Get More ExpressPod Feedback

Background

The more feedback you can get using ExpressPods, the more valuable the data becomes to you. There are three key areas you can tweak to improve the volume of feedback. These are:

1. Physical Location
2. Question Design
3. Awareness

Physical Location

You can place your ExpressPods anywhere you like but our experience tells us that the following considerations will make a big difference:

Think safety first

• Place the ExpressPod so that it doesn’t block people’s paths.
• Do not place an ExpressPod where it might distract people from their footing or balance. For example, avoid placing an ExpressPod at the bottom of a set of stairs.

For Customer Experience, think about your customer journey map

• You will already know where the key ‘moments of magic’ are in your specific case. For example, you may have identified the end of the shopping aisles, the changing rooms, a catering point, or the exit door. Place ExpressPods at these touchpoints and you will find the feedback to be more relevant, especially if the question you ask is associated with that area.

For Employee Experience, think about where employees take a break

• Think about your sites and the people working there. Where do they go when they aren’t in the middle of their work? This is usually a good place to ask them for feedback because they’ll have the time to respond, and they’ll be in a more reflective mood. Our suggestions include staff lounges, canteens, coffee machines, meeting rooms and even staff notice boards.

Locations that increase feedback

• Think about your ‘dwell zones’, i.e. the areas where people are slowing down or stopping entirely. Under these circumstances, people are more likely to see your request for feedback and will have time to engage.
• Slow-moving dwell zones include queues, such as near a coffee machine, or while people wait to pay at a till.
• Static dwell zones include changing cubicles, smoking areas, and lunch tables.

Subtle ideas that work well

• Choose a location where the ExpressPod is well lit, e.g. under a spotlight or near a window.
• Given a free choice, people are more likely to look to the right than the left. This is why placing an ExpressPod to the right side of a path is likely to deliver more results than placing it to the left.
• Keep your ExpressPod clean and it will be more inviting to people wishing to give feedback. See our article on cleaning ExpressPods here.

Locations that decrease feedback

• Checkout desks: If you want to know about the friendliness of your staff, customers will feel ‘watched’ by the staff they’re feeding back on, which means they’re less likely to feed back.

Question Design

The way you word your question can make a significant difference. The usual common-sense ideas apply here!

Open Questions

• Using open-ended questions will invite people to think more deeply about their answer. Consider the difference between “Did you have a pleasant experience?” and “How was your experience today?”

The Right Language

• Keep it simple. Phrase your questions using clear, simple language. Use as few words as you can!
• Avoid jargon. Make sure you phrase your question so your respondents will understand it quickly.
• Translate as needed. For example, if you’re ExpressPod is in a Polish Community Center, be sure to include Polish translations of the question so you can reach more people.
• Neutral Language. If you want more honest answers, keep the language balanced and neutral. Instead of asking, “How awesome was your experience today?”, consider, “How was your experience today?”

Clear Design

• Think about readability. Design your question sheet so it’s easy to read from a distance.
• Larger fonts and fewer colors are better than an overly ‘busy’ sheet.
• This will help people see the question from further away, so increasing the chances they will respond.

Awareness

If you promote the idea of your question so that people know it’s coming before they see the ExpressPod, you will see more responses. There are several ways you can do this. Examples include:

• Posters. Use posters before people reach the ExpressPod, explaining why you’re looking for feedback. Include a picture of the ExpressPod or question sheet if you can.
• Share the results. Publish the feedback and people will see the act of voting as more important because they’ll understand that their voice is being heard.