Daily, I see comments about customer satisfaction and I see it in Mission Statements of numerous companies but really what is it for you and the company your represent?  Im interested not only in the survey but real views of what buyers and suppliers think it is.  If you make a post please state if you are a buyer or seller but please refrain from leaving any contact information.

In about two weeks, I'll give my view and leave the thread open for further discussion so that we can exchange ideas.

Thank You!

Ranger

Replying to [Ranger]:
a company selling point
considered a high standard
something you think the customer wants to hear

All are essential for long term business.

Replying to [Ranger]:

here's what it means to me:

customers buy becuase they have a problem/need. People buy products to solve their problems and meet their needs. All of these problems and needs correspond to a rung on maslows heirachy of needs - once a persons most basic needs are met (food, water, shelter) they start looking to satisfy more complex needs (self-actualisation, social).

so, to me, customer satisfaction is solving the problem, or satisying the need which lead the customer to buy my product/service in the first place

in short, the customers needs are satisfied and so they are a 'satisfied customer

if you want to ensure customer satisfaction then work out the exact problem/need your product solves. It may be complex. For example, a woman does not spend $5,000 to clothe herself. She also has further needs from the transaction. She wants to look nice, she wants the social status of wearing a designer brand etc. etc.

so listen carefuly to your customers. Find out what all their needs and problems are - and then go about satisfying them.

Replying to [Ranger]:Hi, custmor's satisfaction make me happy, and let me find my own value, it make me feel that I'm a qulified supplier, and make me take more care and put more passion in the furthter cooperation

Replying to [Madhur_Agarwal]: Customer satisfaction is one of the cheapest yet most most effective ways in marketing product. A satisfied customer can bring repeat business as well as new clients through referrals and word-of-mouth. It is very important then that you service the needs of your clients and even to the point of innovating ways to make them more dependent to you.

Replying to [Caloy]:

Right on the spot. Customer Satisfaction (CS) means a lot to a company in terms of "word-of-mouth" and much savings in promotion and selling to new customers, because Customer Satisfaction brings returning customers.

Surveys conducted reveals the higher costs to get new customers than to retain existing customers.

Companies are aware of the value of CS and have a Department to cater for the customer, individually and personally, on a one-to-one affair. It is not like mass-mailing, or broadcasting of a promotional item, where the case is one-to-many. System software also has the facility called Customer Relation Management (CRM).

Street

Replying to [Ranger]:For me customer satisfaction is the key selling point. This force my customer to place repeated order and at the same time gaining mouth publicity to generate more orders.

Replying to [Ranger]:

Hi Ranger...

A good discussion point indeed.. there has been a lot of talks about customer satisfaction but frankly how many of us do take measures to maximise it to be extend possible and to measure our customer satisfaction......

Well for me.. Customer satisfaction is the guage of my Performance.... As pointed out by some one in the discussion that the customer buy products from problems/needs... I say that the customer do not buy products they buy the need satisfiers....I see product as intangible need satisfier.....

There can the many levels of satisfaction..... And it vary from customer to customer... some customer can be satisfied by a certain level of performance / product quality....on the other hand a more demaning customer may be looking for more.......

Customer satisfaction can be defined as ----

Comparison of expectations versus perception of experience.


A state of mind that a customer has about a company in which their expectations have been met or exceeded over the lifetime of the product. This leads to company loyalty and product repurchase.


A measure of the degree to which a product or service meets the customer's expectations.


now as we know that customer satisfaction is important... next question is what it lead to -----
1.. Repeat orders
2.. A better bonding with buyers
3.. Referrals from clients (word of mouth)
4.. Creat your trust in your products, which unable you to sell better


Coming to how to guage this satisfaction level..
Being in geographical area... yes we can do a survey... but in a scattered geography... an survey may not be that good an option... one guage is the no of repeat orders one received from existing clients..... The continuity of the business with the clients.....Take regular feedback....

its too vast a topic for one to cover in a short writeup... I would like more participation from members..

Regards,
Varun Agarwal
Exotic Indai