Seattle, WA (PRWEB) March 16, 2016 -- Customers today are more connected than ever thanks to the 8.6 billion mobile devices that exist. But, how has that changed the way companies ask for and understand customer feedback?
To address this question and more, Apptentive and SurveyMonkey partnered to study how consumers and businesses approach feedback, and the role mobile plays in gathering customer input. Their comprehensive report, Feedback and Loyalty on the Mobile Frontier, provides new data on consumer expectations and insights on how companies can leverage customer feedback and increase loyalty.
Mobile Takes a Front Seat
According to the study, nearly all (98%) of the survey respondents who prefer to leave feedback for companies directly in-app are likely to do so when prompted. Not only that -- their feelings are so strong that two-thirds of consumers who prefer to leave feedback in a mobile app expect to be asked. And yet, one-third of businesses surveyed have never asked their customers for feedback.
However, simply asking for feedback is not enough; companies need to acknowledge that the response has been received so that customers feel heard and remain loyal. More than half of respondents (55%) who leave feedback in a mobile app are not likely to remain a customer if their feedback goes seemingly ignored. 67% of respondents who do leave feedback in a mobile app never receive a response from the company.
Mobile apps can be a key component in gathering customer feedback.The data shows that apps have a clear impact on driving loyalty. The companies that said they have a mobile app reported lower levels of decline in customer loyalty than companies without an app. In fact, of companies that saw their levels of customer loyalty decrease a great deal over the past year, two-thirds (66%) said they do not have a mobile app.
“This data exposes the areas in which companies are failing to meet consumer expectations, and shows the importance and value of meeting customers where they are, namely, on mobile,” said Robi Ganguly, CEO and Co-founder at Apptentive. “We’re excited to publish a report that will help businesses understand the consumer landscape on a deeper level, and offer real ways to engage with customers to harness the power of their feedback.”
Disconnect Between Customers and Companies
There’s a clear discrepancy between the way companies and their customers think about feedback. More than half (55%) of respondents said they are not likely to continue being a customer of a company that ignores their feedback, but on the flip side, nearly all (97%) said they are somewhat likely to become more loyal patrons to a company that implements their feedback. There exists a clear opportunity for companies to turn their customer feedback into action, whether it be through product changes, communication or any other avenue.
Sadly, the majority of respondents said they are not confident they are heard after leaving feedback: about two-thirds of respondents typically don’t receive a feedback response, and a majority (62%) say they are not confident their feedback is heard. In contrast, nearly three-fourths (73%) of companies believe they are good at implementing feedback, so clearly there is discrepancy between businesses and their customers.
“The survey findings remind us that companies must place more emphasis on reviewing and responding to customer feedback, not just collecting it,” said Jeffrey Coleman, SurveyMonkey’s Director of Customer Success. “The data shows that acting on feedback helps create a loyal customer base. Businesses would be wise to take stock of their current processes for handling feedback and adapt them to meet the expectations of today’s customers, especially on their mobile platforms.”
For more data about the way customers and businesses view feedback, view the full report here.
Survey Methodology
Results were gathered online from 621 consumers ages 18 and older in the U.S., and 658 full-time professionals at companies with more than 10 employees. The results were gathered using SurveyMonkey Audience. Surveys were conducted in the U.S. in December 2015. For the open-ended responses, only phrases with two or more mentions are shown in the word clouds.
About Apptentive
Apptentive is the leading enterprise SaaS platform for mobile customer communications. The company's in-app messages, surveys, and intelligent rating prompts empower brands to build meaningful relationships with their customers, wherever they may be. Integrated into mobile apps including Allrecipes, Concur, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Overstock, and Urbanspoon, Apptentive's software makes it easy for any company with a mobile app to grow retention, boost app store ratings, drive downloads, and earn customer loyalty. Apptentive powers millions of customer conversations every month. The company is based in Seattle, Washington. For more information, visit http://www.apptentive.com.
About SurveyMonkey
SurveyMonkey is the world’s leading online survey platform, with more than 3 million survey responses every day. SurveyMonkey has revolutionized the way people give and take feedback, making it accessible, simple and affordable for everyone. The company was founded in 1999 with a focus on helping people make better decisions, and has built technology based on over 10 years of experience in survey methodology and web development. Customers include 99% of the Fortune 500, academic institutions, organizations and neighborhood soccer leagues everywhere. The company has more than 500 employees worldwide with headquarters in Palo Alto, CA. For more information, visit http://www.surveymonkey.com.
Marissa Smith, Apptentive, http://www.apptentive.com, +1 313-312-0169, [email protected]
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