Retail sector booming – are your customers satisfied?

Does your business use satisfaction questionnaires to see how customers really feel about your products and service?

Amazingly, many still don't despite the great advantages that giving your customers a voice can have.

No matter how well you think you know what consumers want, nothing beats actually seeking their input.

The stakes are high enough already – the survival of your business depends as much on your ability to satisfy your customers as it does your capacity for innovation and excellence.

And if you don't currently survey your customers, you may be unwittingly losing out on a bigger slice of the resurging retail sector in Australia.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revealed today (April 4) that retail turnover increased by 1.3 per cent during February 2013.

On the back of a 1.2 per cent rise in January, it is fair to say that Australians are warming to retail once again – despite the cooling weather!

And the fresh influx of discretionary spending was felt all down the east coast, with Queensland (1.9 per cent), New South Wales (1.4 per cent) and Victoria (1.1 per cent) all recording rises.

With customers flocking back to retail, businesses may well be looking to consolidate their consumer base and grow it as the year continues to unroll.

At this critical juncture, customer satisfaction surveys can help companies accurately monitor their customer satisfaction levels and gather actionable information that will help them improve the customer journey.

Customer service surveys are also an excellent way to show consumers that you value their opinion and that you don't take for granted their choice to shop with you.

Let them tell you how you can better your current level of service – it will give you an unrivalled glimpse into how you can improve your appeal to customers and your slice of the retail pie.