Your Consumer Experience Matters to Companies

If there’s a wrong way to do something, you can bet a consumer (that’s us) will find it. Even if it’s totally your fault because you didn’t spend enough time studying the instructions, you’re still likely to blame the company. This is why companies like IKEA spend fortunes producing instructions to ensure you get it right first time, after all, the end result is their reputation, not yours.

But here’s the thing, don’t just grumble about it, reach out. Because we are so diverse, our opinion matters, it has a value. The best companies welcome constructive feedback, because it’s an opportunity to improve their customers experience. Think of yourself being a tiny part of an enormous research and development team, dedicated to making the products you love be the very best they can be.

I can’t resist contacting webmasters when I spot small mistakes on websites or contacting manufacturers when I spot something amiss in a product or their instructions because I care, and I urge you to do the same. Why, because it’s a difficult thing to produce instructions that communicate effectively to people with a range of ability. Too much information swamps people and too little leaves them confused. Too much reading might mean some folks skip steps and too little might mean getting something wrong, causing problems further on.

You never know, you might even receive a little surprise in the mail to say thank you, as I did this week after contacting a company to suggest a tiny addition to an instruction sheet to make it clearer. There’s no need to name the company, but now I know their good reputation comes, not only from constant improvement through innovation, but because they have one ear open, listening to their customers too.

In todays world of fast moving social media, it’s easier than ever to get in touch with companies and you can bet your shirt that companies are watching what’s being said about their products when folks talk about their experiences online. Join in. If you love something, spread the word. If a product helps you, it will help others too.
Stay well
Ian

p.s. This is why recently I’ve been raving to anyone who’ll listen about the Atmosfire Wood Stove Dry Glass Cleaner (for it’s ability to clean stove glass in seconds) and Fiskars Classic Snow Sledge (strong, ergonomic, huge capacity and super slippery), simply because they are so much better than anything I’d previously used.