Customers will tell you what to fix, if you ask briefly, at the right time, and show that their answers lead somewhere.
Quick summary
- Keep surveys to a few questions and send them soon after the purchase or service.
- Mix a rating question with one open question, such as what could have been better.
- Ask every customer for reviews, not just the happy ones, and never pay for positive reviews.
- Close the loop: thank people and tell them what you changed.
Feedback is free consulting from the people who matter most to your business. The trick is to make giving it quick and worthwhile.
When to ask
Ask while the experience is fresh: right after a job is finished, a day after delivery, or at checkout. For ongoing services, a quick check-in every few months works well.
Keep it short
Three questions are often enough:
- How satisfied were you, on a simple scale?
- How likely are you to recommend us to a friend, from 0 to 10?
- What’s one thing we could do better?
The open question usually gives the most useful answers.
Thanks for choosing Bright Smile Pet Grooming! Could you answer two quick questions about Biscuit’s visit? It takes under a minute, and we read every reply.
Understand the Net Promoter Score
The recommend question can be turned into a Net Promoter Score: customers who answer 9 or 10 are promoters, 7 or 8 are passives, and 0 to 6 are detractors. Subtract the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. The number matters less than its direction over time and the reasons behind it.
From experience
Read the comments from people who score you 7 or 8. They like you, but something is holding them back, and they often tell you exactly what.
Asking for online reviews
Public reviews help new customers find and trust you. Ask all customers, not only the ones you expect to be happy; some review platforms don’t allow businesses to ask only satisfied customers. Under the FTC’s rule on reviews and testimonials, which took effect in October 2024, businesses can’t:
- buy or write fake reviews
- offer rewards that depend on a review being positive
- hide or suppress honest negative reviews while presenting the rest as complete
Close the loop
Thank people for feedback, especially critical feedback, and tell customers what you changed. “You asked for earlier appointments, so we now open at 7 a.m.” shows that answering was worth their time.
Feedback is also how you spot customers at risk of leaving; see keeping the customers you already have. And when happy customers offer to spread the word, a referral program gives them an easy way.
Owners often ask
What is the Net Promoter Score?
A measure based on one question: how likely are you to recommend us, on a scale of 0 to 10. The score is the percentage of 9s and 10s minus the percentage of 0s to 6s. It’s most useful for tracking trends over time.
Should I offer a reward for completing a survey?
A small thank-you for completing a private survey is common. Rewards for public reviews are different: they can’t depend on the review being positive, and they should be disclosed.
How do I respond to a negative review?
Thank the person, apologize where appropriate, offer to fix it offline, and keep personal details out of your public reply.
This guide is general information for U.S. small businesses, not legal advice. Rules on texting, privacy and consumer protection vary by state and change over time; check with your state attorney general’s office or a lawyer for your situation.