If you believe that knowing what your customers think about your business is important, what's the best way to get that information?

Most people make a bad mistake by asking the wrong question and the words they hear from their clients are dangerously misleading. 

In businesses up and down the country, a thousand times a day, one particular unhelpful question is asked by well-meaning individuals. They haven't thought about the consequences of their choice of words. You can be different.

Don't ask, 'How was everything?', like a waiter does, because nine out of ten people will say 'Fine', whatever they really think.

The customer will only tell you, spontaneously, what he thinks if his level of emotion crosses one of two thresholds: either if he is absolutely delighted or utterly disgusted.

In between those extremes the customer keeps his opinion to himself because he or she is thinking, 'What's the point?' if they were not pleased. On the other hand if the service has been satisfactory, they think, 'It should be'. In both situations the standard answer does nothing to help you improve.

Unless you ask a better question.

Instead try this, 'Would you help me please? Have you got any suggestions how we could make our service to you better?'

People have an automatic instinct to help. They appreciate it when their opinions are sought and enjoy giving advice. You have a good chance of finding out what they really think. Then you can either do more of what they want or fix the things they don't like before serious damage is done.

A warning; people will not reveal their deeply-held views if they don't think that you can be trusted with the information. You have to prove to them that you take their views seriously. 

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