What’s the question?
Would you recommend this product (or service) to a friend (or colleague)?
I came across this gem in a pile of articles (Business 2.0, September 2005, The Only Question That Matters) that have been gathering dust waiting to be filed on my desk. This question is derived from consultant Fred Reichheld‘s work in the area of customer satisfaction. He found that rather than asking tons of questions of customers it was better to ask just one question, “Would you recommend X to Y?” Reichheld calls this the ‘net promoter‘ approach. (Mr. Reichheld captured this technique in his 2006 book, The Ultimate Question: Driving Good Profits and True Growth)
Really, what else matters? Have you satisfied your customers to such an extent that they will recommend, even evangelize, your product to their circle of friends, peers and colleagues? I’m sure that you, like me, have found yourself adequately satisfied with a vendor’s products or services but not thrilled, not impressed. You felt lukewarm and lukewarm doesn’t garner enthusiastic raves to those we come in contact with.
“My bank’s okay but they’re just a typical bank, no better or worse than any other bank I’ve dealt with…”
“The car’s okay, nothing special. Gas mileage is decent. Dealer is okay. Hasn’t ripped me off; as far as I know…”
“What computer do I recommend? Well, I have Brand X and it’s alright but I’m thinking of changing to Brand Z next time I buy…”
Are the above what your customers are saying about your products, your services? Or are they saying things like:
“You’ve got to get Y, it’s a great product but, what’s more important, when I had a problem their support group bent over backwards to take care of me!”
If you’d rather have this response than the others then start asking your customers, “Would you recommend my products to your friends?” And if they won’t or if their response is lukewarm, find out the reason(s) and fix the things that are preventing your customers from being your best salespeople. Chances are, if they won’t recommend you to a colleague, they probably won’t be a source of repeat business themselves. So not only do you lose all the business they might influence to try you but their business as well.
