User feedback tools are an essential part of any customer-centric business. They allow you to find out what your customers want and need, as well as gather information about their experiences with your products or services. This post discusses different types of user feedback tools, how they can be used by companies, and some tips on setting up successful feedback systems.
# Why every business must focus on user feedback?
As we have already mentioned, user feedback (opens new window) tools are essential for customer-centric businesses. This is because they help you to gather the information that could be crucial to your company's growth and success.
For instance, one of the most prominent examples of how companies used user feedback was Apple. During Steve Jobs' leadership but also now (see the latest releases of MacBooks for instance that get rid of the touch bar), Apple regularly asked customers what they wanted. This way, they were able to create products that made sense for their users and the company's business model at the same time!
Another example was Zappos (opens new window) - when it first started out as an online shoe store, Tony Hsieh asked customers if he could call them after 30 days of receiving their purchase so he could ask them about their experience with the site. This way, they gained invaluable insights into what users liked and disliked on the website, as well as how to improve it for future customers!
In short, user feedback tools (opens new window) are a vital component of any business that wants to build long-term relationships with its audience. It allows you to make sure your business meets the needs of your customers and targets the right audience.
Customer feedback is especially important for online businesses, as they are constantly dealing with a large number of anonymous users - whether it be through Websites or Apps! Without user feedback tools, companies would not know how to fulfill their clients' expectations (it's like a black hole from which no information comes back), which could lead to losing users in favor of a competitor.
# What to consider when using user feedback tools:
Now that we have established how important user feedback is for your business, let's take a look at some of the most popular types of user feedback tools. However, no matter which user feedback tool you will use, there are two important aspects that every user feedback software should cover:
# 1. The simplicity of user feedback tools:
User feedback is huge! You should make sure to have the process as simple as possible for those who are willing to send you feedback.
As far as possible, you should remove all friction from the user feedback process. One way of doing this is by only using a tool, that can be fully integrated into your website or service. This way, you will not only simplify the process for your users but also reduce any time spent on third-party user feedback software.
Another important aspect is the time it takes for a user to send you their feedback. As we have mentioned earlier, companies should be able to simplify this process as much as possible - this is why you should only use tools that allow users to send feedback in a matter of seconds (or minutes, depending on the type of feedback). As said, keep it simple on your customers' end.
# 2. Variety of feedback options:
A user feedback tool is / or will become a vital part of your product development cycle. In the beginning, you may just need basic functionalities, but as soon as your feedback cycle begins to roll, you will see that it is important to have a powerful user feedback tool at hand. So a good user feedback tool will allow you to do advanced analytics or segmentation. Even better if you are not forced to a single type of feedback (e.g. surveys) since you may want to gather other types of feedback in the future.
# Sleekplan: A feedback tool according to your needs!
Sleekplan is a user feedback tool, that covers the whole feedback loop from end to end. Sleekplan allows you to:
- Collect feedback via a feedback baord
- Share updates with a roadmap
- Keep a changelog
- Measure NPS and CSAT
Take Sleekplan for a test drive! 🚀 (opens new window)
# Different types of user feedback tools:
Now that we have talked a bit about the need for simplicity and powerful feedback tool, let's take a look at the different types of user feedback tools you could use.
# 1. Community feedback tools
Mostly known as feature voting boards or feature request boards. You can think of community feedback tools like a feedback forum. Every user can submit their suggestions, ideas, or even issues, and other users can vote or comment on each other's posts. These types of feedback tools are often used in order to collect suggestions and ideas, for example for the features that are most wanted by users. Take a look at Sleekplans' feedback board for example.
# 2. User survey tools
In order to get a better idea of your target audience, you should consider using user surveys. These types of user feedback tools enable users to answer questions. This way, businesses can gain insight into what features they should implement in the future or which type of content would be more engaging for audiences.
User survey tools are one of the most powerful tools you can use for gathering user feedback. However, they should include advanced analytics or segmentation capabilities to be really useful at a later stage (if your business wants to follow up on their surveys).
# 3. Website Feedback Forms
Website feedback (opens new window) forms allow the user to give their thoughts on specific aspects of your website. While they can be used in different ways, this type of tool is often best suited for gathering opinions about particular pages or sections on an existing site. They are usually short and easy to fill out, so users do not get frustrated
# 4. Visual user feedback software & Annotation tools
User feedback tools that provide visual feedback are often referred to as usability feedback tools. These visual user feedback software are used to create, take and edit screenshots or screen recordings in order to give visual and annotated feedback in an efficient way. With a visual feedback tool, users can easily highlight and annotate parts of the screen. This is especially useful when offering comments on websites or digital products.
The user feedback tools mentioned above should help you to take your first steps towards customer-centricity! However, there are many more different types of user feedback software available on the market - depending on your specific needs and wants.
# Standalone or embedded user feedback tools?
You should consider using an embedded user feedback tool instead of a standalone solution. As mentioned earlier, it is important to make sure that the user feedback software you use can be fully integrated with your website or service. You should also keep in mind that many users will not want to leave a trail of their activity on a third-party tool - this means they might prefer an embedded solution or in-app widget.
# Conclusion
That's it! We have talked a bit about the different types of user feedback tools you could use and when to use them. Keep in mind that no matter which tool you will choose, there are two important aspects every user feedback software should cover: simplicity & variety of options. Furthermore, we strongly recommend using an embedded solution instead of a standalone tool.
Now that we have given you a short introduction to user feedback tools, why don't you take it for a test drive and try out the free version of Sleekplan (opens new window) - an embedded all-in-one user feedback tool? We would love to hear your thoughts on our user feedback software!