{"id":2438,"date":"2020-06-03T09:00:57","date_gmt":"2020-06-03T13:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog3.canny.io\/wordpress\/?p=2438"},"modified":"2024-04-19T17:30:45","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T21:30:45","slug":"how-to-ask-the-right-customer-feedback-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/how-to-ask-the-right-customer-feedback-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"How to ask the right customer feedback questions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Are you asking for product feedback and ending the conversation there? If so, you\u2019re missing out on tons of valuable information.<\/p>\n<p>It isn\u2019t enough to just ask your customers what features or improvements they\u2019d like to see.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/should-you-be-collecting-customer-feedback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Collecting this type of customer feedback is where you should start<\/a>. But from there, it\u2019s important to ask the right <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/customer-feedback-types\/\">types of customer feedback questions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Asking the right questions gets to the root of what your customers want to see from your product. It helps you uncover the \u201cwhy.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Feedback starts the conversation<\/h2>\n<p>When your customers ask for a feature or comment on your product, they\u2019re giving you valuable information.<\/p>\n<p>But, it\u2019s just the beginning of what should become a dialogue with your customers.<\/p>\n<p>Feedback requires follow up. It\u2019s important to ask questions.<\/p>\n<h2>Why is it important to ask follow-up questions after customers offer feedback?<\/h2>\n<p>If you don\u2019t follow up, ask questions, and get more details, you could misinterpret customer feedback.<\/p>\n<p>You might miss something important. Or, you could wind up building something that only half-solves your customer\u2019s problem.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2443 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/intro-ex.avif\" alt=\"ask customer feedback questions to get more well rounded information\" width=\"846\" height=\"659\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/intro-ex.avif 846w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/intro-ex-300x234.avif 300w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/intro-ex-768x598.avif 768w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/intro-ex-154x120.avif 154w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 846px) 100vw, 846px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>An example from within our Canny feedback board: Andrew&#8217;s follow-up question asks for more detail on the issue. You can <a href=\"https:\/\/feedback.canny.io\/feature-requests\/p\/custom-email-domain-for-outgoing-emails\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">see the full discussion here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Broadly, asking questions after customers offer feedback matters for the following reasons:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>It helps you understand their request better.<\/li>\n<li>You may be able to suggest a workaround and avoid building something new.<\/li>\n<li>It gives you a chance to dive deeper and better understand how they\u2019re using your product.<\/li>\n<li>Customers might say \u201cwe want X,\u201d but what they really want is a solution to their problem, not X <em>exactly.<\/em> Asking questions helps you get the whole picture. (Think \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/faster-horse-customer-feedback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">building a faster horse<\/a>\u201d.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>A note on collecting feedback<\/h2>\n<p>In this article, I\u2019ll be discussing customer feedback questions under the premise that you\u2019re using a <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/features\/feedback\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">feedback board like Canny<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>With Canny, you can respond directly to feedback, and ask follow-up questions. Customers who submitted the request will be notified, and they\u2019ll be able to respond easily, starting a dialogue.<\/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<p>That said, there are <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/feedback-programs\/\">other ways you might be collecting feedback<\/a>. Asking questions is critical, regardless of the method you\u2019re currently using. (We\u2019ve also written about <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/need-a-product-feedback-tool\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">how to decide if a feedback tool is right for you<\/a>.) You can choose to do this via email follow up, or when you\u2019re chatting with customers on social media, on the phone, and so on.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, we think you should be using Canny to track, manage, and respond to feedback. It\u2019s the easiest, most transparent way to find out what your customers want, and dig deeper.<\/p>\n<p>But the most important thing is that you\u2019re listening to your customers, and asking the right questions.<\/p>\n<p>Okay, now that that\u2019s out of the way\u2014let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n<h2>5 valuable customer feedback questions to ask<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Why do you need [feature\/change]?<\/h3>\n<p>Start basic. Begin with \u201cwhy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Other ways to ask this question:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What will this help you do better?<\/li>\n<li>How would you use [feature\/change]?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Why this question matters:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Asking questions like this helps you better understand how your customers use your product. It also shows what the suggested change would help them do faster, better, or differently.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s an easy way to open up a dialogue. If a customer asks for X, start by finding out <em>why<\/em> they want X.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Any reason why [existing feature\/aspect of the product] doesn\u2019t work for you?<\/h3>\n<p>We ask this a lot. It\u2019s one of the most valuable questions you can ask your customers when they request specific features.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2454 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Screen-Shot-2020-06-01-at-11.52.24-AM-1-e1591037864631.avif\" alt=\"asking the right customer feedback questions can clarify what your customers want\" width=\"816\" height=\"222\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Screen-Shot-2020-06-01-at-11.52.24-AM-1-e1591037864631.avif 816w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Screen-Shot-2020-06-01-at-11.52.24-AM-1-e1591037864631-300x82.avif 300w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Screen-Shot-2020-06-01-at-11.52.24-AM-1-e1591037864631-768x209.avif 768w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Screen-Shot-2020-06-01-at-11.52.24-AM-1-e1591037864631-210x57.avif 210w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 816px) 100vw, 816px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>An example of this question in action (see the full discussion on our <a href=\"https:\/\/feedback.canny.io\/feature-requests\/p\/custom-statuses-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">feedback board here<\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Other ways to ask this:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Have you tried [XYZ way of using the tool]?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Why this question matters:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Asking this gives customers a chance to explain why the current features aren\u2019t getting the job done.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe they have a compelling argument. Maybe not.<\/p>\n<p>If it\u2019s the former, you\u2019ll learn why your current feature set isn\u2019t doing what they need it to do. In the latter case, you\u2019ll have the opportunity to show them how they can use your current features to accomplish their goal.<\/p>\n<p>Either way, you\u2019ll learn something. You\u2019ll get richer information than you\u2019d have gotten if you took their feedback at face value without digging deeper. And, you might avoid wasting time building something for a problem that could technically be solved a different way.<\/p>\n<h3>3. What\u2019s the end goal?<\/h3>\n<p>Instead of <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/customer-focused-business\/\"  data-wpil-monitor-id=\"69\">focusing on what the customer<\/a> has decided is the best solution, this question shifts the conversation to the desired outcome.<\/p>\n<p>Again, it\u2019s not about <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/faster-horse-customer-feedback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">building a faster horse<\/a>\u2014even if what they ask for is faster horses.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Other ways to ask this question:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What outcome are you hoping to achieve?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Why this question matters:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Your customers might be able to clearly suggest a specific solution. But, what\u2019s more important is what they\u2019re trying to <em>do.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not on them to tell you what new features to build. You are the one in the best position to do that.<\/p>\n<p>Once you know where they want to go, <em>you<\/em> can decide what you need to build to get them there. Not the other way around.<\/p>\n<h3>4. How often do you do X?<\/h3>\n<p>This question helps you understand how big of an issue something is.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Other ways to ask this question:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Is X an issue you run into often\/how often?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Why this question matters:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If it\u2019s a problem customers have infrequently, it might not need solving right away (<a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/say-no-feature-requests\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">or at all<\/a>). Maybe it\u2019s something that you\u2019d be better off suggesting a workaround for.<\/p>\n<p>But, if it\u2019s a pain that customers run into on a very frequent basis, it\u2019s worth giving attention. A problem your customer base is having daily might warrant more of your energy than a problem they have once.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s helpful information when it comes to <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/roadmap-prioritization-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">prioritizing requests<\/a>. You can\u2019t necessarily know the issue frequency unless you follow up and ask, though.<\/p>\n<h3>5. We\u2019re considering doing [XYZ]. Is this what you had in mind?<\/h3>\n<p>You might already have a new feature or change in mind that\u2019s somewhat in line with what customers are asking for.<\/p>\n<p>Here is a chance to find out if what you\u2019re envisioning lines up with what they need.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Other ways to ask this question:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Would [suggested new change\/feature] solve your problem?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Why this question matters:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s say you\u2019ve already had a chance to ask some questions, and you\u2019ve gotten a clear sense of why a request would add value. So, you begin to flesh out an outline of what the new feature or fix would look like. In this case, this is a good question to finish out the conversation with.<\/p>\n<p><strong>This is another question we ask at Canny pretty often:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2442 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/had-in-mind.avif\" alt=\"ask customer feedback questions that clarify if your existing plans are on track\" width=\"885\" height=\"478\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/had-in-mind.avif 885w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/had-in-mind-300x162.avif 300w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/had-in-mind-768x415.avif 768w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/had-in-mind-210x113.avif 210w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 885px) 100vw, 885px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>You can read the full conversation on our <a href=\"https:\/\/feedback.canny.io\/feature-requests\/p\/filter-the-roadmap-by-boardcategorytag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Canny feedback board here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Asking this question helps clarify if you\u2019ve understood feedback correctly. You\u2019ll find out if you\u2019ve interpreted the customer\u2019s goal in the way they intended.<\/p>\n<p>And, you\u2019ll learn if the way you\u2019ve laid out solving their problem actually<em> solves<\/em> it.<\/p>\n<p>It might need some tweaks. You have a chance to iterate. But, you haven\u2019t wasted time building something that isn\u2019t quite what your customer base actually needs.<\/p>\n<h2>Understand what your customers are trying to do\u2014not what they think you should build<\/h2>\n<p>These questions are all different ways of getting to the same outcome: uncovering how your customer uses your product, and what their end goals are.<\/p>\n<p>It moves feedback away from surface-level feature requests. Feedback becomes rich insight into how your customers are actually using your product, and what they need from it.<\/p>\n<p>Use initial feedback as a jumping-off point for a deeper conversation. It\u2019s not one-and-done. It\u2019s the beginning of a dialogue that allows you to better understand your customer\u2019s real needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you asking your customers to give feedback on your product, and leaving it at that? If so, you&#8217;re missing out on valuable information. Collecting this type of customer feedback a good starting point\u2014but it\u2019s important to ask the right customer feedback questions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":6360,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,9,8,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-building-saas","category-canny-best-practices","category-customer-feedback","category-product-management"],"aioseo_notices":[],"modified_by":"Maria Vasserman","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2438","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\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2438"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6731,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2438\/revisions\/6731"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}