Dear Mack! I am more than happy I could help you similarly as you helped me. Without our recent chat I possibly would not have written my today‘s feedback piece. Thank you!!
Hey Chris, thanks for the link in your sub, loves your post, I just subbed. AND as luck would have it, your post is perfect for my next post I am working on, so I will link to yours in my article. Thanks again for the heads up.
Excellent, Mack. Spot on! I have a B2B Industrial company as a client which I recently started measuring their customer retention rate. Industry wide 70% retention over time is considered good. Our retention is in the low 60s.
I appreciate that tapping into customers who want to be loyal is where most companies can grow.
Hey Vic! Wow lucky client! Sounds like you will be able to really help them with their efforts. Keep me posted on your progress, or if you want to share as a mini case-study, email me and we can run it as a post on Backstage Pass, if you want! Excited to see how you do!
Ha! I just had a very interesting experience that correlates to what you've shared Mack. I recently needed to upgrade a hot water system, and so reached out to source some quotes. One company was so pushy in their sales that they really turned me off. Even after I told them that I went with someone else, they kept chasing me up, wanting to offer me a cheaper deal. They were calling me, texting me, even after I told them to unsubscribe me from their database.
I gave them the feedback that they were being way too pushy with their sales, to which the response was: "Oh I'm sorry for that. Can I book a call with you to address this feedback? I can offer you a cheaper deal."
Net result: They energised me to leave them a negative review on their Google profile.
You've started a great topic again, Mack! We are all users and at the same time have clients. Only by wisely connecting these two perspectives can we achieve satisfaction in both positions.
Hey Chris! That’s a great question! My guess is the number would be lower than 95%, but I think the motivation to report issues to superiors would be politically-motivated, to a degree. So internal customers have an additional vested interest in reporting issues that external customers do not. Good question!
I totally agree! Another thing I see a lot with organizations is they ask for feedback from the wrong people or try to implement suggestions that just aren’t feasible. But when you target people who genuinely care, have skin in the game, and are offering solid suggestions—you’ve struck gold!
Unfortunately, so many organizations miss the boat on this. And you’re right, I don’t usually waste my time with feedback if it’s my first time somewhere or if I don’t really care about it. I just won’t go back—but I will definitely tell others about my bad experience.
I love how you tied this to modern tools (Slack, Substack polls, etc.). It’s true that the medium for feedback evolves, but the psychology stays the same. Happy customers and engaged employees don’t just want to vent, they want to fix. And you’re right about the ‘fake listening’ trap. Nothing kills trust faster than a ‘Tell us how we’re doing!’ survey that disappears into the void.
Your point about ego is key, too. Leonard’s Rule #1 works because it forces humility. Assume the customer’s perspective matters more than your defensiveness. The same goes for teams. Toyota’s kaizen only works because leadership believes the person on the factory floor knows more about the factory floor than the CEO does.
One thing I’d add is that the best feedback systems don’t just collect input but it also closes the loop. Thanks for the great read as always.
Yes, Neela, love that final point. The smart companies collect the feedback, then make changes based on the feedback, then COMMUNICATE the changes made to customers. That tells the customers they are respected and appreciated. This just leads to more and better feedback. Reward the behavior you want to encourage. Have a great Tuesday, Neela.
Hey Mack! I shared some further thoughts on the topic. Hope you like it: https://open.substack.com/pub/chrissush/p/great-companies-earn-honest-feedback?r=4if0oe&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Dear Mack! I am more than happy I could help you similarly as you helped me. Without our recent chat I possibly would not have written my today‘s feedback piece. Thank you!!
Hey Chris, thanks for the link in your sub, loves your post, I just subbed. AND as luck would have it, your post is perfect for my next post I am working on, so I will link to yours in my article. Thanks again for the heads up.
Excellent, Mack. Spot on! I have a B2B Industrial company as a client which I recently started measuring their customer retention rate. Industry wide 70% retention over time is considered good. Our retention is in the low 60s.
I appreciate that tapping into customers who want to be loyal is where most companies can grow.
Hey Vic! Wow lucky client! Sounds like you will be able to really help them with their efforts. Keep me posted on your progress, or if you want to share as a mini case-study, email me and we can run it as a post on Backstage Pass, if you want! Excited to see how you do!
Ha! I just had a very interesting experience that correlates to what you've shared Mack. I recently needed to upgrade a hot water system, and so reached out to source some quotes. One company was so pushy in their sales that they really turned me off. Even after I told them that I went with someone else, they kept chasing me up, wanting to offer me a cheaper deal. They were calling me, texting me, even after I told them to unsubscribe me from their database.
I gave them the feedback that they were being way too pushy with their sales, to which the response was: "Oh I'm sorry for that. Can I book a call with you to address this feedback? I can offer you a cheaper deal."
Net result: They energised me to leave them a negative review on their Google profile.
Does pushy ever work? I think you handled it well, Scott. And under the circumstances I think most anyone would have been motivated to leave a review!
You've started a great topic again, Mack! We are all users and at the same time have clients. Only by wisely connecting these two perspectives can we achieve satisfaction in both positions.
Thank you, @Mladena!
Hey Mack! Do you think the 95% hold for internal customers within one corporation as well?
My feeling says yes. Curious to hear your thoughts!
Have a great day!
Hey Chris! That’s a great question! My guess is the number would be lower than 95%, but I think the motivation to report issues to superiors would be politically-motivated, to a degree. So internal customers have an additional vested interest in reporting issues that external customers do not. Good question!
And thank you for the shout out! I so appreciate that! Hope you're having a fantastic week so far.
I totally agree! Another thing I see a lot with organizations is they ask for feedback from the wrong people or try to implement suggestions that just aren’t feasible. But when you target people who genuinely care, have skin in the game, and are offering solid suggestions—you’ve struck gold!
Unfortunately, so many organizations miss the boat on this. And you’re right, I don’t usually waste my time with feedback if it’s my first time somewhere or if I don’t really care about it. I just won’t go back—but I will definitely tell others about my bad experience.
I agree Bette. And not going back for a second visit IS your feedback 🤣. Thanks for reading and sharing!
You are more than welcome Mack!
Happy Tuesday bro
I love how you tied this to modern tools (Slack, Substack polls, etc.). It’s true that the medium for feedback evolves, but the psychology stays the same. Happy customers and engaged employees don’t just want to vent, they want to fix. And you’re right about the ‘fake listening’ trap. Nothing kills trust faster than a ‘Tell us how we’re doing!’ survey that disappears into the void.
Your point about ego is key, too. Leonard’s Rule #1 works because it forces humility. Assume the customer’s perspective matters more than your defensiveness. The same goes for teams. Toyota’s kaizen only works because leadership believes the person on the factory floor knows more about the factory floor than the CEO does.
One thing I’d add is that the best feedback systems don’t just collect input but it also closes the loop. Thanks for the great read as always.
Yes, Neela, love that final point. The smart companies collect the feedback, then make changes based on the feedback, then COMMUNICATE the changes made to customers. That tells the customers they are respected and appreciated. This just leads to more and better feedback. Reward the behavior you want to encourage. Have a great Tuesday, Neela.
Thank you so much - to go to the gym or not go to the gym?
this is the question.
You love the gym. Go to the gym, have some fries tonight, then you have reason to go to the gym tomorrow :)
Happy Wednesday bro
I had rice and stew and yes I did go to the gym :)