{"id":1889,"date":"2019-10-02T13:16:58","date_gmt":"2019-10-02T17:16:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog3.canny.io\/wordpress\/?p=1889"},"modified":"2023-05-14T01:28:36","modified_gmt":"2023-05-14T05:28:36","slug":"how-to-give-good-feedback-saas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/how-to-give-good-feedback-saas\/","title":{"rendered":"How to give good feedback to a SaaS product"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you use a lot of SaaS products, you\u2019re probably familiar with giving feedback. Whether it\u2019s feature requests, bug reports, or ideas\u2014we\u2019ve all been there. Most of us also like to think we give <em>good<\/em> feedback.<\/p>\n<p>Feedback is a gift. Companies need it to improve their product and know what to build. Most importantly, with good feedback, they can learn about the value (or lack of it) for their end user (that\u2019s you!).<\/p>\n<p>Giving feedback is also good for you\u2014you get your issues or ideas off your chest. Hopefully, things change for the better.<\/p>\n<p>So, giving feedback is always good, and the effort is always appreciated.<\/p>\n<p>However, there\u2019s a big difference between quality feedback and \u201cmeh\u201d feedback. This difference may also mean a difference in how fast things get done.<\/p>\n<p>By learning to give high-quality, actionable feedback, you\u2019ll speed up the process for both parties.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, there are very few people who are truly exceptional feedback givers. Being amazing at giving feedback will earn you extra brownie points.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll be everyone\u2019s favorite user, and might even score some perks like being <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/beta-testing-with-user-base\/\">invited to beta test new features<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Today, we\u2019re going to talk about the things to do to make sure your feedback is top-notch, useful, and truly appreciated.<\/p>\n<h2>Include visuals\u2014right away<\/h2>\n<p>Many companies have the option to add images or other files to their feedback forms. Use this opportunity.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1890\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1890\" style=\"width: 846px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border wp-image-1890 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Google-Chrome_2019-09-26-14-02-16@2x.avif\" alt=\"Including visuals is a part of giving good feedback\" width=\"846\" height=\"292\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Google-Chrome_2019-09-26-14-02-16@2x.avif 846w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Google-Chrome_2019-09-26-14-02-16@2x-300x104.avif 300w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Google-Chrome_2019-09-26-14-02-16@2x-768x265.avif 768w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Google-Chrome_2019-09-26-14-02-16@2x-210x72.avif 210w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 846px) 100vw, 846px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1890\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Add a file button in our Intercom widget<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This is especially important for bug reports and other pressing issues that need fixing ASAP. It\u2019s often hard for a support rep to understand the problem you\u2019re running into just by reading a text description.<\/p>\n<p>There are also nuances to errors that can change the perceived issue behind it.<\/p>\n<p>For example, let\u2019s say you don\u2019t get a pop up notification for an action. There\u2019s a big difference between the pop up not showing up at all, and it popping up, but not displaying text.<\/p>\n<p>This interpretation issue means one of the following things:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>They get the wrong idea of what\u2019s happening and go to development with the wrong information. A giant delay is caused in solving the real problem.<\/li>\n<li>They\u2019re going to ask you to send visual material anyway.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Either way\u2014wasted time, for both sides.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no doubt any issue will be resolved eventually. However, there\u2019s no reason to delay it by not giving enough visual information.<\/p>\n<p>A screenshot is already good. When it comes to errors, a screencast is even better. A video can show exactly how an error occurs from beginning to end.<\/p>\n<p>Even with simple feature requests or ideas, an image can add a lot. The problem is that people refer to elements and functions in the app differently.<\/p>\n<p>So, you might call something a \u201cpost title\u201d, whereas the company refers it to as \u201cdescription\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Adding a simple image pointing out exactly what you mean will make it a lot easier for everyone involved. Misunderstandings are no more.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Example of thorough feedback including a visual:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"callout\">\n<p>Hi there,<\/p>\n<p>I was commenting on a feature request on the Canny board, replying to someone. When I finished typing the comment, the \u201cpost\u201d button wasn\u2019t functioning.<\/p>\n<p>I was eventually able to post the comment by pressing enter, but the button itself did not work.<\/p>\n<p>I was able to reproduce the issue with another comment and record a screen cast, attached below.<\/p>\n<p>If you could look into this and let me know what\u2019s going on, that\u2019d be awesome.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Explain \u201cwhy\u201d\u2014with real life examples<\/h2>\n<p>Bug reports never require a \u201cwhy\u201d explanation\u2014they\u2019re issues that need to be fixed.<\/p>\n<p>However, if you\u2019re asking for a new feature or have an idea, a \u201cwhy\u201d is the most valuable thing you can provide.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the thing\u2014product owners are pretty much always looking for one thing\u2014adding value. Other than that, they also care about reducing effort and obstacles.<\/p>\n<p>If they\u2019re not sure what you\u2019re asking for adds value or reduces effort for you or other users, it\u2019ll be hard to justify.<\/p>\n<p>So, if you\u2019re requesting something new, always explain why you need it.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border aligncenter wp-image-1891 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Google-Chrome_2019-09-26-14-22-07@2x-1024x384.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"384\"><\/p>\n<p>Here are some prompts if you\u2019re having trouble:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How does this issue make things hard for you?<\/li>\n<li>How does it hinder your work?<\/li>\n<li>How would a fix make your life easier?<\/li>\n<li>How would it add more value for you?<\/li>\n<li>How would it save you time?<\/li>\n<li>Is there anyone else who has mentioned this to you?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The easiest way to make it more clear is to add real life examples from your own use case. This adds credibility and a layer of reality over just \u201cI want this\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Example of a well-explained ask:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"callout\">\n<p>Hi there,<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a feature ask we\u2019ve been thinking about lately.<\/p>\n<p>Basically, we\u2019re struggling with the lack of being able to add owners to roadmap tasks.<\/p>\n<p>We use our product roadmap internally, to communicate upcoming projects. It\u2019s the single source of truth for all work being coordinated in the company, from development to marketing.<\/p>\n<p>The issue is that since we can\u2019t add owners to tasks, non-technical team members don\u2019t know who to go to for questions or concerns.<\/p>\n<p>This means that our lead PM is constantly being bombarded by questions about tasks she\u2019s not responsible for.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve resorted to creating a spreadsheet with all the roadmap items, and their respective owners. It\u2019s time consuming to keep up with this. It\u2019s also a pain to update two sources instead of one.<\/p>\n<p>Being able to add owners to the roadmap would save us hours every day, and help us streamline our communication.<\/p>\n<p>Let me know what you think!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Don\u2019t leave anything out\u2026<\/h2>\n<p>&#8230;because it\u2019s \u201cnot important\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>It might seem awkward to write a novel as feedback. Don\u2019t be scared. Honestly, in most cases\u2014the more information, the better.<\/p>\n<p>Granted, it needs to be relevant information. Nobody cares that you\u2019re writing this during lunch while eating a turkey sandwich.<\/p>\n<p>Details that you might find \u201cunimportant\u201d or \u201cTMI\u201d can be incredibly useful to the person receiving the feedback.<\/p>\n<p>Adding as much detail as you can removes a lot of unnecessary back and forth between you and the support representative. This saves everyone time. Time is money.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"gif size-full wp-image-1892 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/giphy.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"380\"><\/p>\n<p>Try to think about every aspect of an issue or a request that you\u2019re sending off.<\/p>\n<p>With bug reports:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What happened<\/li>\n<li>When it happened<\/li>\n<li>Where it happened<\/li>\n<li>What did you do before and after<\/li>\n<li>Did you try any solutions yourself<\/li>\n<li>Did it happen again<\/li>\n<li>Has it ever happened before<\/li>\n<li>\u2026etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With feature requests:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What do you need<\/li>\n<li>Why you need it<\/li>\n<li>How it affects you<\/li>\n<li>Is there anyone else who has mentioned wanting this<\/li>\n<li>How you want it to work<\/li>\n<li>\u2026etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Additional (and maybe useless, but maybe not) information is better than not enough information.<\/p>\n<p>If you feel like your message is too long and winding, try to condense it down into simple lines or bullet points.<\/p>\n<p><strong>An example of a well-detailed bug report:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"callout\">\n<p>Hi there,<\/p>\n<p>I ran into a bug while using Canny today. It seems like merging posts does not work. The command window works fine, but after it closes, the posts still haven\u2019t been merged.<\/p>\n<p>More details:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>This happened about an hour ago<\/li>\n<li>Our support agent uses Mac OS, the browser is Safari<\/li>\n<li>The user is X on Canny<\/li>\n<li>No console errors<\/li>\n<li>We tried it three times, and no luck<\/li>\n<li>We tried refreshing the page, logging out and in, no difference<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Hopefully this is useful. Let me know if you need anything else.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Mastering the art of giving good feedback benefits everyone<\/h2>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re submitting a bug report or requesting a feature, knowing how to give feedback well is a skill worth polishing.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re already an angel for even giving feedback, honestly. However, you have the power to make the whole process faster and more pleasant for everyone involved. Use it wisely.<\/p>\n<p>What are your main principles when giving feedback to someone else\u2019s product?<\/p>\n<p><!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --><span id=\"hs-cta-wrapper-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\" class=\"hs-cta-wrapper\"><span id=\"hs-cta-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\" class=\"hs-cta-node hs-cta-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\"><!-- [if lte IE 8]>\n\n\n<div id=\"hs-cta-ie-element\"><\/div>\n\n\n<![endif]--><a href=\"https:\/\/cta-redirect.hubspot.com\/cta\/redirect\/5705808\/e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"hs-cta-img-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\" class=\"hs-cta-img aligncenter\" style=\"border-width: 0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/5705808\/e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa.png\" alt=\"Canny free trial\" width=\"1300\" height=\"642\"><\/a><\/span><script charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/js.hscta.net\/cta\/current.js\"><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> hbspt.cta.load(5705808, 'e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa', {\"region\":\"na1\"}); <\/script><\/span><!-- end HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many of us like to think we know how to give good feedback for a SaaS product. However, that might not always be the case.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1894,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-customer-feedback","category-product-management"],"aioseo_notices":[],"modified_by":"Maria Vasserman","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1889"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1889\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4288,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1889\/revisions\/4288"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}