Surveys are a great way to measure customer satisfaction. But long surveys can be overwhelming to customers who won’t take the time to complete them. And who on your staff really wants to tally up all those results?

 

Worst of all, according to another classic article in the Harvard Business Review, decisions based on these survey results “don’t necessarily correlate to profits or growth.”

 

So instead of a long survey, give them a very short survey that asks just two questions. The most important: “On a scale of 1 to 5, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend?” The next: “Why?”

 

The answer to the first question is what marketers call your Net Promoter Index. Statistics show that the more “promoters” you have, the better the chances of your sales growth. The reason is that anyone willing to put their neck out and refer you to a friend is truly satisfied. The more satisfied a customer, the more likely they are to talk you up.

 

Start by using that simple two-question survey. You can put the questions on a small, self-addressed, stamped postcard, or you can email your customer a quick two-question online survey. (SurveyMonkey.com offers free online surveys.)

 

Then, use your findings to improve your Net Promoter Index (customer satisfaction rating), and get more referrals.

 

Satisfied customers are your best source of continued growth. Continue to improve the way you do business and you'll improve your profits, too.