by: Alan Wasser
For a number of reasons, the analysis of customers' feedback is too often given little attention. Still, people who ignore research are as dangerous as generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals (c) David Ogilvy. It's an inexcusable omission for those, who strive for having a successful web site. There are dozens of ways to receive feedback and unlimited ideas for your customer service improvement in it. But you can't afford phone everybody from your CRM list or correspond with each customer via email or regular mail. It will flatter them but bother you. Fortunately there is such a magic tool as web-based forms, which allow site owners to automate the process and to use the received data in your analysis; the analysis, aimed at your web site usability optimizing.
What actually stands behind "web forms"? The obvious advantages are:
You have no limits in your custom web form creation. You can use any configuration, any number of interactivity forms: a simple, yet good marketing tool to receive the overall feedback from your customers. You can build one-page, multi-page and pop-up forms.
You provide additional contact channels to your visitors. You back up your promise of individual approach by open contacts demonstration. It's not a redundancy, it's an additional prove of your care about customers.
You make them stay at your web site. You can configure your web forms so that users will never leave your site. For instance, a user submits the form, which is processed. You are emailed the results and the user is instantly redirected to a page of your choosing, etc.
You can carry out as many online surveys as you want. Place at your site the link like this: "Take part in our online survey!" Explain them, that their opinion is highly appreciated and is indeed the first driving force of your work. They can't help taking advantage of expressing their thoughts. You, in your turn, will learn them inside out, learn more about their preferences, their critics and thereby use their feedback to optimize your approach to cooperating with them.
You need no special programming skills to install web forms creation program. Most web form software is normally realized on PHP/MySQL technology and can be easily added into any web site. You have multi-functional tool: web forms are meant for marketers, HR managers, customer support; in general, to those, who are looking to perform surveys and analyze the results quickly and efficiently. With all its advantages and benefits, web forms building software allows budget-minded site owners to create eye-catching and graphically oriented surveys and gather the precious information for your business strategy optimizing without having to shell out tens of thousands of dollars. Web forms are the tools that reduce the budget without sacrificing the level of professionalism involved. You maximize returns and obtain reliable data for providing better service to your customers. Sometimes when you want to make greater profit, you don't need to earn more money; you might just need to spend it reasonably and the results will exceed your expectations.