In this episode of CX Insider, we sit down with Sharad, CEO and founder of SentiSum, to delve into his journey from tech consulting to entrepreneurship. We explore the evolution of customer experience (CX) strategies, the pitfalls of relying solely on surveys, and the importance of leveraging omnichannel data to meet modern customer expectations. Stay tuned for a candid conversation packed with insights and anecdotes about CX evolution and innovation.
Episode Summary
.
Are Customer Surveys Obsolete
Customer surveys have been a cornerstone of feedback collection, but their relevance is increasingly being questioned. Sharad highlights significant flaws in the methodology, including low response rates, survey fatigue, and inherent biases in how questions are framed. These issues lead to data that often fails to represent the broader customer base accurately.
What’s the alternative? Sharad points to the untapped potential of unsolicited feedback from channels like social media, live chat, and customer service interactions. These sources provide real-time insights into customer sentiment and behaviour. “Surveys have their place,” he notes, “but they cannot be the sole tool brands rely on in a world where customers are engaging across multiple platforms.”
Reactive to Proactive: A Necessary Shift in Mindset
Many organisations still approach customer experience reactively, analysing past data to address issues that have already impacted their customers. Sharad argues for a more proactive approach, where businesses identify and resolve problems as they occur.
He stresses the importance of seeing every customer contact as a signal that something in the customer journey needs attention—whether it’s a broken website, a delivery issue, or unclear communication. Acting quickly to resolve these issues not only prevents them from escalating but also builds trust and loyalty. “The goal should be to fix today’s problems today,” Sharad explains, “not weeks or months after they’ve already caused frustration.
Rethinking NPS for Modern CX Challenges
Net Promoter Score (NPS) remains a widely used metric for measuring customer sentiment, but Sharad believes its execution often falls short. While NPS provides a high-level snapshot of customer satisfaction, it rarely offers actionable insights into the root causes behind the score.
Sharad illustrates this with an example: a client assumed their website was a major pain point for customers. However, data analysis revealed the opposite—customers praised the site’s simplicity and ease of use. The real issues lay elsewhere. This demonstrates the importance of complementing NPS with insights from other data sources, allowing brands to prioritise the most impactful areas for improvement.
.
To find out more about Sharad, check out our full episode – available on all your favourite channels. Now including YouTube!
.
This article summarises podcast episode 114 “Are Customer Surveys Dead?” recorded by CX Insider.
Written by Elysia Filaitis