I recently had a new furnace and water heater installed in my house and the heating company (Bel Red Energy Solutions) has a great policy of asking for customer feedback prior to the technicians leaving the house. When the installation was done, the technician handed me a customer survey and took the time to explain the importance of why they are asking for the feedback and how they use it to provide the very best service they can, each and every time. By the technician taking just a few moments to explain the survey (instead of just handing it to me and asking me to complete) it diffused any feeling of being put on the spot to provide instant feedback. They could have just as easier sent a survey in the mail or emailed one to me. However by doing it before they left, this insured that I not only completed the survey (which many people never complete) but allowed them the opportunity to receive instant feedback on the service they provided. This type of immediate feedback is beneficial for both the company and the customer. For instance, if the customer receives less than stellar service, it provides the company the ability to either resolve the issue on the spot or follow up quickly after the sale. For the customer, it gives them another way to thank them for their good service and leaves them with a good feeling about the service they just received.
What kind of grades are you receiving from your customers? If you are waiting for your report cards to arrive in the mail, it may already be too late or they may never arrive at all.