Small business focus groups can be an excellent tool for finding out what your customers think of your company and the service and products it is providing.
A focus group is simply a method by which a business or organization can obtain a realistic idea of how well it is satisfying its’ customers. It works best if you have an outsider run the focus group meeting. The reason is that it allows the participants to speak more freely and not bias their comments because of your presence in the room.
Here is how it works. Set up a time when you can invite eight to ten customers into a room and ask them questions about how they like doing business with your company or organization. You want to find out what they see as your strong points and what they see as some your weak links.
Ask them for suggestions on how you might be able to improve. The longer the meeting lasts the more likely it will be that you will get more specific information on how to improve the service of your company or organization. Usually, an hour to an hour and a half is plenty.
It is best to thank the focus group’s participants with a small gift. This is the least you can do someone who has provided some very valuable information that you can use to help you run your company better.
The next step is to have you and your employees review the information and evaluate how your company can use it. Then take action and implement the best suggestions. My point is that your customers want to do business with you; you just have to find out what they need and want and how they want it. Then give it to them.
Small Business Focus groups can help you learn what it is, your customers and clients really want. Remember, become easy to do business with, and it will become easy to do well in business.
If you want to know more about what your customers really want, the answers are in my book.
