Definition of Informal Customer Feedback

Informal customer feedback is unprompted commentary or criticism that a client gives to an employee or company. Informal feedback may come from other employees, but it most frequently comes from customers.

Types

Informal customer feedback comes to a company in two different forms: compliments or criticisms. Informal customer feedback can have a positive or negative response when received, depending on its content.

Significance

Managers use informal customer feedback to improve customer satisfaction within an organization. Customers’ opinions are vital to improving customer relations; without knowing what customers think of a business, it’s hard for an organization to know where it needs to improve.

Considerations

Several problems occur with informal customer feedback. Since informal feedback normally occurs when an employee is not expecting it, he may not properly record the customer’s sentiments. Informal feedback can also be confrontational; an agitated employee receiving criticism for something he did or didn’t do can cause arguments or other problems. Another consideration is the accuracy of informal feedback; sometimes what an employee hears from a customer is not what the customer actually said or meant.

References

• Quinntessential Marketing Consulting: Customer Feedback
• The Mindful International Manger: Formal and Informal Feedback