10 Reasons Why You Want To Use Client Surveys

Have you ever had a client relationship where it's like pulling teeth to get input from that client, good or bad? Have you ever felt like you have given 100%, but that client surprises you with a complaint, or worse, a contract cancellation? 

End the second-guessing with a simple customer satisfaction survey with a net promoter score. Before I dive in with examples, below are 10 reasons why you'd want to survey your clients:

Measure and Improve Cleaning Client Satisfaction Levels

Sending regular surveys will help dial in your services. You might feel you're giving it all, but the client might not feel the same. Getting survey results can help you compare your client's satisfaction over multiple periods of time and it'll help you identify challenge areas you need improvement in, from your client's perspective. 

Helps With Ongoing Feedback

If you're sending regular surveys, it'll help create a habit within that client to at least provide some sort of feedback level. The client will be more open to offering feedback sooner rather than later and that'll allow you to be more proactive vs. reactive. 

Surveys Help Improve Your Brand's Awareness

Sure, they're already a client. But sometimes they're not quick to remember your name when it comes to sharing your brand with others. If you're sending bimonthly surveys (6x/year), that's 6 more times throughout the year they'll remember your name.

It Shows You Care

Sharing is caring, and sharing a survey shows interest in your client's facility and their needs.

Surveys are Easy To Implement

It's so easy to create a survey. You can simply take your client's SOW and create a 1-10 Likert scale. Or if you're looking for more feedback, you can add a comments section. You can also use software or even simply type it up using something like Google Docs.

There's a Low or No Cost Association

You can subscribe to survey programs like SurveyMonkey or MailChimp offers surveys. Or you can use a free program like Google Forms. 

It Takes No Time

It takes hardly any time at all to create a survey and once you do, you can use the same survey again and again and again.

Surveys Can Quantify your Quality

Surveys attach a number to something that is generally visual. By creating an index for your survey results, you can standardize a quality of clean through posted results or even averages.

You Bridge The Gap Between How You Think You're Doing and How You're Actually Doing

If you take the time to create client surveys, then do the same for your supervisors and managers. Now you can then compare the numbers provided by your clients with the numbers measured by your cleaning supervisors, and then you can compare the two, and you can compare it over time.

A Net Promoter Score Can Gauge Whether or Not Your Client Will Refer You In The Future

Ever ask for a testimonial or a reference? Do you get nervous asking? Do you wonder if they'll help or not? Well, a simple survey will help with that but you can also create a Net Promoter Score. Simply add in a final question, "How Likely Are You to Refer XYZ Cleaning Company to Others?", and then incorporate a 1-10 Likert Scale. 

Below is an example created using a simple (and Free) Google Form. 

Above are two simple examples using a 1-5 Likert scale ranking from Unsatisfactory to Outstanding. You can label it as you wish, or even use any scale as you'd like. We've even used 1-3 scales. We keep ours simple and focus on general areas, like entrances, lobbies, restrooms, offices, break room, and so on. That'll help limit the size of the survey. When we first started using them, we'd use a 1-10 scale and we literally asked about every single line item within our SOW. As you can imagine, there were easily over 50-60 questions. We felt that a shortened survey, broken down by zones or areas, helped with participation and made it easier for our clients. 

One thing you should add into your survey at the end is a Net Promoter Score. Below is an example:

By adding this simple question, you'll get a wealth of information. If your client replies with a 8, 9, or 10, then it means that they'll be willing to write you a testimonial and they will be open to referring your business with others. Ever ask for testimonials for your clients and you get crickets? Maybe their NPS was lower and they didn't feel compelled or happy with your services to the level of promoting it. If the score is a 6 or 7, then it means they're warm to your services, but it also tells you there could be room for improvement and asking for a referral or testimonial isn't the best at the moment. Finally, if it's a 1-5, then it's very possible they might leave a negative review and they're certainly not promoting your business. 

Absent the above survey sample, is a section to add comments. That's very easy to tackle that. 

I hope this helps and may the results guide your business.