The famous saying “the customer is always right” is 100% true. No matter how large a business is, how smoothly it operates, or what services it offers. All of that is secondary to customer satisfaction. A business’s primary success is largely based on the customer’s experience. Until and unless customer satisfaction is a priority, business growth will be bumpy. One of the oldest ways to obtain feedback is by using comment cards.
A comment card is a card given to the customer to leave feedback on the goods and services provided. In this way, the business can collect the customers’ experiences, opinions and suggestions.
The following business types commonly provide comment cards:
- Retail stores
- Restaurants
- Industries offering a specific customer-related service.
This helps business owners identify the flaws in their systems, accurately measure their services and carry out assessments. It ensures that customers do not encounter this issue again.
One popular business industry where comment cards are still frequently used, whether physical or digital, is restaurants. At the end of the meal, the server offers a card with the bill for the customer to fill out. The customer fills in the fields, ticks the boxes, writes an honest review, and returns it to management.
It is one of the best ways to collect customer feedback. With such a valuable tool, restaurant owners can improve services and increase customer satisfaction. Comment cards for restaurant templates are available online for purchase or you can create one for free.
The history of customer comment cards is a blur. The exact year of implementation of this method remains uncertain. Also there is no solid proof about when customer satisfaction surveys took place. However, these comment cards are decades old. The 1950s is an estimated year when these comment cards were widely used in restaurants, hotels, retail stores, etc.
This concept proved an effective way of inquiring about feedback and improving the business operation based on customer input. This idea became so widely favored that many businesses began to follow suit.
As time went by, the format and design of comment cards evolved. Many businesses have moved from physical to digital comment cards, mostly due to customer preferences.
There are two types of comment cards used by businesses today: physical and digital.
It is in the form of a printed card and varies in size. However, the acceptable size is 3.5 x 2 inches. It contains a list of customer satisfaction survey questions that the customer must fill out. It may include the business logo and name; however, it usually has the following fields:
- Customer name
- Customer address
- Customer contact number
- Date of visit
- Customer satisfaction survey questions
- Comments
The most popular questions asked on restaurant comment cards are food quality, value for money, staff behavior and ambiance. The management reviews each card, noting the issues and preparing a strategy to overcome them.
The digital comment cards are the same thing. It looks just like the physical card, with the only difference that the feedback is on a computerized device. This software application is mostly seen in restaurants, where the order taker hands over a tablet to the customer. This contains the digital comment card, and the customer has to fill out the entire survey electronically.
Typing comments is a hassle, so the feedback form usually comprises a list of multiple-choice questions to make things convenient. Simply check the selected option to provide feedback.
It may not ask to type in comments and may eliminate personal questions such as name, phone number, etc. So, these digital comment cards are usually anonymous.
When the customer returns the filled-out card, the order taker submits the form, which is sent to the business management
Many people prefer to leave feedback regarding a business’s products and services online. Why? Because it’s quicker, easier, and most consumers have access to the internet at all times via smartphones. Businesses have taken advantage of this change. The benefit of this is that businesses can gather more feedback from various sources without any effort from their side.
Here are some of the four common types of digital feedback being used as an alternative to comment cards:
Instagram and Facebook are popular social media platforms that people visit to learn about a business or leave feedback. Moreover, social media listening tools can help monitor and track customer feedback across multiple platforms. This allows for a more comprehensive understanding of customer opinion.
This has become so widespread that businesses have started taking into account social media management.
Instagram has given the option to create a customer review story on the page. It contains the feedback from their customers, giving others an insight into how this business operates.
On the other hand, Facebook has a different approach than Instagram. Instead of showcasing their reviews, businesses have created a review page instead, allowing others to post and share their experience. Customers can also leave a star rating displayed on the business’s page.
Apart from leaving reviews, there are other ways to engage with customers.
- You can create polls and get real time data from followers, which will help make business decisions. Polls are a quick and fun way to get feedback promptly.
- Start a conversation. Interact and engage with customers who have left negative feedback and ask them for more details. This will give you a better idea of the problem they are facing.
While Instagram is a good choice for receiving feedback, Facebook is undoubtedly the winner here. It allows customer interaction in multiple ways. It ranges from actual negative and positive restaurant reviews published, to survey forms and polls created by the management.
Google Reviews
According to a survey, 93% of customers review businesses online. Google reviews don’t offer the option to create comment cards. However, they are another great way to gather feedback and interact with customers.
When a customer searches for a company on Google, the business information comes first on the right. It lists the business details, the products and services offered and the number of customer reviews.
Receiving positive restaurant reviews on Google also increases the business’s online reputation and helps with domain authority.
Online Surveys
You can create online surveys and share them with customers. These surveys are similar to digital comment cards. They often use Google Forms, Survey Monkey, or other similar online tools. The online surveys provide a similar look and feel just like a comment card. It usually contains a list of customer survey questions and more questions requiring the customer to answer in detail.
Due to the comprehensive information obtained, businesses can use the data to improve their products or services. Online surveys are also a great way to measure customer satisfaction and identify areas for improvement.
You can also implement a feedback form on your website. After a customer has purchased a product or service, redirected them to a feedback form.
Live Chat
Another effective way to improve customer satisfaction is by offering live chat support on your website. This offers customers a direct line of communication. Live chat is usually used if a customer asks about a product. However, in some cases, frustrated customers may need to interact with an actual human to leave a complaint.
The second benefit is that it allows customers to ask questions and receive immediate assistance. The tip here is to treat the questions asked as a comment card. Why? Because they help identify common customer issues or concerns. With the data collected from live chat interactions, adjustments made to serve customers better can increase customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Creating a physical comment card is very easy. With the help of numerous online tools, comment cards for businesses are now simple to create. Some websites even offer ready-made comment card templates for restaurants. They are available for purchase or are free to download.
Edit.org provides numerous free comment cards. These templates are editable and customized according to business needs and wants.
Businesses can also create comment card templates from scratch using online design tools like Canva. This allows for more customization and branding opportunities for the business.
To create a card, simply login to a website specializing in comment cards. Browse various templates, free or paid. Choose a comment card from the library for business or restaurant templates you like. Customize it using the online editor and download it within seconds.
For a digital comment card on a computerized device, you need to hire a developer to create this application. This would be a dedicated application available for your business only. The feedback received is for all relevant departments or limited only to managers and business owners.
Here is a list of the advantages of customer comment cards.
- Customers can provide feedback in a convenient and non-confrontational manner.
- Businesses identify areas for improvement and make necessary changes to enhance customer satisfaction.
- Comment cards serve as a marketing tool. Positive feedback published on the website or social media promotes the business and attracts new customers.
- Free online editors have made it possible to customize the cards easily. There is no need to hire an expensive designer.
- After addressing the problem, you can contact the customer, explaining that their complaint is resolved.
Here is a list of the disadvantages of customer comment cards.
- They help identify and fix the problem for future customers. If they had a bad experience, the previous customers may not return.
- Some customers may not leave an honest review or a proper explanation. This makes business owners believe comment cards are not worth the effort.
- Some people wish to remain anonymous and may not enter their details. This makes it difficult to contact the customer for detailed feedback, or inform them that the problem has been resolved.
Remember, feedback matters. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to obtain valuable information using Beambox. It is an online tool that can help gather customer feedback, and improve your online reputation through review automation. Learn more and start growing your business.
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