How to Collect Customer Feedback (And Use It to Improve Customer Experience)

What is Customer Feedback?

Customer feedback is the information, opinions, and suggestions that customers share about their experiences with a company’s products, services, or overall brand. It can come from surveys, reviews, social media, or direct conversations.

Feedback management systems helps businesses understand what customers like, what needs improvement, and how to better meet their needs.

Types of Customer Feedback

Customer feedback comes in various shapes and forms. Some customers tell you exactly what they think when you ask nicely (solicited), others rant on X without tagging you (unsolicited). Feedback can be direct (like support tickets) or indirect (like product usage patterns or churn).

Each type of feedback provides valuable insights, helping businesses understand customer service experience, improve interactions, and foster loyalty. Here are the different types of customer feedback you can tap into:

• Customer Feedback Surveys: Structured questionnaires designed to collect specific information about a customer’s experience, often using scales, multiple-choice questions, or open-ended prompts.
• Online Reviews: Public feedback left on platforms like Google, Yelp, or product websites, offering insights into customer satisfaction and areas for improvement.
• Social Media Feedback: Comments, posts, or messages shared on platforms like X, Facebook, or Instagram, providing unfiltered opinions about your brand in real-time.
• Customer Support Interactions: Feedback gathered during customer interactions with support teams, such as live chat or phone calls, highlighting pain points and service quality.
• Customer Service Metrics: Metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) score are a strong indicator of customer loyalty and satisfaction. Customer Effort Score (CES) can help you assess how easy or hard it is for customers to find resolutions for their issues.
• Churn Feedback: Insights collected from customers who cancel subscriptions or leave, identifying reasons for churn and opportunities to retain others. Think of these as exit interviews, but for your product.
• Product or Service Feedback: Specific opinions about new features, usability, or quality, often gathered through beta testing, focus groups, or online communities.
• Website or App Analytics: Indirect feedback derived from user behavior, such as time spent on pages, navigation patterns, or bounce rates, offering clues about usability.
• Employee Feedback About Customers: Internal insights shared by employees who interact with customers, providing a behind-the-scenes look at common issues and opportunities.
• Voice of the Customer (VoC): Comprehensive programs that collect and analyze feedback from multiple channels to capture the customer’s overall perception of your brand.
• Ad-Hoc Feedback: Spontaneous feedback given by customers through emails, direct messages, or casual conversations, often highlighting unique perspectives. In my experience, unsolicited feedback typically comes either from highly engaged or very unhappy customers. You may find anything from feature requests to new product ideas in this customer feedback goldmine.

Why Is Customer Feedback Important?

Listening to customer feedback is important because it shows customers their opinions matter (and it does). Feedback gives you an opportunity to simplify your customer service processes and identify gaps in your product or service. You can improve customer experience by listening to feedback and implementing it in a timely fashion. Taking customer feedback seriously helps companies make better, customer-centric decisions, based on real experiences, and enhances customer engagement.

1. Feedback Helps Improve Products and Services

Customer feedback is a direct way to learn what’s working and what isn’t. It highlights strengths that should be emphasized and weaknesses that need to be addressed.

Feedback also gives you insight into how your customers see your business (or product) and what they perceive to be problems. By giving them the improvements they want, (and not wasting time and resources iterating on what they already love), you can directly improve your bottom-line.

2. Feedback Builds Customer Trust and Loyalty

96% of customers believe that customer service is vital for brand loyalty, and 77% of customers who have a positive customer experience are likely to recommend the brand to a friend.

When customers feel heard, they are more likely to trust and stay loyal to a brand. Asking for feedback shows that a company values its customers’ opinions and wants to create the best possible experience for them.

A word of advice here: Don't ask for feedback if you have no intention of evaluating or acting on it.

3. It Can Drive Business Growth

A study by Harvard Business School found that a one-star increase in Yelp ratings leads to a 5–7% increase in revenue for restaurants, illustrating how positive reviews directly impact business performance.

Also, it's no secret that happy customers tend to spend more. Companies that lead in customer experience outperform others by nearly 80%, highlighting the significant impact of customer satisfaction on business growth.

Feedback from customers can provide actionable insights that help businesses make smarter decisions. By addressing common complaints about functionality or pricing, and enhancing popular features, companies can improve customer satisfaction, reduce churn, and attract new customers.

Convinced yet? Now, let's get to the meat of the issue: How to get customer feedback, and what to do with it.

Unlock the CX Vault

We’ve collected the goods — AI prompts, exclusive deals, and a library of secrets from CX leaders. Now unlock your free account to get ‘em.

Email*

By signing up, you agree to receive occasional emails. You can unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

How to Develop a Customer Feedback Strategy

A well-structured customer feedback strategy ensures that feedback is collected, analyzed, and utilized effectively. Here are the key steps and methodologies for building a strong feedback strategy:

1. Define Objectives: Start by identifying the goals of your feedback strategy. Are you looking to improve customer satisfaction, refine a product, or identify pain points? Clear objectives will guide your efforts and ensure the feedback collected aligns with your business needs.
2. Choose Feedback Channels: Determine where and how you’ll collect feedback. Popular channels include surveys, live chat, social media, and online reviews. Using multiple channels ensures you reach a diverse audience and gather comprehensive insights. (Pro tip: Just because you actively gather feedback through certain channels does not mean that you won't get unsolicited feedback through other channels. Be sure to keep an eye on all touchpoints where your customers are active.)
3. Select a Framework: Frameworks like the ACAF Loop (Ask, Categorize, Act, Follow-Up) provide a structured way to handle feedback:
   • Ask: Proactively seek feedback through various channels using targeted questions.
   • Categorize: Organize feedback into themes or areas of focus.
   • Act: Take action based on the insights, such as improving a service or resolving complaints.
   • Follow-Up: Close the feedback loop by informing customers about the changes made based on their feedback. (Or at least that their feedback was considered.)
4. Segment Your Audience: Break down your customer base into segments, such as by demographics, purchase behavior, or feedback type. This helps you identify trends and address specific needs more effectively.
5. Implement Tools for Collection and Analysis: Use tools like online survey software, CRM software, or analytics programs to streamline data collection and analysis. Automation can also help manage large volumes of feedback efficiently.
6. Communicate Internally: Share feedback insights with relevant teams, such as product development, customer service, and marketing. Cross-departmental collaboration ensures the feedback is acted on effectively.
7. Measure and Iterate: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your feedback strategy by tracking metrics like response rates, satisfaction scores, and customer retention. Use these insights to refine your approach over time.

By following these steps and leveraging structured frameworks like the ACAF loop, you can create a feedback strategy that not only collects valuable insights but also drives meaningful improvements and strengthens customer relationships.

How To Collect Customer Feedback

Asking your customers what they think about your products and services is a big help when assessing how to improve your business and achieve customer success. By using the right customer feedback tools, you can get the essential insights your team needs.

Here are my tried-and-true methods of collecting good customer feedback:

Customer Surveys

Surveys are one of the most popular ways to gather feedback. They can be distributed via email, website pop-ups, or even QR codes. Customer surveys allow you to ask specific, targeted survey questions about customer satisfaction, product features, or recent experiences. Keep them short and focused to increase response rates and avoid survey fatigue.

Depending on your needs, you may want to try:

• Easy survey makers for beginners
• Best free survey tools
• Survey apps
• Online survey software
• Enterprise survey software for larger companies

Social Media Polls

Platforms like Instagram, X, and LinkedIn offer built-in tools for creating quick polls. Social media polls are great for gathering feedback in a fun, informal way. For example, you can ask followers to vote on their favorite product feature or service improvement ideas. Polls improve customer engagement and provide instant insights into customer preferences.

Social Media Listening

Social media listening involves monitoring mentions, comments, and reviews about your brand across platforms. Tools like Hootsuite and Brandwatch help you track real-time feedback and identify recurring themes. This method provides unfiltered insights into how customers feel about your brand and highlights potential issues or opportunities for improvement.

Chatbot Polls

Chatbots can collect feedback during or after interactions by asking quick, relevant questions. For instance, after resolving a customer’s query, a chatbot can ask, “How satisfied were you with this conversation?” Chatbot polls are convenient for customers and help you collect feedback in real-time without disrupting their experience.

Customer Reviews

Encourage customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, or your website. Reviews provide detailed insights into what customers love and what needs improvement. Public reviews also enhance credibility and help future customers make informed decisions.

Live Chat Feedback

After a live chat interaction, ask customers to rate their experience or answer a short question about the support they received. This feedback helps evaluate your team’s performance and identify areas for improvement in real-time.

Net Promoter Score (NPS) Surveys

Send NPS surveys to customers asking how likely they are to recommend your brand on a scale of 0-10. This simple metric helps measure overall loyalty and identifies promoters, passives, and detractors. Follow up with an open-ended question to understand the reasons behind their scores.

Website Analytics and Heatmaps

Tools like Google Analytics and Hotjar provide indirect feedback by showing how users interact with your website. Heatmaps reveal which areas attract the most attention, while behavior flow reports highlight navigation patterns. This data helps identify pain points and optimize user experience.

Focus Groups

Focus groups involve gathering a small group of customers to discuss their experiences, preferences, and pain points. These customer interviews allow for in-depth conversations and detailed, qualitative feedback, offering insights that rating scales and feedback forms alone might not capture.

Customer Advisory Boards

Form a group of loyal customers to act as a sounding board for new ideas and initiatives. Advisory boards provide valuable input and make customers feel more involved in shaping the brand’s future.

7 Best Practices for Collecting Feedback

No matter the feedback collection mechanism, you should follow these customer feedback best practices:

1. Ask Specific Questions: Craft clear and focused questions that align with your goals. For example, ask about a specific product feature or recent interaction to get actionable insights.
2. Use Multiple Channels: Collect feedback through various channels like surveys, email, social media, live chat, and in-app prompts to reach a wider audience.
3. Keep It Simple: Make the feedback process quick and easy. Limit the number of questions to avoid survey fatigue and increase response rates.
4. Offer Incentives: It can be hard to ask customer to take time for your survey. Encourage participation by providing small rewards, like discounts, gift cards, or loyalty points.
5. Time It Right: Collect feedback at relevant moments, such as immediately after a purchase or support interaction, to capture fresh and accurate responses.
6. Ensure Anonymity (If Needed): Let customers provide anonymous feedback for sensitive topics to encourage honest and candid responses.
7. Use Open-Ended Questions: Include opportunities for customers to share detailed feedback in their own words, which can reveal insights you might not have considered.

How to Use Customer Feedback Once You Have It

Customer feedback is a valuable resource, but its true power lies in how it is utilized. By effectively responding to, analyzing, and acting on feedback, businesses can foster trust, drive improvements, and enhance the customer experience. Below are key strategies for leveraging customer feedback effectively:

Follow Up on Feedback

Following up on customer feedback is essential for building trust and encouraging future participation. When customers see their input acknowledged and acted upon, they feel valued and are more likely to continue engaging with your brand.

For example, if a customer highlights a pain point, a personalized response addressing their concern—such as implementing a fix or offering a solution—demonstrates your commitment to their satisfaction. Timely follow-ups can also turn dissatisfied customers into loyal advocates.

Act on Customer Feedback

Using feedback to inform decisions is critical for maintaining customer trust and improving products or services. Integrating feedback into product roadmaps ensures that customer needs are prioritized during development.

For instance, if multiple customers request a specific feature, adding it to the roadmap signals that their opinions drive meaningful change. Taking visible action based on feedback reinforces the idea that your business listens and cares about its customers.

Complete the Customer Feedback Loop

Creating continuous feedback loops ensures that insights are consistently collected, analyzed, and acted upon. Programs like Voice of the Customer (VoC) help structure this process by gathering input from multiple channels and turning it into actionable insights.

For example, businesses can use customer surveys, support interactions, and social media comments to identify recurring themes. Closing the loop by communicating changes or improvements to customers ensures transparency and builds loyalty.

Analyze and Categorize Feedback

Efficiently managing feedback requires organizing it into actionable categories. Tools like sentiment analysis software or CRM systems help sort feedback by type, such as complaints, suggestions, or praise. This categorization simplifies analysis, allowing teams to identify trends and prioritize actions.

For example, feedback related to product quality can be shared with the development team, while comments about service can be directed to customer support.

Implement Feedback

Sharing feedback insights across your organization ensures that all teams understand customer needs and can work collaboratively to address them. For instance, sharing data with marketing can help craft more customer-focused campaigns, while product teams can use it to enhance features.

Inaction on feedback can harm trust and leave customers feeling ignored, so it’s crucial to take measurable steps that show responsiveness. Communicating the changes made based on feedback further reinforces customer trust and loyalty.

Customer Feedback FAQs

The process of gathering and implementing customer feedback doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some FAQs to help you out:

What is a customer feedback loop?

A customer feedback loop is a system for collecting, analyzing, and acting on customer input — then closing the loop by letting customers know their voice actually mattered. It’s not just about gathering feedback; it’s about creating a continuous cycle where insights lead to changes, and changes get communicated back. Done right, feedback loops boost customer retention, improve CX, and turn users into advocates.

How do you collect meaningful customer feedback?

• Ask at the right time. Catch customers while the experience is fresh, not weeks later.

• Keep it short and clear. Use simple, specific language that’s easy to understand.

• Match the method to the context. Use in-app prompts for product feedback, NPS via email, interviews for churn, etc.

• Remove friction. Make it simple to respond — no logins, no long forms. Don’t forget, you actually want this feedback.

• Encourage honesty. Ask for the good and the bad. Don’t just fish for compliments, no matter how good they’ll look in your monthly wins deck.

• Close the loop. Show customers their feedback led to real change — or stop asking.

What are the 3 main categories of customer feedback?

Customer feedback generally falls into three categories:

• Direct feedback: Think surveys, support tickets, or user interviews — customers tell you exactly what’s up.

• Indirect feedback: This includes social media chatter, review sites, and behavioral signals like feature drop-off.

• Inferred feedback: Actions speak louder than words. Customer churn, poor usage, or low adoption are essentially feedback without the survey form.

How should you respond to negative customer feedback?

First rule: don’t get defensive. Negative feedback is a gift — even when it’s in all caps. Respond quickly, acknowledge the frustration, and take ownership. If it’s public (like on a review site), reply with transparency and offer to continue the conversation privately. Internally, tag it, track it, and use it to tighten your CX weak spots. Angry customers don’t churn because of a bad experience. They churn when they feel ignored.

Penny for Your (Customer's) Thoughts

However you choose to get customer feedback, make sure you get the information you need to help your business grow. Put interactions with your customers at the forefront, ask for direct input, and be creative when you do it. Make customer feedback a priority when you want to make sure their experience is top-notch.

You can sign up for The CX Lead newsletter to stay up-to-date on all the latest trends and insights in customer experience from leading industry experts.