I recently mentioned the importance of going out and getting feedback from your customers. It is key to setting yourself apart in most industries. Your customers and your employees know everything you need to know, you just need to ask. How do you ask for feedback? Very simply.

My two favorite questions to use are 1) Would you recommend us to your loved ones? Why or why not? 2) What can we do better? Simple. You don't need a huge survey. That can turn people off. If it takes too long, your customer may lose interest or stop investing in their answers. Keep it simple and make it personal. People are busy and they don't have time to run your business for them. Once you have their answers, thank them. If you need to make something right, make it right.

Once you have the information, you need to be ready to take action. How do you know what to take action on? Where do you see a trend or hear a comment more than usual? Don't be afraid to dig a little deeper, and ask around your organization to find if others are hearing the same feedback. Consistency is key, even in feedback.

Make sure you also pay attention to positive comments and the trends there. Share positive comments with your team; it is a great training tool. Make sure to appreciate what you have and not just zero in on what you are missing. There is value in what you do well. Be so good that guests want to tell you how good you are.

People evaluate based on expectations. Before you can excel in customer service, you have to meet the baseline expectation with a quality product. Service isn't about being nice, it's that your product worked.

If you want to work with a team that has a great product and they are nice, make sure to check out Magical Vacation Planners. You can reach them at 407-442-2694.

If you are enjoying this podcast, make sure to check out the Cockerell Academy at cockerellacademy.com. You don't want to miss it when we put out a new course.