Many businesses claim that they take time to gather customer feedback to improve their operations. Most brands do it either by asking customers to personally fill out customer surveys or through quick interviews made possible by their call center support services. This commitment is indeed commendable. Not only do they gain insights that can help them become better, they also strengthen their relationships with their customers by showing them that they care about their opinions.

But did you know that personal and phone-based customer satisfaction surveys are not the only possible sources that you can tap to help you learn about what your customers have to say? Here are four other tools for acquiring customer opinions that are oftentimes ignored by businesses:

1. Social media

Social media has transformed from being just a socialization platform to a dynamic avenue where people actively exchange information and update their circles about their day-to-day activities. This means that if your customers find their experience with your brand remarkable, there s a good chance of them speaking about it on their social media accounts. Some customers may do it directly and post comments on your Page. Take time to respond to them and let your customers know that you appreciate the gesture.

2. Inbound call trends

True, your outbound customer survey calls are good sources of customer insights. But, the inbound calls you receive from your customers daily can also speak a lot about which areas of your business need attention. You don t necessarily have to ask every caller to go through your survey. Just by taking note of the trends or issues commonly raised by customers, you will have a clearer vision of your strengths and weaknesses.

3. Online forums and review sites

Although your website and your business email are the best online platforms to use in voicing out concerns, some customers may find it more convenient to go to review sites and other social sites to share their experiences. They may find these forums less restrictive and farther-reaching than the channels that you provide. So, if you truly want to know what your customers have to say, do not just sit in front of your computer and wait for them to email their concerns. Google your business and look for related reviews shared by your customers.

4. Exit interviews

Exit interviews are not only useful for employment or resource management purposes. You can also ask your customers to share their opinions upon ending their subscription or membership. You ll be surprised how liberal their opinions can get, especially since they know that they won t share any ties with you afterward.

Employee exit interviews are also helpful, especially when frontline or customer service employees are subjected to it. These people are exposed to the most common problems faced by your customers and are therefore credible observers of customer behavior.

There are several ways to listen to your customers. All it takes is knowing which resources to tap and optimizing these channels to better understand your customers opinions. By including the above-mentioned tools, you can have a more comprehensive view of the different issues that affect your customers satisfaction.