I’ve come to understand the pivotal role of properly placed Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys in driving UX improvements. The challenge lies in keeping it simple and designing prompts to present at just the right time. They also need to capture quantitive and qualitative responses to foster a continuous feedback loop.
Here’s how I used Pendo craft various CSAT prompts that have unlocked actionable insights and nurtured ongoing customer engagement.
1. Keep it Simple
All this takes is two questions. Get the rating. Get the comment. Begin by structuring your CSAT prompt with a straightforward scale, such as a 1-5 rating.. Then, supplement numeric rating with a targeted question covering various aspects of the customer experience, based on the task/module/featuer you’re getting feedback on.
As an example, in Givebacks, when some is done adding a new product to their store they will get a simple question: “How would you rate your experience with managing products.”. All they have to do is click a number. Then, only if they actually click a number do they get one last question, which is an open-text response field for qualitative feedback.
2. Balance Quantitative and Qualitative Data
While numeric ratings provide quantitative data with an easy score to track, open-text response fields offer qualitative richness with actual customer words. Encourage customers to elaborate on their ratings by asking open-ended questions like “What aspects of our service could be improved?” or “What did you enjoy most about your experience?” This blend of quantitative and qualitative data provides a holistic understanding of customer sentiment.
Reading through customer comments in your CAST prompts is also the best way to source customers for in-depth interviews . I’ll often send a very simple email directly to the customer thanking them for their feedback and ask if they’d be wiling to hop on a call with me. Ongoing customer conversations is where the magic happens. But you know that already. You’re talking to your customers all the time. Right!?
3. Tailor Prompts to Tasks/Jobs
Recognize that your customers are using your product to complete jobs or tasks and that timing is crucial in soliciting good feedback. You want to integrate CSAT prompts seamlessly into the customer journey, striking a balance between frequency and intrusiveness. In my example earlier, one of the core tasks or jobs that customers do is add new products to their store. So as soon as a new product has been added I prompt them for a score.
4. Iterate and Refine
Continuous improvement is at the heart of effective CX research. Regularly analyze your CSAT data to identify trends, pain points, and areas of excellence. Then use these insights to iterate on your prompts, refining questions based on evolving feedback patterns. If a prompt is soliciting irrelevant or confusing responses, change it. If a prompt is getting low response rate, remove it. By embracing a cycle of iteration, you ensure that your CSAT surveys remain relevant and impactful.
5. Facilitate Actionable Insights
Ultimately, the goal of CSAT prompts is to drive meaningful action for your product or marketing teams. Having an accessible dashboard of CSAT scores allows teams to stay in the loop. Pendo makes this really easy with the customizable dashboard that allows you to place poll results with one click. But don’t stop there.
Be sure to translate feedback into actionable insights by categorizing responses, identifying recurring themes, and prioritizing areas for improvement. Engage cross-functional co-workers to dissect and validate your CSAT data, fostering collaboration to distill in your insights and provide impactful design ideas and suggestions.
6. Close the Feedback Loop
Demonstrate your commitment to customer feedback by closing the loop with your customers. If you can acknowledge and appreciate customer input, whether positive or critical it sends the signal that your listening. Communicate how their feedback informs decisions and drives improvements, fostering a sense of partnership and trust. I personally love the feeling when you’re able to tell a customer…”Hey you know that feedback you provided us…well we addressed it…and we think you’ll like the solution”. That right there builds customer loyalty.
Building a series of CSAT prompts for scores and open text response fields is more than just a checkbox exercise—it’s a strategic endeavor to cultivate continuous customer feedback. By crafting prompts that meet the above criteria, CX researchers can harness their customer feedback, drive meaningful improvements, and foster lasting customer relationships.
