A customer satisfaction survey is a timeless tool that guides businesses in identifying components of the customer experience that may need to be improved. Gathering customer feedback and taking responsible actions based on survey responses are some of the most commonly shared practices among brands that excel in customer service.

Soliciting feedback from customers is a great way to become better. It s also a reliable method of knowing your brand s competitive advantage. In order to extract useful responses, however, you need to ask the right questions. Otherwise, all you will be getting are vague responses that you can t use to identify specific areas for improvement.

Here are four questions related to customer satisfaction that you should never miss when conducting a customer survey:

1. What made you decide to buy from us?

Every purchasing decision has an underlying influencer. This question lets you know the priorities of your customers when making this decision. Your task is to know what exact factors can convince your customers to do business with you mostly for marketing purposes. It lets you evaluate how effective your advertisements and lead generation processes are in sending an actionable message.

2. Compared to other brands, what’s the one thing that we do best?

The only way to win a tight competition is by standing out. This question will give you insights on how to differentiate your brand from the rest. Branding is all about knowing what people value the most about what you do. Knowing why customers chose you over other similar brands can let you improve your core marketing message. This question may not always get an answer especially when asking first-time shoppers but in time, you will be able to hear about similar experiences shared by your customers.

3. What can we do to improve your buying experience?

You may have an idea about how a perfect buying experience looks like, but your customers may have a different opinion. Understanding your customers’ demands will let you create innovation that’s reflective of what your market truly wants. This question can be divided further into more specific areas (e.g., friendliness of staff, quality of products, pricing, etc.), so that you can gather enough suggestions for every aspect of your business.

4. Will you refer us to other people?

The only thing that can be more fulfilling than knowing your customers are highly satisfied is being told that they are willing to promote your brand. This question can be your ultimate customer satisfaction test. You can dig deeper by asking people who answered “yes” as to why they’re willing to recommend your products or services to their families and friends. The responses to this item will also let you know how many people are hesitant about advocating for your brand and what exact reasons are preventing them from doing so.

Customer surveys are made not only to serve as yardsticks of satisfaction, but to make sure your customers will get what they truly want. Although the process of market analysis doesn t end with asking these questions, at least you are starting it right by choosing the most appropriate questions for your survey.