To Push or To Pull, That is The Question!
Customer feedback has evolved. It’s no longer about interrupting people’s days with emails or texts. Instead, it’s about making feedback feel empowering, allowing customers to share their thoughts on their terms—not yours. Enter the in-person feedback kiosk, like the SurveyStance Feedback Terminal, a subtle yet effective shift from traditional follow-ups. Unlike intrusive email reminders and notification buzzers, these kiosks empower customers to take control, turning them into willing participants, not just reluctant respondents.
Let’s break down why a “pull” approach to feedback, where customers can choose if and when to respond, is a game-changer for businesses that truly want to understand their audience. Spoiler alert: it’s about creating ownership, driving engagement, and ultimately enhancing the customer’s overall experience.
1. The Power of Choice
People don’t like to feel pushed into decisions—especially when it’s an ask for their personal opinion. In a world where attention spans are shorter than ever and inboxes are cluttered, customers appreciate having the option to engage on their terms. When they’re in control, their feedback feels less like an obligation and more like a genuine opportunity to voice their experience. Imagine this: instead of prompting customers post-visit or after they’ve already left the store, an in-person kiosk sits ready, inviting—never pushing—them to engage if and when they feel it.
The whole idea of a kiosk isn’t groundbreaking in itself, but what it represents is the shift in focus from the business’s needs (more feedback, higher response rates) to the customer’s comfort and convenience. It lets them speak up when they’re ready, likely when they’re still fresh from experiencing your product or service.
2. Unintrusive and Unpressured: The Survey They Choose to Take
Look at your inbox. Odds are, it’s a mess of emails, spam, and follow ups. Customers are bombarded with requests and notifications all day. Now, imagine receiving another one: “How was your experience with us?” Yawn. Most people will just delete it at best or even unsubscribe from your mailing list. That’s exactly where we think traditional follow-ups are missing the mark in this current age, they’re just too common.
A feedback kiosk, on the other hand, is nonintrusive. Picture a sleek SurveyStance Feedback Terminal tucked in a visible but unobtrusive corner, prompting, “Hey, we’d love to know how we did.” with their little emojis happy faces just waiting to be pressed. If you feel inclined to share your thoughts, you do it. If you don’t, there’s no pressure. The customer-led approach makes all the difference: people feel heard because they’re speaking on their own terms. This setup not only improves response rates but also the quality of responses. Feedback given voluntarily, without pressure, is honest, unfiltered and most importantly, insightful.
3. Capturing Moments That Matter
It’s without a doubt that customer feedback timing is key. Asking for feedback hours or days after an experience is like trying to catch rainwater after it’s hit the ground. In the moment reflections are the most accurate as they capture the highs and lows in real-time. In-person feedback kiosk terminals give customers the opportunity to share these thoughts immediately, while they’re still experiencing the freshness of their visit. This immediacy is where SurveyStance’s Feedback Terminals shine, they become part of the environment and seamlessly integrated into the experience rather than added as an afterthought.
Think about it. People are more likely to offer a quick impression right after checking out or finishing a service, rather than responding to an email that hits two days later when they are on their computers or phones too busy. It’s just human nature.
4. Less Annoyance, Higher Response Rates
Here’s a pro tip for increasing response rates: don’t annoy your customers. The beauty of an in-person feedback kiosk is that it eliminates the need for follow-up emails, text message reminders and annoying notifications. Instead, it’s just there. Studies show that offering customers the freedom to choose increases their willingness to engage. This makes the feedback loop feel organic and not forced.
SurveyStance Feedback Terminals specifically benefit from this shift in feedback dynamics. They’ve been strategically designed to increase response rates naturally without the need for constant digital nudges. Customers appreciate the freedom, and businesses get a higher volume of genuine feedback, creating a win-win scenario.
5. Amplifying Brand Perception: The New Customer-Centric Experience
When a business gives customers a say on their terms, it sends a powerful message “We respect your voice.” This is no small thing. Brands that use feedback kiosks foster a perception of being customer-centric, emphasizing a more humanized, less transactional relationship with their audience. It’s a way of telling customers, “We’re here for you, whenever you’re ready to share.”
In a world of push notifications and auto-reminders, brands that adopt an in-person pull feedback method distinguish themselves as refreshingly respectful of their customers’ time and mental space. It’s more than just gathering data; it’s about brand perception. Customers don’t feel like data points; they feel valued. And valued customers are loyal customers.
6. Actionable Data and Deeper Insights
While traditional email surveys might provide a broad range of feedback, in-person kiosks allow for more specific and actionable insights. With customers giving feedback right on-site, they’re more likely to mention relevant details specific to their immediate experience. For example, if a visitor was thrilled with the speed of service you’ll know immediately. If the layout was confusing, they’re likely to mention it in real-time, giving businesses valuable boots on the ground insights they might not otherwise get from delayed digital surveys.
SurveyStance Feedback Terminals are built to capture this in-the-moment feedback, creating a rich repository of data that’s both actionable and timely. The immediacy of insights allows businesses to address concerns, reinforce positive experiences, and implement changes before they become recurring issues.
The Bottom Line
In today’s feedback saturated world, customers crave something different and we see first hand them wanting choice, control and respect for their time. The days of pushy after the fact follow-ups are numbered. SurveyStance Feedback Kiosks offer an innovative approach to collecting valuable customer insights by creating a space where feedback is voluntary, immediate, and unobtrusive.
Ultimately, it’s about moving from push to pull, from forced interactions to open invitations, and from transactional feedback to a customer-centric experience. So, next time you’re looking for ways to boost feedback without bombarding your customers, think about adding an in-person option, because sometimes the best way to get honest feedback is to make it entirely on their terms.
