Being treated poorly by a company leaves a damaging and lasting impression that is difficult to overcome. An important but frequently overlooked element of customer satisfaction research is the in-depth exploration of customers' problems. Respondents should be given the opportunity to report and describe in detail any problems that they have experienced. After learning about customers' specific problems, it is essential to find out how well these problems were resolved. Problem resolution is crucial to maintaining customer satisfaction.
Most customers recognize that occasional problems are unavoidable and even inevitable.
But the way a company responds to those problems is often the difference between retaining and losing a customer's business. In many cases, we have found that good problem resolution actually increases customer satisfaction beyond the level which existed before the problem occurred. Customers who report that a company has exceeded their expectations frequently cite quick, customer-oriented problem resolution as the source of their satisfaction. How to Use Results True customer satisfaction research should help you determine the sources of your competitive strengths and weaknesses. It should identify specific functional areas that need improvement and provide direction about how to improve them.