"How was everything?"

The hotel associate asked this standard question as I was checking out. Most guests probably say, "fine" without even thinking, but I had some constructive feedback to share.

Yet I hesitated. Three other hotel employees had ignored the feedback I gave them throughout my stay. Would this fourth employee do the same?

I decided to test the waters. "It was just okay," I said. Adding, "The room was nice."

My response barely registered. "Okay, well, you're all set!" replied the employee, a bit too dismissively.

The hotel sent an automated email the next day. It contained a link to a 19-question survey and assured me that "your insight is truly invaluable."

It's a common mistake.

Companies over-rely on surveys while under-utilizing employees who can capture insights that are more timely, more detailed, and far more actionable.

When are customers sharing feedback?

I had shared feedback with hotel employees at several times during my stay.

It started when my wife and I first checked-in, and the employee asked, “How are you today?” We replied honestly, telling the employee we were tired from a full day of driving. This could have been a cue to engage in conversation or point out some of the hotel’s amenities that could help us relax, but she just stuck to the script and continued the check-in process.

Nearly every conversation a customer has with an employee contains some form of feedback. Customers often describe:

• The problem they're trying to solve.

• How they feel about it.

• What they'd like to be done.

The questions customers ask can also include feedback.

• “Do you carry Fuji apples?” might indicate those apples are hard to find.

• “Can I get some extra ketchup?” could mean ketchup servings are too meager.

• “Why do you need the name of my first pet?” might signal the customer is annoyed with your verification process.

The hotel advertised a chef-prepared breakfast that was included with our stay. Twice, we asked employees what was on the menu that morning and both times the employee had no idea. These questions should have signaled to the employees that they should spend more time learning the daily menu.

Employees sometimes ask direct questions, and then ignore the answers.

• Hotel: How was your stay?

• Restaurant: How was your meal?

• Retail shop: Did you find everything okay?

Most customers respond to these questions the same way. "Fine," they say. And sometimes, things are fine.

But not always. Any employee looking for subtle service cues might sense things are far from fine, and use that feedback to make things better.

Why do employees miss out on feedback?

There are a few things I've noticed from observing and talking to thousands of customer service employees.

First, employees are too transactional.

They lack an overarching customer experience vision to guide them. So a cashier who asks, "Did you find everything okay?" is really asking the question as a pleasantry rather than a burning desire to help the customer get exactly what they needed.

Second, employees are trained not to listen.

This seems counterintuitive at first, until you watch employees in action. Many are scurrying from customer to customer and don't feel they have the time to spend connecting with each person they serve. Listening takes time and patience, and employees won't do that if they don't think they're allowed to spend the time.

Third, employees are trained not to share feedback.

Many employees have told me they tried sharing customer feedback with their boss or another department, but nobody seemed to care or do anything with it. After awhile, employees realize it's futile and they stop trying.

How can you act on feedback customers share with employees?

Andy, a server at my favorite restaurant, stopped by my table to ask the question he's asked thousands of times, "How is everything so far?"

My reply was honest, but reserved. "It's just okay."

Most servers would smile and move along, but not Andy. He picked up on my hesitation and knew something was wrong. So he asked more questions.

I told him I didn't care for the lasagna, which was usually one of my favorite dishes. Concerned, Andy alerted the owner, who was mingling with guests in the dining room that evening.

The owner came to the table and asked some more questions. By asking me for detailed feedback, the restaurant owner discovered a new chef hadn't mastered the lasagna recipe and needed some additional coaching.

It was an easy issue to fix immediately, no surveys required. I ordered the lasagna again the next time I dined at the restaurant and it was fantastic.

Andy did three things that all employees should be trained to do:

1. Care about what customers tell you.

2. Pay attention to customers' unspoken service cues.

3. Act on the feedback you receive.

The feedback customers share doesn't have to be limited to individual interactions. There are several ways you can organize, track, and analyze this feedback.

• Brainstorm a list of top issues in a team meeting.

• Start an internal Slack channel where employees can share insights.

• Give employees a dedicated tool to capture what they're hearing.

Conclusion

Encouraging employees to pay close attention to customer feedback results in better service, happier customers, and more business.

It allows you to do several things a survey can't do:

• Identify issues immediately.

• Get additional details directly from the customer.

• Attempt service recovery before the interaction is completed.