Business Education

Yes, Loyal Customers Will Lie to Protect Your Feelings

Small business owners often operate under a set of assumptions. For the most part, these beliefs are typically correct, but not always. Even when something seems positive, it might well be obscuring a negative. What makes this particularly disturbing is the fact that the concealment can easily go unnoticed until it’s too late. For instance, repeat customers. Although the relationship may appear strong, there just might be a few things stewing under the surface that those loyal customers simply don’t share. So, how do you get that information without being overbearing? Well, there are subtle ways to obtain important intel.

The Key to Unlock Honest Feedback

Small business owners cherish repeat customers like gold. They return without fanfare, spend reliably, and seem satisfied. Yet many silently harbor frustrations that eventually drive them away. These loyal buyers rarely volunteer feedback because they dislike confrontation, fear hurting your feelings, or simply lack time. Their silence creates a dangerous illusion of success, while competitors quietly steal them away. The good news? You can extract honest insights without begging or alienating them.

Use Surveys the Smart Way

Start by making feedback frictionless. Most customers skip long surveys. Instead, deploy one-question micro-surveys via text or email right after a purchase or visit. Ask something direct like “What’s one thing we could do better for you next time?” Keep it under 30 seconds. Tools like Google Forms and Typeform, and SMS platforms like SimpleTexting, work well for independents. Anonymity boosts honesty. Remove any requirement for names or contact details. Repeat customers often share brutal truths when they know it won’t spark an awkward conversation.

Catch Customers in the Moment of Truth

Timing matters more than the method. Catch them in the moment of satisfaction or mild irritation. Send requests within 24 hours of the interaction, while the memory is still fresh. For brick-and-mortar shops, place QR codes on receipts leading to a quick poll with a small incentive. For example, “Scan and tell us in 10 seconds for a chance to win a free coffee next visit.” Restaurants can include feedback cards with the check and offer a discount on the next meal. The key is low effort plus perceived value.

Put on a Personal Touch

Build personal relationships that invite candor. Your regulars already like you enough to keep coming back. Use that warmth. Train staff to greet them by name and casually ask, “We love having you back—what keeps you coming in?” or “Anything we should tweak to make your experience perfect?” Owners should personally follow up with top spenders via handwritten note or direct message, such as, “You’ve been with us for months, and your opinion matters most. Mind sharing one improvement?” A personal touch signals respect and often unlocks stories no survey can ever capture.

Show You Value Their Expertise

Leverage loyalty programs as feedback engines. Tie rewards to input. Offer bonus points for completing short quarterly reviews. Segment your database and target only proven repeaters with tailored questions. “You buy our premium blend every week. How does it compare to alternatives?” This shows you value their expertise, making them feel important rather than used.

Use Passive Data to Uncover Blind Spots

Observe behavior when words fail. Track what silent customers actually do. Point-of-sale data reveals which items they buy repeatedly and which they abandon. Website analytics show pages they linger on or ignore. Abandoned carts, return rates, and social mentions provide clues. Combine this passive data with occasional “mystery shopper” visits by friends or service providers to spot operational blind spots.

Diversify Your Feedback Options

Create multiple low-stakes channels. Some customers hate talking but love typing. Others prefer video or voice notes. Offer options like an in-app chat, a private Facebook group for VIPs, or even a dedicated phone line for suggestions. Host occasional small focus groups or “customer advisory dinners” with your top 10 repeaters. Feed them well, then ask open questions. The investment returns tenfold in the form of actionable ideas.

Let Customers Know Their Voice Really Counts

Finally, close the loop publicly. When you implement changes based on feedback, shout it out. For instance, “Thanks to your input, we now offer X.” This proves their voice counts and encourages more sharing. Customers who see real response become advocates.

Repeat customers hold the deepest insights into your strengths and hidden weaknesses. Stop assuming silence means perfection. By lowering barriers, adding incentives, personalizing asks, and respecting their time, you transform quiet loyalty into vocal partnership. Your business grows stronger, retention skyrockets, and those “polite” buyers finally tell the truth that fuels real improvement.

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You can call us for your free appointment at 480-636-1720, or, if you prefer, Waters Business Consulting Group to learn more about us and the services we offer.

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A Sudden Goodbye, A Shocking Return, But Should You Welcome Them Back?

July 25, 2025 No Comments

A trusted employee walks out without warning, leaving gaps and questions. Now, they want back in. Is their return a chance to restore talent and trust, or a risky gamble?

Ways Business Owners can Deal with Personal Crisis

May 18, 2017 No Comments

Entrepreneurs, by their very nature, are self-reliant. They set goals and achieve them with confidence. When a personal crisis strikes a business owner, it can be very damaging to their corporate environment and even its micro-culture. Suddenly, the dynamics change and can lead to irreparable harm. We’ve all heard the advice not to bring personal problems into professional space, but, some are so large they have a nearly uncontrollable effect. It’s best to bring the situation into perspective, but, doing so might be difficult to accomplish. Ways Business Owners can Deal with Personal Crisis In some instances, it’s possible to prepare a business for a crisis. When it’s impending and inevitable, business owners should prepare by speaking with their team members about delegating and assigning responsibilities, seek legal advice (if applicable), and focus on what’s most important. There will be difficulty in maintaining balance but by being proactive, you’ll have less to worry about. Eventually it happens to the best of us. Something occurs in our personal lives that is so devastating, we have difficulty concentrating at work. It may be the death of a loved one, a divorce, a financial crisis, or serious damage to our homes. When our personal lives are in chaos, it can be hard to focus and get what we need to do done. —Inc.com Unfortunately, it’s often the case that a personal crisis strikes without warning. When it does occur, it can be very burdensome to get through. Even the toughest entrepreneurs will have difficulty trying to deal with upset in their personal lives while continuing to run their businesses. Here are some ways business owners can deal with a personal crisis: Outsource and be willing to ask for assistance. It’s okay to let go and farm-out work during turbulent times, especially if you’re having trouble staying focused and concentrating. Also, there’s no shame asking for assistance from your team — it’s actually a smarter choice. Be upfront with customers. As soon as possible, let your clients know about the situation. You don’t have to go into details, but you ought to alert them to what’s going on, particularly if you’re not able to work as usual. You’ll find most to be understanding and that helps to give you some peace-of-mind. Surround yourself with positive people. This is something that successful entrepreneurs naturally do but it’s very important when you’re going through tough times. Personally, I lean on others as well as my faith and prayer to shoulder the burdens of crisis. It’s uplifting and it can be a way to see the silver lining knowing others are walking with you. Give team members more flexibility. Your employees are huge assets to your business and during a personal crisis, can be the best go-to source for carrying-out day-to-day operations. Give them the flexibility that’s needed to keep your company running smoothly. Do not put undue pressure on yourself. If there’s one thing entrepreneurs struggle with, it’s the fear of not getting the job done. When you are dealing with personal issues, give yourself permission to lighten your workload. Take time to reflect on what’s most important. This is an ideal time to put everything in perspective. Give yourself time off and reflect on what’s truly important in your life. In addition to these, you should be honest with yourself about your life’s direction. Some business owners who experience a personal crisis use it as a learning tool advantageously, but others allow the event to cloud their judgment and make rash decisions. When you’re not thinking clearly, be willing and ready to ask for advice from someone you trust. In my life, I have found great opportunity comes from crisis because of my willingness to reflect and make changes. How have you overcome crisis and remained focused and successful with your business? Want to find out about what a business coach can do for you? [shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]

Are You Delegating or Demanding

May 24, 2017 No Comments

Throughout the course of building a business, you’ll learn over time to delegate tasks and responsibilities to various people with the right skill sets. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs, like Sir Richard Branson and Mark Cuban, state no one can do it alone. That’s certainly true, you can’t do everything on your own and for those who attempt to do so, learn the hard way it’s an open invitation to trouble and even outright failure. The best business owners know their strengths and weaknesses and through this recognition, develop strategies and relationships which maximize their professional potential. Are You Delegating or Demanding? Delegating responsibilities is just part of doing business. Done smartly, this increases productivity and gives companies potential to grow and prosper. It also allows team members to realize their potential and creates a healthier and happier work environment. Delegating shows your confidence in someone and gives them pride to take ownership of certain areas. In addition, delegating allows you to focus on what’s most important while others can put their efforts into other tasks. Delegating is a great way to ensure that more tasks get done in less time, and it also builds team capacity. Unfortunately, a lot of managers don’t pay enough attention to the delegation process, and thus fail to reap the benefits. —Fast Company Another aspect of delegating is it gives you the opportunity to evaluate a person’s performance. When you give a team member responsibility, their approach and results will speak volumes about what kind of work ethic he or she has and what he or she believes are acceptable standards. In addition to evaluation, delegating gives you the ability to learn which of your team members are best suited for certain tasks. All of these things are great about delegating — if you are sincere. However, there is a real difference between delegating and demanding. Demanding does the opposite of delegating. It stifles creativity, decreases productivity, and poisons the workplace. It also drives a wedge between you and your employees, as well as creates tensions among your team members. Demanding doesn’t give you a true chance to evaluate, either, because it puts unnecessary pressure on people. Here are some signs that you’re demanding and not delegating: You rationalize unrealistic expectations. When you demand, you know it to be the case, as does the other person. This creates a need to rationalize unrealistic expectations, not only to the other person, but to yourself. In the end, no one is fooled, but, it gives you at least a pretense of having reason to demand. Your employees mislead or lie to you. If you get the feeling or learn that an employee is misleading or lying to you, there’s definitely a reason. Before jumping to conclusions, you should look back and think about the overall situation. For instance, if you interrogate an employee who wants time off, you’re creating an atmosphere where there’s little choice and lying becomes the only viable option. You create emergency situations. We all know that unexpected things crop-up from time to time, but, if you’re turning every surprise into an emergency, you’ll feel an undue urgency and that can easily lead to demanding. You justify your actions as legitimate and/or legal. If you ever have to ask if something is legal just to get it done, that’s troubling. You shouldn’t have to walk such a fine line because if you are, chances are excellent that even if it is legal, it’s not entirely ethical. You don’t want to deal with this or that. Delegating is done because it puts the best talent where it is most needed. Demanding comes from a need to get something done, particularly a task that you don’t want to deal with personally. Another sign that you’re demanding rather than delegating is your willingness to take credit or give credit to the person who deserves it. If you are taking credit of the work of others and not giving credit where it is due, that’s unethical and will undermine your entire organization. In summary, your employees are your greatest appreciable asset. Invest in them through servant style leadership by delegating with clear expectations and the kind of results you are looking for … then ask; “what can I do to help you succeed with this responsibility or project?” Want to find out about what a business coach can do for you? [shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]