So what questions should you be asking? We polled 94 experts to answer this question, and why certain questions are most helpful to ask. Our findings are all packed in this post. Dive in.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Questions to ask to generate voice of the customer data<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Before we get into the details, let\u2019s give you an overview of the questions 94 respondents who contributed to this piece are asking.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Altogether, we\u2019ve gathered data on 14 questions. You can see that the most frequently asked questions are: \u201cWhy did you ultimately choose our product\/service?\u201d and \u201cWhat could we improve about our product?\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
With 67% of contributors asking each of these questions, it seems the majority is curious to learn exactly why their customers are choosing to buy from their brand, as well as how they can improve their business further.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cHow satisfied are you with our brand?\u201d is the second most popular question that 55% of the experts ask. Following closely is the question, \u201cHow do you feel about our customer service?\u201d asked by 54% of experts.<\/p>\r\n
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- 50% also want to know if their customers would recommend their product\/service, asking \u201cWould you refer our product\/service to others?\u201d This is very similar to the standard question used to open an NPS survey.<\/li>\r\n
- 48% ask \u201cWhat do you want to achieve with our product\/service?<\/li>\r\n
- 46% question \u201cHow has your life\/business changed after using our product?\u201d<\/li>\r\n
- 44% inquire about \u201cWhat factors most when choosing a product in a niche\/industry?\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
That said, the least popular questions in this list were: \u201cIf a friend asks you why they should use our product, what would you say?\u201d(33%), \u201cDescribe our product\/service in your own words.\u201d (32%) and, \u201cWhat one word or phrase comes to mind when you think of our brand?\u201d(29% ask this).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Let\u2019s dive into the details now as we tackle questions on:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
1. Choosing your product\/service<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
First things first. Satiate your curiosity on why customers choose you over your competitors. It\u2019s an essential question to ask so you can optimize product features or other aspects that are driving the bulk of your customers to buy from you.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
To this end, here are three versions of the question to ask:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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- \u201cWhy did you ultimately choose our product\/service?\u201d \u2013 Ouriel Lemmel, WinIt<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n
- \u201cWhat were you feeling frustrated with when you started seeking a solution to your problem?\u201d \u2013 Jeannette Castaneda, Inbox P.I<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n
- \u201cWhat do you want to achieve by using our service?\u201d \u2013 Ann Young, Fix The Photo<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThis question really helps us understand the type of customer interested in using our service,\u201d Young shares their experience. \u201cWhen replied in their own words, we can get a grasp of their likes, dislikes, intentions, desires, and overall voice. With these results, we are able to align our marketing strategies with our customer voice, generating and converting more leads.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Adding to the benefit of this question, Lemmel points out, \u201ca primary goal should be to not only provide customers with solutions to their problems<\/a>, but to also stand out among similar companies trying to do the same.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Therefore, \u201cinquiring about what other options customers tried and why they ultimately chose yours helps you learn about what exactly they value about your brand specifically, which is excellent information to know in order to continue separating yourself from competitors.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A pro tip here: \u201cSimilar to this question, you can also ask customers what it was about previous options they tried that didn\u2019t work for them, which made them move on to other options,\u201d Lemmel adds. \u201cThis way, you can not only understand what to continue implementing in your own business that\u2019s working, but also what not <\/em>to implement.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Remember: As Castaneda shares, asking this question is important because \u201cthat is the point when they began their buyer\u2019s journey [what they were feeling frustrated about] and the point at which we want to reach them.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
2. Describing your product\/service<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Another good question to ask is: \u201cDescribe our product\/service in your own words,\u201d according to Caravan Digital\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0Chris Ostergaard.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Asking this question is critical for learning how your audience describes your product so you can use the same terms and language to write your website and landing page copy. Often, it\u2019s hard to describe your work or product on your own \u2013 you might even end up slipping in jargon or a technical word or two.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Knowing the answer to this question helps you avoid this. Ostergaard echoes the same.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThis question will allow you to create a database of the terms and words used to describe your brand through which you\u2019ll be able to determine language patterns. Those language patterns will be very important when you begin drafting copy and start A\/B testing.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
3. Recommend your product\/service<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Word of mouth<\/a>\u00a0and customer referrals<\/a>\u00a0are crucial for any business\u2019s growth. Asking a question about this can help you understand how likely your customers are to recommend you.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Not only does this help with your marketing, but it also gives you an idea of how satisfied your customers are. After all, only those who are truly content with a service recommend it to others.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
So here\u2019s what you should be asking: \u201cWould you recommend our product\/service to others? Why or why not?\u201d in the words of Gabriel Dungan from ViscoSoft<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThis puts the ball in the customer\u2019s court, giving them a chance to tell us what is important to them,\u201d Dungan explains. \u201cIt also provides them with the opportunity to have the last word, which I think makes it clear we are truly interested in what they have to say.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
John Berry from Berry Law<\/a> adds, \u201cIf we cannot foster loyalty, there will inevitably be a decline in growth and ultimately lack of success in the long term.\u201d In short, \u201cword of mouth is still crucial in law\u201d (and all industries!), and asking this question will help you understand how well you\u2019re doing in that department.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
4. Search terms to find business<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
SIGNAL+POWER\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0Michael Anderson shares another important question to ask: \u201cWhat search terms did you use to find our products?\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Guess what this helps you understand? The keywords you should be using to optimize your website, even blog content.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cA lot of online businesses may not fully realize the diversity of terms that people use to search for the exact same product,\u201d Anderson observes. \u201cWith this in mind, I think it\u2019s important for these businesses to gather as much data as possible as to the exact text customers entered into any given search engine that lead them to your products.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
If a business has enough of this information, they can use it to optimize both SEO and paid search campaigns.\u201d Hence, getting valuable marketing raw material.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
5. Topics to cover in content<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Again, this question is geared toward understanding your target audience better so you can market your product\/service better.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Sander Tamm of E-Student<\/a>\u00a0shares the question you should be asking in this regard: \u201cDo you have any suggestions or topics that you want us to cover?\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThis is helpful because, first, you are positioning the customer as an ally and a source,\u201d continues Tamm. \u201cThis empowers them to contribute and collaborate. Next, this gives you an insight on what they want to see\/have.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In fact, one of the best ways to find ideas for fresh content is to talk to your readers. This question helps you with that.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
6. Your customer service<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Customers are ever-willing to pay more for great customer service<\/a>. In fact, 7 out of 10 US consumers<\/a>\u00a0share they\u2019ve spent more working with a business that delivers great customer service.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The takeaway? You can\u2019t afford to not learn how your customers are evaluating your customer service. Dixa\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0Mikkel Andreassen \u00a0suggests you ask, \u201cHow do you feel about our customer service?\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThis is the most helpful question because it indicates how we are being perceived by our customers,\u201d Andreassen shares. \u201cThe voice of the customer is essentially that, describing their customer journey from start to finish and what they thought about their experience. When you allow the customer to fully express themselves through Live Chat, it makes the collecting of VoC data a much more personalized experience, empowering the customer and boosting your CX.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
52% of Millennials prefer live chat<\/a> over other communication channels\u2014and as the biggest generation in US history, live chat is fast becoming a must.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
7. How your product\/service has helped customers<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
This is another essential question for getting a complete picture from the voice of the customer data. Here\u2019s one way to phrase it, according to Golda Criddle from ReviewInc<\/a>: \u201cWhat value does our software provide that makes you keep subscribing?\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cWith this simple question, we can pinpoint what we are doing right to keep providing that value in the future,\u201d notes Criddle.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
LTHR Shaving\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0Timmy Yanchun outlines more ways to ask the same question to prod your customer: \u201cConsider asking:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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- How [has your] business changed after [your] purchase? (For B2Bs)<\/li>\r\n
- How are [you] using our product?<\/li>\r\n
- How much time is it saving you?<\/li>\r\n
- What are some of [your] favorite features?\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
8. On feedback<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
There are tons of questions you can ask to get your customers\u2019 feedback and understand exactly what it is that you can improve and optimize. The plan? Be able to create a list of \u2018what to do\u2019 and \u2018what not to do\u2019 with the answers you get.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The feedback you\u2019ll get here is \u201csuch a helpful insight to know because as a business, you always want to be focused and committed to improvements, and without knowing what customers are unsatisfied or concerned with, it\u2019s hard to make those improvements,\u201d Mike Nemeroff from RushOrderTees<\/a>\u00a0shares. \u201cPlus, when you conduct surveys with many different customers, you\u2019re able to discover trends and see where large-scale changes need to be made.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
So let\u2019s start with the basics: \u201cCan our product\/service be improved?\u201d according to Devin Johnson from Kennected<\/a>. \u201cIf you ask the customer first if the service can be improved, then ask them how it can be improved, you are going to get a detailed and thoughtful response.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Finding Balance\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0Lily Ugbaja shares such a question precisely. \u201cWhat could we improve about our product?\u201d So you can start with asking \u2018can it be improved\u2019 then jump into the specifics of \u2018how it can be improved.\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Keep in mind that asking this question not only gives you meaningful answers, but it also makes your customers feel \u201ca sense of importance and being valuable (which they are),\u201d Ugbaja notes. \u201cIt shows that you care about them, their opinions and their needs. It is also an opportunity for them to tell you what competitors are doing that you are not doing. Call it free market niche research.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Once you\u2019ve got your answer, you can go on to get a broader picture of how customers think you can improve your service. It\u2019s why Harriet Chan from CocoFinder<\/a> suggests you ask: \u201cWhat can we do to serve your needs better?\u201d The answer will help you dig deep into \u201ccustomer needs, challenges, and goals because the road to growth and innovation is paved with customer feedback.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
So let\u2019s suppose your product is good, but customer service or onboarding or support resources need work, your customer can point that to you in their answer to this question.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Essentially, asking how to improve your product\/service is \u201ca homerun customer survey question\u201d as EasyMerchant\u2019s<\/a> Stacey Kane highlights. \u201cIt allows the company to get in front of a bad review and ameliorate the root causes of problems before they escalate, instead of simply managing and dealing with the irate complaint voice of a customer.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
You can also go on to ask an open-ended question. Nikola Roza from SEO for the Poor and Determined<\/a> shares, \u201cHow could we do better?\u201d as one possibility. \u201cIt\u2019s an open-ended question because it’s not clear in regards to what area you\u2019re asking. But, that\u2019s on purpose because it\u2019s up to them to tell you what\u2019s wrong, and every person will say something different. Your goal then is to organize their responses and find commonalities which will be areas where you as a brand are weakest.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
9. Negative questions<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \u201cWhat were you feeling frustrated with when you started seeking a solution to your problem?\u201d \u2013 Jeannette Castaneda, Inbox P.I<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n
- \u201cWhy did you ultimately choose our product\/service?\u201d \u2013 Ouriel Lemmel, WinIt<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n