Most evaluations are administered only after the user experience is complete — for example, as a patient is checking out of the hospital or several weeks after an appointment. “But conflating all of the customer’s experiences into one summary judgment leads to lost opportunities,” per HBR.
Instead, consumers should be surveyed at several points throughout their entire experience so their scores for any particularly stressful or mundane parts of the experience do not overshadow those of the best, most efficient segments. Knowing the high and low points of the entire “consumer value chain” can then inform the organization’s actions.
When hoping to increase referrals, for example, organizations should offer opportunities to send recommendations immediately after consumers reach the most satisfying parts of their experience. And when looking to improve the experience, organizations can administer surveys at the least satisfactory areas, then devise ways to reinforce those weak points.
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