The Cheeky Monkey Media Blog

A few words from the apes, monkeys, and various primates that make up the Cheeky Monkey Super Squad.

How to Get Honest Feedback banner graphic

As we all know, our client’s experience is what drives us to be and do better, getting ahead of our competition. A memorable experience from a client/customer point of view is the most valuable service you can offer, whether you’re a small business or corporate.

What drives us to use a memorable experience and turn into profit by attracting more clients/customers? Well, the answer is simple, a great honest review. We know that pleasing all clients and customers is quite difficult, we can’t do this 100% of the time, but what we can do is use our best efforts and give them good service.

We here at Cheeky Monkey Media strive to work closely with our clients by delivering a great experience. Here are a few tips on getting true honest feedback you can leverage to attract new clientele.

#1. Stay on the Same Page

Communication, communication, communication! We here at Cheeky Monkey can not say that enough! Communication is key. A lot of times miscommunication is one of the biggest issues when it comes to clients which can lead to mismanaged expectations, disappointment, and getting less than raving feedback.

Make sure clients know that you are in it to win it and you will not leave them behind. Keep them in the know of what is going on, what issues are you facing, and how are you resolving them. Too many companies get ahead of themselves and leave their clients behind. If you want to get positive and honest feedback at the end that is worth displaying, then stay on the same page as your clients, don’t let them be surprised by anything that arises.

#2. Check Progress

One mistake that is common with companies is not doing regular progress check-ins. This is important for any team leader, not only do our clients need to know the progress of any project but so do our team leads to give accurate updates.

Feedback should not wait until the project is completed. Instead, a project manager or someone on the team should be checking and asking how things are going. Whether that is with their team and the client, we encourage both so communication is open and expectations are managed accordingly to progress being done.

Although this might seem like a waste of time, it’s not. Checking progress helps to build morale between you and the client. When we check progress, we can raise flags earlier, working with clients to resolve the issue before it becomes a bad experience.

#3. Ask for Feedback

One of the only ways to get honest feedback is to actually ask for feedback. How many times do we get busy and forget to ask for feedback? It’s important to ask for feedback soon after a project ends.

Many companies are working on multiple projects and it’s easy to forget what it was like working with a particular person or company. If you want true and honest feedback, then it’s best to not wait until six months after the project has ended. Ask when the experience is fresh in both parties’ minds. Don’t let anyone be taken by surprise, what if they don’t have good feedback? If you ask during or shortly after, there is always time to turn their opinion around and work on rectifying the situation.

#4. Don’t Be Shocked

Now, honest feedback means that you will get exactly that. When you ask for feedback from a client, you should understand that you might not always get what you want.

Of course, all businesses want a glowing report from their clients, but that is now always the case. In case you do get negative feedback, you should not dwell on it, but instead, you should learn from it.

If you don’t receive positive feedback, turn it into a positive moment. Negative feedback is a chance to learn and work with your client to review the negatives. Every negative experience is truly an opportunity to turn into a training moment and grow in a positive direction.

#5. Smile

What if you worked your butt off for a client and they give you a glowing recommendation? Well, here at Cheeky Monkey, that is where we say, bask in the glory, embrace a job well done.

If you got that honest and positive feedback, then use it to grow your business further. Smile knowing you worked hard and did everything you could to make your client a very cheeky client.

Work with your team and your client to point out their memorable experiences. Where did you exceed all expectations? Use each positive feedback and include those points the client appreciated most in other projects and relationships.