The Feedback Funnel in Customer Service: A Comprehensive Guide

In one of our blogs, we talked about feedback looping. Now we’re going to dive into another feedback model – the feedback funnel. Let’s go!

What is a feedback funnel?

There are three areas which use feedback funnels, and each one is different.

One: Customer service. A customer feedback funnel is a system for collecting feedback at every touchpoint in the customer’s journey. We do that by triggering feedback requests at critical moments, like after a purchase or a conversation with customer support.

Two: Performance reviews. An employee feedback funnel covers key points in the employee journey – from onboarding and check-ins to appraisals and exit. It uses tools like 1:1s, 360 performance reviews and scrum updates to manage the entire employee journey.

Three: Educational settings. We call this a learning and development feedback funnel, and it collects different levels of feedback at each stage of the revision process.

In this blog, we will focus on feedback funnels in customer service.

Feedback loop vs feedback funnel: Differences, similarities & connections

First, let’s talk about the differences between these models.

A feedback loop feeds the output of a process back into the system as inputs (feedback). This starts a cycle of constant improvement.

• Goal: To refine processes based on the feedback, ensuring that the system adapts to any changes.
• Elements: Feedback collection, analysis, action, and review.
• Examples: Customer feedback on a beta feature, or viewer likes on a Netflix movie.

A feedback funnel is a more targeted process. It refines and filters broad feedback to get specific suggestions for improvement.

• Goal: To control and streamline the feedback process.
• Elements: Specific feedback channels, specific survey questions, report filters, text and sentiment analysis tools.
• Examples: an NPS survey for your long time customers, or an in-app survey on exit.

It might help if we imagine the feedback loop as a thermostat, and the feedback funnel as a microscope.

A thermostat measures the room temperature (output) and adjusts the cooling system (input) to maintain the right temperature. But a microscope lets us view the culture (top of the funnel), then zoom in to identify specific cells, and arrive at a conclusion based on the data.

In the end: The similarities

1. Goals: Both the feedback loop and funnel collect information to improve processes, products, or performance.
2. Dependence: Both rely on feedback to drive changes and enhancements.
3. Processes: They both involve structured processes for gathering and analyzing feedback.

So, what’s the connection?

While the loop has a broader approach (think customer reviews), the funnel represents a more focused and controlled approach (think NPS). The best-performing companies use a mix of both approaches.

For example, Wayne Enterprises might use a feedback funnel for a new feature in the Batmobile, while also using a feedback loop to improve the overall product.

The 4 types of feedback funnels

1. Direct Feedback Funnels

In this type, we actively request feedback from customers through specific channels, like:

• Customer surveys
• Pop-up forms
• One-on-one interviews

​Key metrics📈:

• Response rate
• Sentiment of feedback
• Key themes in feedback
• The number and quality of actionable insights

2. Indirect Feedback Funnels

This refers to the channels where customers can publicly share their opinions on your brand.

• Social media monitoring
• Online review tracking
• Customer interaction monitoring

Key metrics📈:

• Volume of unsolicited feedback
• Sentiment of feedback
• Engagement with feedback (e.g. replies, shares)

3. Inferred Feedback Funnels

These funnels analyze customer behaviors and interactions with the product to get insights.

• Website heatmaps
• Anonymous user session recordings
• Product usage metrics

Key metrics📈:

• Behavioral trends and patterns
• Number of friction points
• Impact on key performance indicators

4. Review Funnels

These are a specific type of feedback funnel focused on collecting online reviews, through:

• Automated email requests
• Website review prompts
• Social media review requests

Key metrics📈:

• Review request conversion rate
• Sentiment of the reviews
• Review generation rate
• Review response rate

By using a combination of these funnel types, businesses can collect in-depth insights on their product, service and the overall experience.

How to set up an effective feedback funnel

1. Determine Your Goals

Start by deciding the purpose of your feedback funnel. Do you want to gather product or service insights? Ask satisfied customers for a review? Or fix an issue with an unhappy customer before they post a bad review?

Need an example? Let’s say you run a cute local cafe known for its croissants. Your goal could be to boost your online presence.

So you set up a post-purchase funnel that asks a customer to scan a QR code after their dining experience. When they scan the generated QR code, they land on your Google My Business page, and leave a review.

2. Choose Your Feedback Channels

When you choose your primary feedback channels, consider your target audience, goal, touchpoint, and resources.

Let’s say you’ve created a personal training app. Your TG is young professionals (22-35 years old) who are health-conscious and use smartphones. Your goal: To find areas for improvement in your app’s workout programs.

Assuming your resources are few, which are your best feedback channels?

• In-app feedback button (low cost): This allows the user to submit quick ratings or even communicate with the coaches directly (e.g., “liked the HIIT routine, cardio training needs more variety”). Requires minimal resources but gathers frequent feedback.
• Monthly email survey (low-medium cost): A more detailed survey is emailed once a month. This survey might have a mix of open-ended questions (“What challenges are you facing in your fitness goal?”) and closed-ended questions (“How satisfied are you with our workout programs?”). This requires a few resources to design and send the survey, but allows for more in-depth feedback.

If you’re using tools like SurveySparrow, all of this can be done free of cost on the Free Forever plan. Enter your email below to try it out.

3. Design Your Feedback Flow

Here’s a basic flow that you can work off on.

While designing your flow, keep in mind – you also need to have the means to resolve customer issues. This is where feedback looping links up with your funnel.

4. Create Your Feedback Assets

Start building the assets you’ll need for your feedback funnel:

• A set of feedback surveys for each touchpoint. Survey templates like these speed up the process quite a bit.
• A tool for sending automated emails or messages. SurveySparrow can help out here with integrations to Twilio and Mailchimp.
• Landing pages for each feedback path. For example, a Google My Business profile for a Google review funnel.

5. Integrate and Test

Integrations make your funnel more effective by automating actions based on feedback.

For instance, with the SurveySparrow-JIRA integration, a critical bug report from a customer triggers a notification for the development team. With a social media integration, you can automatically push good reviews onto your social channel.

Of course, make sure to test everything first!

6. Launch and Optimize

After you launch your feedback funnel, make sure to monitor the results.

Use dashboard tools or analytics platforms to track key metrics for each feedback channel. These might include response rates, overall sentiment or specific answer choices that repeatedly pop up.

How to optimize your feedback funnel

1. Refine Your Channels: Based on your results, you might decide to add new feedback channels. You might also remove underperforming ones, or adjust the frequency of surveys.
2. Improve the Questions: Revisit your survey questions and feedback prompts. Are they clear, concise, and easy to understand? Are they capturing the information you need?
3. A/B Test Variations: Test different versions of your feedback forms. Try different layouts, copy, incentives.
4. Close the Loop: And we’re back to the loop! Strike while the iron is hot, and respond to negative comments ASAP. There are two factors at play here:

• When you respond: Over 53% of dissatisfied customers expect a reply in less a week.
• How you respond: 56% said that a company’s response to a review changed their opinion about the brand.
   

Wrapping up

Setting up a feedback funnel might seem like a lot of work. But with some strategic planning, effort and the right set of tools, you can set up a feedback engine that takes your business to the next level.

In the end, feedback funnels are a game-changer for any business that wants to put its customers first. By integrating them into your customer service strategy, you ensure that your customers feel heard, leading to better service delivery, higher satisfaction, and long-term success.

So, why wait? Book a demo with us to see how we can help you with that.