and current clients by sending out a personalized email. Ask them questions that align with your survey goals. End your email with a call to action that requests the reader hit reply and answer your questions. Emails are also used to direct people to a web survey.
• Create a web survey. Using a free service, like SurveyMonkey, allows you to offer a web link that clients go to and fill out. You can include this link on invoices, both traditional and digital.
• Use a Facebook poll. Business pages allow companies to ask their audience all sorts of questions, making this the perfect area to test out new fragrance selections or get feedback on the types of services offered.
• Keep it personal with a face-to-face meeting or phone call. Make this method work to your advantage by having your list of questions ready. Alternatively, have a paper survey and hand it to customers, then ask if they’d complete it.

Boost Survey Participation Rates

Merely including a survey with an invoice or sending out an email doesn’t guarantee responses. Follow these tips to maximize customer responses on your questionnaires.

• Make it simple to read. Keep it short with easy-to-understand wording. Don’t fill it with industry jargon. Vary your types of questions by including multiple choice, a rating scale, and open-ended questions that allow for customer comments.
• Keep it actionable. You want surveys with the least number of steps. If customers can click on a link or fill out a form directly from their email, they are more likely to return it. If you provide a paper questionnaire, including a postage paid envelope is a must.
• Provide an incentive. People like free stuff. You can structure a giveaway, where you pull a name every month from completed surveys and reward the winners with a free meal or a few gallons of gas. Hand out a T-shirt or offer a discount on an add-on service.

Surveys are worth the effort. In fact, they provide a source of valuable information that helps you make changes, address problems, and increase sales. By sticking to a goal, choosing the method of delivery that works, and motivating clients to respond, you improve customer relations and increase profits.

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