Category: Customer Exerience

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7 Questions Customers Will Ask About Sustainability

Consumers are at the forefront of the eco-friendly revolution. Multiple studies have revealed what many business owners already know — customers prioritize sustainability. For aspiring entrepreneurs, this means you need to prioritize sustainability, too. You also need to be prepared for the questions that customers might ask about your sustainable business practices. Today, New Century Dynamics Executive Search goes over seven important points that will reveal your business’s commitment to sustainability.

 

  1. “Where is this product sourced from?”

Where a product comes from often determines whether or not it is sustainable. Products that are delivered via long-distance shipping, for example, contribute to carbon emissions. You can avoid this by sourcing products from local suppliers.

 

  1. “How does your business benefit the ecosystem?”

Some customers care about specific elements of sustainability, such as the ecosystem. You can answer this question with marketing materials that highlight how your business practices are benefiting the environment. Be specific when you describe and market these benefits.

 

  1. “Does your business use sustainable products?”

Customers know that sustainability requires a long-term commitment from a business. They want to know that you’re using sustainable products in your daily operations. These products might be pricier than traditional items, but they’re a worthwhile expenditure — and customers will be reassured to know that your business’s commitment to the environment includes sustainable purchasing practices.

 

  1. “How are you reducing paper waste?”

Paper waste is a major cause of pollution, and well-informed customers will want to know that you’re actively fighting this problem. You can address the issue by replacing your paper invoices with electronic invoices. An electronic invoice system will also allow you to create an invoice with a premade template. Simply customize it with your logo and add any text or colors that you’d like.

 

  1. “Was your business founded on sustainable business practices?”

You might be asked whether your company has always maintained sustainable business practices. It’s okay if the answer is no — it’s better to dive in and start your business than it is to waste time and aim for perfection. If you’re ready to get started, establishing an LLC is a great place to start. You can start yours with help from a formation service, and you’ll be able to take advantage of less paperwork and minimized liability. However, not all formation services are the same, so check BestLLCServices.com reviews to make sure you’re getting the best deal available.

 

  1. “How did you learn about sustainable business practices?”

Your successful implementation of sustainable business practices might inspire others to start their own sustainable businesses — and they’ll likely have questions. You can help other entrepreneurs by sharing the resources and research that helped you learn about sustainability.

 

  1. “How do you balance profit with sustainable practices?”

Balancing sustainability and profit is often a concern for new business owners, and customers who are interested in your business model might ask about it. You can tell them that sustainability often helps businesses grow and generate greater revenue.

 

Have Answers Ready and Have a Plan for Sustainability

Building genuine connections with your clientele is the key to ensuring your business’s long-term success. Customers who are invested in your business will want to know more about it, and they may ask any of the aforementioned questions. You can strengthen customer relationships by answering honestly and maintaining sustainable practices such as electronic invoicing.

New Century Dynamics Executive Search is focused on providing Retained Search for the Service Industry: Segments of interest include Food Service Distribution, Restaurant and Hospitality, and Retail. Call 770-354-2817.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me, so please leave a comment.

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Why Newsletters Are the New Cover Letters for Growing Your Customer Base

Newsletters are an effective way of keeping your customers up-to-date with what’s happening in your business. Moreover, newsletters can not only help you maintain your current customer base, but they can also help you grow your customer base too. So without further ado, ITB Partners reveals how to create a memorable newsletter or newsletter sequences to captivate your audience’s attention.

Tips for growing your email newsletter

Thanks to modern technology, there are many ways to grow your email database, from gated content to opt-ins to pop-ups to giveaways. There are many ways to grab and hold your audience’s attention – until the next newsletter, that is.

How to create a buzz with the newsletter the first time around

Perhaps you’re at the beginning of creating your newsletter sequence, and you’re wondering how to create an impactful newsletter that your audience will really take notice of. In essence, the most successful newsletters will comprise any of the following elements, which include:

Create an entertaining subject line

Your subject line will need to stand out at first glance, so it best must be entertaining and speak to the needs of your audience by addressing a certain pain point, for example. 

Storytelling

No one has the time these days to read long-drawn-out, boring newsletters that don’t really serve a purpose. Rather, when you incorporate storytelling into your newsletters, you can create a personable story that people can relate to. This is made even better when you are able to add any other relevant information that people might not know about your brand to make your newsletter that much juicier. 

Make it irresistible

One of the main points of creating a newsletter is to show customers that you appreciate them taking time out of their day to read your newsletter, which is why you should usually offer them something in return for doing so. Click To Tweet

It should be brief

Brevity is key here if you want to hold the attention of your audience. Again, the times we are living in are busy, so we should be doing our best to accommodate the limited time that most people do have by making sure newsletters are as short and succinct as possible. 

Remember a Call to Action

Your call-to-action will drive customer sales, so don’t forget to include it in your pitch, whether it’s to sign up for your next exclusive offer, take advantage of a coupon offer, or ask them outright to sign up for exclusive discounts, benefits, and more. 

Designing your newsletter from scratch

Of course, you want your newsletter to be able to read nicely in terms of its flow and readability. An email marketing platform can help provide you with a basic template. But then you’ll need to add in something special of your own so that your newsletter doesn’t seem so standardized. For example, suppose you want to add a few images to your newsletter, but the backgrounds aren’t to your liking, then you can try an image background remover to remove them from your chosen images swiftly and easily. All you need to do is upload the image and edit it as needed, then insert it on your email template where you want it. 

If you want to improve your marketing strategy, then newsletters should be an important component of this. You’ll surely boost your brand’s online presence and gain a loyal following.

Image via Pexels

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me, so please leave a comment.

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First, Build Trust!

Building Relationships

Recently I had the unfortunate experience of watching a client suffer through the effects of failed relationships with two of his vendors.  It was painful to watch, but it cost my client far more.  The impact of these failures was delayed project completion, an additional cost of labor and materials, and an erosion of trust with his customers.  The most painful realization was that these situations were self-inflicted wounds, easily preventable if my client had followed the proper procedures.

The fundamental issue was that my client failed to properly qualify either vendor to ensure that they could deliver on their promises.  I remember Ronald Reagan’s motto during his presidency; trust but verify.  In this case, my client invested his trust without verification.  Regrettably, the results were predictable.  These vendors were not competent to do the work my client required of them, and one was impossible to work with, continually trying to rewrite the terms of the agreement.

The long lead time for materials resulting from the Covid pandemic created a difficult situation for my client.  As a result, he looked for an alternate solution using a local vendor.  He found someone and immediately gave him four significant projects.  Admittedly, this vendor had good references, and his finished product was acceptable.  As an executive recruiter, I understand the limitations of a reference check.  Extracting useful information from them takes a certain degree of skill.  Unfortunately, I was not a part of the vetting process.  The result was unfortunate.  Although the vendor was a good craftsman, he was not a good businessman.  He could not determine appropriate priorities for his work.  He had little regard for his customer.  He did not finish the required onsite work and held my client hostage for payment he did not earn.  My client should not have trusted this vendor with the scope of work needed.  Likely, he will soon be an employee working for someone else.

The other subcontractor had done good work for my client on many routine projects.  However, he professed to be competent in one area my client had not witnessed.  That turned out to be a big mistake.  This vendor hired an incompetent subcontractor who made a mess of the project.  My client was required to find another subcontractor to demo the original work and start the project over.  We later learned that the subcontractor had hired a relative to complete his job.  My client refused to pay him for the shoddy work.  Even so, the vendor continued to demand payment for his work.  My client could not finish his work on time, which strained his relationship with the customer.

Both situations created significant angst for my client.   He gave his vendors his complete trust without adequately vetting their capabilities.  I explained how he could have used me to check the references on one vendor and how we might have further vetted the competency of the other.  My client was operating in blind faith.  That is not my preferred way to conduct business.

I use a well-defined process to build trust.  I begin by giving someone small projects to evaluate their competency.  If the first project is successful, I gradually increase the scope and complexity of further tasks assigned to that person.  The last thing I would ever do is give a significant assignment to an unproven person.  This process works for almost any relationship.

I believe that respect is given, but trust is earned.   Everyone deserves respect; it’s just a good practice among human beings.  However, one must earn trust.  It is a precious commodity to be carefully guarded.  Gaining someone’s trust requires an investment in time.  You know what you have to do to gain the confidence of your clients, customers, friends, and especially your spouse. We must be vigilant to guard against situations that put our relationships at risk. That includes developing confidence in the capabilities of our employees and vendors to help us serve our customers. Click To Tweet

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

 

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Make Your Complaint Count!

ITB Partners Members Meeting

Recently my wife and I were in a big box flooring store buying tile for upgrades we are making on our home.  As with many retail establishments trying to get back in business after the pandemic, this retailer had its challenges.  They were short-staffed, so it took longer to complete the full sales cycle.  I never saw a manager in the store that evening.  While I was waiting to talk with a salesperson, another customer began complaining to an employee.  The employee was assembling his order.  His issue was about the time it took to have a salesperson help with his order and then to have the selection pulled.  He wasn’t quiet about it either.  He became somewhat animated.  I sympathized with him; however, I noted that his approach was unproductive as he complained to the wrong person.  He directed his anger at an employee equally frustrated by the situation.  He might have been more effective if he had found a manager to express his thoughts.  Or maybe even a letter to the company CEO.  But railing at a non-management employee?  Hardly a wise decision.

Complain to the right person about the correct issue.

Whenever I observe or hear of someone getting ugly with someone trying to help them, I remember a story I heard early in my career.  I don’t know if it’s true; however, the message is instructive.  The story tells about someone trying to get an airline flight home after a difficult week.  Thunderstorms in the area created a challenge for the airlines.  As it took longer for the ticket agent to find a suitable flight, this passenger became more agitated.  He berated the ticket agent, complaining about her employer’s poor customer service, and suggested that she was incompetent.  Ultimately this gentleman got his ticket and boarded his flight.  However, he landed in Peoria, not his destination, and his luggage arrived in Timbuktu.  As I said, I don’t know if the story is true, but from my experience, it certainly could’ve been.  It was likely a punchline to a comedian’s joke, however prescient.  The moral of the story is never making an enemy of someone trying to help you.

Please don’t misunderstand; there is a time and place for customers to express their displeasure with their service.  Hearing customer feedback is critical to help companies improve their operations and become more competitive.  However, one must deliver input to someone who can make a difference.  Make a meaningful contribution by offering your complaint to customer service representatives, a manager, or someone responsible for the customer's experience. Click To Tweet Otherwise, you have wasted your time and that of your target.

Successful employees quickly learn that a large part of their job is to solve problems.  They are successful because they present solutions that resolve negative situations.  Employing this strategy ensures further career success.  Most corporate types have heard their superiors say, “bring me solutions, not problems.” I have witnessed the benefits of following this career-development strategy.  My career was launched and maintained by finding solutions to problems that were hurting my company’s effectiveness.  I know of many people who have had success following this principle.

Let’s return to my experience at the flooring store.  The picker noticed my cooperation during this situation and pointed that out to the complaining customer.  I nodded in agreement that it was not his fault as he was also a victim of their staffing shortage.  I can tell you; he bent over backward to help me when it was my turn to be served.

If you have an issue with a vendor, find someone to help you resolve your issue.  Make sure that person understands how their service failed to meet your expectations.  But don’t stop there.  Send a letter to a more senior manager with a summary of the incident.  A written note is especially relevant to recognize a satisfactory resolution.  Doing so is an opportunity to generate goodwill by recognizing the person who helped you experience a positive result.  Don’t waste time complaining to someone who cannot resolve the situation.  Seek out someone who can.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

 

 

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Creating Extreme Wealth and a Joyful Life

Mark Grace leads a discussion on our YourTube Channel about “Creating Extreme Wealth and a Joyful Life”  by seeking more experiences in life.   He calls that “experidigm.”

Mark Grace leads the delivery of larger customer experiences that organize selling more products and services together. Much higher profits result and lead to more enhanced customer relationships and experiences. Examples of newly created and led multiproduct customer experiences:  Smart Grid in utilities, Alive Spaces in construction, Smooth Operations in Retail, Perfect Food in QSR eateries, and Visual Talking in media. Quickly build new divisions, ventures, or businesses and coordinate the eventual sale or corporate integration. Close major industry customer and partner deals while building a decisive protected competitive advantage. Over thirty years leading the development of larger customer experiences and successfully receiving higher profits.

Core Competencies

      • Add high-profit business lines on-increment or new
      • Innovation delivering successful products and businesses
      • A transition from offering products to selling multiproduct experiences
      • Sign profitable customers and continue to deliver for a generation
      • Dramatically improve efficiency and effectiveness of operations and processes

Drivers / Motivators

      • Customers want simplification, yet expect the entire experience
      • Customers expect smart tools to connect them, assist them, and do for them
      • Customers want to be delivered while they are experiencing and mobile
      • Business wants to become experience concierges and receive extra profit.
      • Technology tools enable real-time direct links between company and customer
      • Partnerships can build the necessary ecosystem and support infrastructure

Background

      • President –Beyondvia Technologies (beyondvia.com); Experidigm.com
      • Chief Innovation Officer – Construction Specialties
      • Global Program Executive – Smart Grid (GE Energy); Alive Spaces; Smooth Operations
      • Founder –  (Velocys); Perfect Food (Thinkage Founder); Visual Talking (Founder)
      • Director Technology/Operations – BOC Industrial Gases
      • Downstream Controller – Exxon USA
      • Specialty Chemical Sales – Petrolite Corp/Baker Hughes
      • Published 6 innovation books: MORE; NEXT; Soaring to Awesome, Choosing Up; Avoid Takers; and Elements of Visual Talking
      • Major Valuation Creation: Sold several companies; 17patents; 15 trademarks; intl awards
      • Washington University-St. Louis (MBA); St. Louis University (Chemistry); Rice (Writing)

Blog Posts:

Mark Grace awarded a patent on “how to design experiences

Starbucks Meets WeWork at the Automobile Service Center

Go! “I will…” Experidigm

THE NEXT BIG THING!

Contact

beyondviagrace@yahoo.com

 

 

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We Fired Our Cleaning Service!

It is not easy to land a new customer. And it takes work to maintain a relationship over time. That is why customer retention is so vital for business continuity.  Given that, it is understandable that I was so baffled by this week’s events. We fired our maid service Thursday. Well, they fired themselves.

Thursday night, my wife began receiving text messages from the maid service owner. Her texts included photos and videos of our home’s interior. She demanded that we pay an additional $45.00, 33% of our regular fee, because they cleaned up a construction area. What incredible hubris. It was a strange situation. Our regular maid had a doctor’s appointment, so they sent a replacement who was unfamiliar with our home. She took the videos while she was working. I have zero tolerance for that kind of behavior from a vendor. Someone taking a video inside our home while conducting a service, in my mind, is grounds for immediate termination. Not only is that an invasion of privacy, but it is also a significant security issue. However, my wife is a bit more polite than I am. She let the vendor make her case.

However, the result was the same as my wife decided to terminate our relationship. The entire conversation and ultimate termination were made entirely by text messaging. Not an ideal situation. Unless the vendor intended to cancel our service, for whatever reason, this should’ve been a voice conversation. Resolving differences via text is seldom a good idea.

Two significant projects are in process on our home, but they had a minor, if any, impact on the maid’s workload. First, we are remodeling our master bathroom. We completed the demo work in that area over three weeks ago. The next phase of that project will begin shortly. The maid did not have to clean that area, nor was it a contributing factor to any additional work. She was not cleaning a construction area.

Secondly, we are refinishing our basement, turning that area into a very spacious apartment. That area is not a part of our cleaning contract. Admittedly, that project kicked up a bit of dust this week as we had to cut concrete to prepare the plumbing for the bathroom. Before the maid arrived, we dusted the house and used the Swifter system on the floors on the main level. The cleaning job was the same as any other visit.

Small businesses are having difficulty with staffing issues that may or may not be related to Covid–19. I get it. Last month we had another service clean our windows, inside and out. The owner of that company did the work himself. He told me that nobody wants to work. Even so, he was pleasant and did a good job. I told him that we would use him again. He certainly did not try to gouge me because our home is an alleged construction site. The issue with our maid service was a different story.

The vendor intended to extract additional funds from us as she believed that our home was involved in extensive renovations. She had asked what we were doing before the maid arrived. My wife explained the situation, and we thought that was the end of the discussion. Then the text messaging began Thursday evening. Whatever trust we had with this vendor was destroyed in a few short minutes. Friday morning, we received another text from the vendor. She apologized for doubting our situation and asked that we continue using her service. My wife decided not to respond immediately. She wanted to sleep on it.

I view the vendor’s behavior as a case study in poor account management. If she had legitimate concerns that our expectations were beyond the scope of the agreement, she should have requested a meeting in our home. She would have gained first-hand information about the situation. We would welcome that approach. But that is not the way she proceeded, far from it.

Customers, particularly long-standing customers, are an asset to be protected. You don’t want to lose one needlessly. If you have a dispute or a disagreement, ensure that you work towards a resolution thoughtfully and professionally. This situation was not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but we will remember it.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

 

 

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On Customer Loyalty and Retention

Mark Fonseca of Pragmetrix Group, leads a discussion on his company’s methodology for the assessment of Customer Loyalty to help their clients develop more effective Customer Retention Programs.  To see this presentation click here.

Mark Fonseca has over 20 years of experience in consultative sales, sales management, and client relations. As a top producer at Lanier Business Products, he sold document management solutions to a range of businesses and was prolific at establishing long-term relationships.
Mark consults one on one with the most successful CEOs and Executives in Atlanta and has interviewed thousands of Executives and Business Professionals. He has experience in Sales, Sales Management, and Sales Training Best Practices. Currently, Mark is the owner of his own private men’s custom clothing and executive image consulting business. He has developed strong business relationships with heads of state, CEOs, top-level executives, and successful entrepreneurs, through one-to-one consulting and exceptional customer service.

As a Partner in Pragmetrix, Mark is responsible for Client Relations, Business Development, and conducting interviews within the Pragmetrix Customer Loyalty Assessment process.

Why Pragmetrix Group? – Insights from our Customer Assessment Process

 We offer you:

    • Overall Customer Net Promoter Score
    • NPS Promoter, Passive, and Detractor Segmented Dashboards
    • Unedited Customer Insights Assessment Transcripts
    • S.W.O.T Analysis Based on the Voice of Your Customer
    • Growth Opportunities Based on the Voice of Your Customer

What Our Customers Are Saying

“With the words of your customers as their foundation, they extract the issues that your business needs to focus on, so that your customers become promoters, and by extension, you sell more. They were responsive, creative, and the work product is superb. The best money you will ever spend at your company, period!”

Stephen Newell
CEO
Mission Mobility

 

Mark Fonseca, PARTNER
Pragmetrix Group
mark@pragmetrix.com
(404) 983 – 4121

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Announcing a New Search: Customer Experience Leader – DTC Home Meal Replacement Brand

My client is a subscription-based meal delivery service, is looking to expand its Marketing & Development team. Although their kitchen is in Upstate, New York, this opportunity is remote–the east coast time zone is a must.

This Brand is all about real food, made simple. Healthy, chef-prepared, 100% real meals that save you time, reduce food waste, and are farm fresh. The meals are vacuum-packed into food-safe, recyclable pouches to lock in the freshness, flavors, and nutrients of never-processed non-GMO ingredients. We are seeking enthusiastic talent interested in working in a fast-paced and rapidly growing environment.

We are looking for a Leader of our Customer Experience team — moving us from a service center to a sales and retention center.  We want someone who has no desire to go along with the status quo and, instead, pushes themselves and others to challenge, reimagine, optimize, and innovate.  This is the ideal position for someone ready to move to the next level in their career …. build the position into a critical part of the business operation.

For More Information, follow this link: https://wp.me/p5XzxG-N0

This document is presented to you in confidence.  All communication, whether written, oral or electronic should be addressed to:

Jim Weber – President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search

James E. Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
Johns Creek, GA  30022

Tel. 770-649-7051; Cell 770-354-2817; e-mail; jimweber@newcenturydynamics.com

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48 Local Marketing Strategies

Local Marketing – 48 Proven Strategies

Photo Doug Reifschneider
Doug Reifschneider

Download the eBook to learn about the 48 proven strategies for success for local marketing.  For example, the eBook can be used as a reference manual.

In other words, it can be useful for CEOs, CMOs, franchisees, operators, and “Mom & Pop” owners of brick & mortar operations.  Several of the 48 proven strategies for success are useful for service area operations such as home services.

How to use this eBook

As the CEO of a multi-unit operation, you could download the eBook and give it to your operations and marketing teams.

For example, if you are the head of marketing for a multi-unit brick & mortar business, you could use it for ideas and ways to challenge your team.

And most importantly. if you own a brick & mortar business or are the franchisee of any retail or restaurant chain, use the 48 proven strategies for success to augment the marketing tactics your franchisor provides.

What is local marketing?

Local marketing is marketing to the people who live and work in your trade area and have a propensity to buy your services and/or offerings.

Local marketing used to be simple.  To market your business in a local area, business owners used to join the local chamber, send direct mail postcards, buy a yellow-pages ad or perhaps even walk the trade area to introduce themselves to other local businesses, schools, banks, etc. in the neighborhood.

One of my favorite stories is about a small business owner who had the misfortune of being located in a strip center with two other businesses that sold the same wares. The store on the right advertised that they were having a sale, and everything was 10% off.  The store on the left followed suit and put up a banner that said everything was 15% off.  What was our owner to do?

He also put a banner over his front door that said:

MAIN ENTRANCE

Store Front - Enter Here
Which door would you enter?

Examples:

    • #2 is how to optimize your Google My Business (GMB) page
    • #8 explains the importance of email marketing
    • #22 how to use local service ads for service-area businesses
    • #31 about how direct mail still works
    • #37 explains how to deal with the constant request for donations
    • #40 on how to use various kinds of signage to promote your business

Click on the link to download the eBook.

https://contact.chiefoutsiders.com/local-marketing-ebook?_ga=2.267839182.1160848343.1617814085-1667217537.1617814085

Doug Reifschneider is a partner with ITB Partners and a CMO with Chief Outsiders.

ITB Partners is a consortium of seasoned professionals.  whose business is your success. To see Doug’s ITB Partners profile, click the link below.

https://www.itbpartners.com/partners/the-team/doug-reifschneider/

In addition to ITB Partners, Doug works as a fractional CMO with Chief Outsiders. Chief Outsiders is the largest fractional CMO firm in the USA. As a result, Chief Outsiders is home to  75+ chief marketing officers who specialize in helping small to mid-sized companies grow.

https://www.chiefoutsiders.com/profile/doug-reifschneider

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Ask the Right Questions!

Marketing Research is Simple…

Asking the “Right” Questions

Ask the Right Questions

In my previous blog, I reviewed the three steps necessary to conduct “good” Marketing Research:

      • Ask the “Right” Questions,
      • Ask the “Right” People,
      • Ask at the “Right” Time

However, simple these steps may seem, getting all the steps “Right” is a challenge.  In this blog, I’m going to probe more deeply into the topic of asking the “Right” questions.

Over the course of my career, I’ve seen numerous badly worded questions and poorly constructed questionnaires (yes, I’ve written many myself).  There are three basic ways to fail in asking the “Right” questions:

    • Asking the “Wrong” questions
    • Failing to ask all the “Right” questions
    • Asking the “Right” questions in the “Wrong” way

First, to avoid asking the “Wrong” questions, it is important to keep a laser focus on the objectives of the research. Losing sight of your objectives can cause you to stray off into topics and issues that are not relevant.  This is especially true when there are many levels of people providing input to the questionnaire design.  One solution is to design a mock report or outline before you start writing the questionnaire.  Knowing the key components of the report will define the information that you need to include in the questionnaire.

A more insidious problem is when you “think” that you are asking the “Right” questions, but you wind up leaving some key questions out.  A classic example is the case of New Coke.  Coca-Cola introduced a new formulation of its flagship brand in 1985.  Extensive marketing research had shown decisively in blind taste tests that the taste of the new formulation was preferred over the current Coke formulation and over Pepsi. The Coke marketing team thought they had a winner, and the new formulation was launched with heavy advertising and public relations. But, soon after the launch, the company began receiving letters and telephone calls from people all over the country expressing anger and disappointment about the “new” Coke. What happened? One issue was that in the marketing research, consumers were asked blindly whether they liked the taste of the new formulation relative to Coke and Pepsi.  They were not asked, either directly or indirectly, whether they would be in favor of replacing the Coke brand with a new formulation.  Loyal Coke drinkers couldn’t accept that their beloved Coke brand had been changed.  Aside from taste, there were strong emotional connections that people had with the brand that were not fully considered in the research.  They neglected to ask all the “Right” questions, such as “how would you feel if this new formulation replaced the current Coke formulation?”.  Perhaps the negative consumer reaction may have been predicted or mitigated if they had these insights developed from the research.

Finally, to avoid asking questions in the “Wrong” way, there are 6 errors to avoid:

    1. Leading or Loaded questions:

Perhaps the most common way to bias a question is to lead the respondent toward an answer that you’d like them to make.  For example, if you wish to get positive answers to a satisfaction question, you could ask “How excellent is the customer service you receive?”.  An unbiased alternative is “Please rate your level of satisfaction with the customer service you receive.”.

    1. Loaded questions:

Loaded questions are similar to leading questions in that they subtly (or not so subtly) push the user toward a particular response. Here you are making an assumption about the respondent that is included implicitly in the question. An example is, “What do you love about shopping online?” This presumes that a person loves shopping online and will bias their response.

    1. Unbalanced scales:

One way to lead questions is by using an answer scale that is unbalanced.  Asking, “please rate your satisfaction with the service on your last transaction” is unbiased.  But, you can bias the answers with an unbalanced scale, that provides more positive than negative choices, such as:

Extremely Satisfied Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied

 

    1. Double-barreled questions:

Double-barreled questions attempt to ask about two constructs in the same question. “Please rate your satisfaction with the courtesy and competence of your customer service rep”.  The customer service rep may be perceived as very courteous, but not very competent.  Or vice versa. Therefore, the answer to a double-barreled question is not clear. To solve the issue, you need to break the two constructs into separate questions.

    1. Unclear questions:

Questions that are too long, grammatically incorrect, using acronyms or jargon, or written above the heads of the target respondent will either be skipped or answered invalidly.  Keeping the reading level slightly below what you think is the average reading level of your target respondent.

    1. Unanswerable questions:

You can get skewed results to survey questions when you are asking something that the respondent can’t easily answer.  Perhaps it is information that is obscure, that they would have to look up, that happened too long ago, or that is just unknowable.  An example is, “Please tell me how much you paid for Title Insurance when you purchased your first home?”  Unless a respondent closed on their first home very recently or has easy access to their records, you are probably going to get inaccurate answers to this question.

In summary, to assure that you are asking the “Right” questions:

    • Keep focused on the objectives of the research. If a question doesn’t contribute to answering the key questions in the objectives, eliminate it.
    • Are there questions that you are missing? Look at your report outline.  Do you have all the key information covered?
    • Be aware of and avoid the common question bias pitfalls.
    • Have a colleague read the questionnaire over and make sure they understand it and it is free of spelling and grammatical errors.

The time you spend upfront to get the questions “Right” will save you the embarrassment of having to explain why you don’t have the insights that were expected.

Look for my next article next week that will probe more deeply into how to “Ask” questions of the “Right” people.

 

Carl Fusco

Carl Fusco is a Marketing Research and Consulting Executive skilled at directing the application of research techniques and insights to solve problems and support data-based business decisions. Over his 35-year career, Carl has built a reputation for quality, integrity, and creativity by establishing trust, credibility, and acceptance with clients and associates. He has built a proven track record of success in organizational management and leadership, research design and implementation, and analytic rigor and impact.

Contact Carl at:

carl_fusco@yahoo.com

770-364-7160

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Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

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