For MSPs, there are few metrics more critical to your business success than customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores. We live in a world that demands instant gratification, and clients have high demands for their IT providers. Measuring the satisfaction of your customers provides insight into your operational efficiency, sheds light on your customer’s concerns, and highlights strengths.
But, simply collecting CSAT data isn’t enough if you aren’t using it to improve your services. According to a report from Esteban Kolsky, one of the most widely recognized names behind the science of customer experience, 70% of companies that deliver best in class customer service use customer feedback to their advantage. Put another way, improving your organization’s service requires that you work with your clients to evolve your processes and increase communication.
We recommend sharing customer satisfaction results directly with the customers themselves. Initially, this might seem to be a bit of a risky choice. Letting your customers see where your service could improve could open their eyes to issues they were unaware of. The other side of the coin is that exposing your customers to what you are doing right can help them to better appreciate your service.
There are a few reasons why MSPs should consider sharing their CSAT scores with customers:
After collecting customer satisfaction feedback and analyzing the results, the thought of sending that data to your customers might make your heart flutter. But, doing so gives you the opportunity to explore issues with management and work together to find a solution.
According to a report from Ruby Newell-Legner, the fan experience expert who advises dozens of professional sports teams and other organizations, the average business only hears from 4% of its dissatisfied customers. While this retail example doesn’t specifically relate to MSPs, it does show that sometimes it can be difficult to convince clients to speak up about issues. No one likes to deliver bad news, especially if they are generally satisfied with their overall service. Allowing your them to see the data might prompt them to be a bit more forthcoming, or dig deeper into specific issues their team has encountered.
If you’re reading this and thinking that you always feel the heat from unhappy customers, ask yourself: are there quiet ones who you assume are happy, because you haven’t brought up the conversation? Why risk making that assumption, only to have their business slip away at the end of your contract?
The same is true for positive responses as well. When you share CSAT scores with your customers, you open their eyes up to what is going well. Remember that no one is infallible. Management may make assumptions about your service and how their team feels about it. By providing in-depth CSAT research you ensure that their understanding of your service level is accurate.
MSPs should share CSAT data with a client’s management team so they have an idea of how their staff was treated across the board, as Karl Fulljames, VP of Operations at Nucleus Networks recently explained in a BrightGauge customer poll. Often, the opinions and satisfaction levels in upper management can differ from those in lower level positions. The lower levels are the ones that interface with your team and are more likely to understand the issues that they commonly experience.
Even the best-trained MSP teams may unwittingly give better service to clients in upper management. Ultimately the goal of any MSP is to ensure that their client’s IT operations run smoothly and make them a more profitable company. Those goals are often achieved through interactions with lower level support reps. Sharing internal customer satisfaction data will help MSPs work together with clients to create a smoother process for all involved.
Clients love transparency from vendors. This is particularly true for MSPs that play a critical role in their operations. Sharing customer satisfaction data with your clients shows that you acknowledge where your service could improve while also highlighting where the relationship has been beneficial. By sharing feedback, you make the client an active presence in the improvement process, which is something they are sure to appreciate.
Nick Olerud, Director of Technology at Netrix IT, explains that “transparency makes conversations with clients much easier if there is a bad week or day because they can see the overall trend of good service. It’s easier for clients to understand that mistakes happen and no one is perfect.”
Pinpointing potential brand advocates is important for bringing in referrals. Sharing your CSAT data with clients can be a great way to bring them into the fold. Upper management may not have a firm understanding of your daily interactions with their teams. But because they are the ones in a position to recommend your services, it is important to inform them and build relationships. Sharing your CSAT data can help nurture these relationships and keep your company at the top of their mind.
Sharing CSAT data also opens the door to further collaboration. Highlighting issues you've faced and working to correct those issues shows clients that you are responsible and can help to shape their perception of your company. These interactions are a great way to raise their awareness of your company and services. The more aware upper management is of your company, the more likely they are to become a brand advocate and refer other businesses to you.
Every MSP knows how critical customer satisfaction is to a service-based business. However, too often companies are tight-lipped with results and unwilling to share them with their clients. Instead, try sharing your data with clients and use it as a relationship-building exercise.