Marketing Your Consulting Services.pdf - epiheirimatikotita.gr

If you decide that the survey will focus mostly on customer satisfaction, you
may want to consider asking a two-part question. First, how well does your company
meet customer expectations and, second, how important is it to the customer?
For example, you may ask about how well you do on speed and meeting deadlines.
Clients may rate you as excellent, but they may say that speed is only slightly important.
That may be hard to imagine in this day of speed, but it may be a message
that suggests that your clients want you to spend more time with them, rather than
being totally focused on the job.
You might also hire an external resource to conduct focus groups for you. If you
decide to do this, think about a time when many of your clients might be in the
same area at the same time—at an industry convention, for example.
One last idea is one that I prefer because it is personal and we are a small company:
I write a letter to our clients letting them know that we are gathering information
that will help us improve our services. I enclose a second sheet with four
questions and ask them to take a couple of minutes to complete it and place it in
the self-addressed stamped envelope that is also enclosed. The questions are:
• What do you like about working with ebb associates?
• What would you like us to do differently?
• What would you like us to continue to provide for our clients?
• What would you like us to add to what we do now?
We thank them and let them know that they do not need to sign the page, but
that we would like to talk to them if they are interested.
Never stop asking your clients questions. They are the best source of information
for ensuring that you offer and deliver the things that they want.
Luick tip . . .
Need to conduct customer service research, but don’t have the time
or resources? Contact your local college or university to utilize business
students to design and conduct the research. Be sure to plan far enough
in advance, since it may take longer than if you hired a marketing firm or
if your company completed the research.
External Assessment: How Do Your Competitors and Clients Stack Up? 43