Are you tired of investing significant time and resources into product development only to find that your offerings don’t quite hit the mark with your users?

Whether you’re a seasoned tech giant or a budding startup, staying attuned to user feedback is paramount in driving successful product development. But how can you ensure that you gather the insights necessary to steer your team toward creating products that authentically resonate with your target audience?

In this comprehensive guide, we explore strategies to maximize the effectiveness of user insights. Drawing from the expertise of industry expert Kamil Rejent, CEO of  Survicate, renowned for his pioneering work in crafting tools to unlock better user insights.

Devyani Mehta: Hi, Kamil, I’d love to learn a bit more about your professional journey. Coming from a background in product and marketing, your professional journey has been closely tied to refining and promoting products. What’s the inspiration behind starting Survicate, and how did the idea originate?

Kamil Rejent: I started at Konica Minolta, where I learned about cloud-based software. This inspired me to explore automation solutions to enhance our marketing operations. 

We aimed to understand our customers better and offer them more relevant calls to action. Initially, we planned to create a website engagement tool that used simple surveys to ask visitors a few short questions. However, after launching it, we discovered a greater demand than we had anticipated.

Over the years, we broadened our offerings to encompass a variety of customer survey tools. Along the way, we introduced a mobile software development kit (SDK), empowering app developers to gather user feedback directly within their apps without disrupting the user experience. This unexpected journey led me to the domain of surveys and customer experience. 

It started with a simple idea, but it’s grown into a versatile tool in our industry. The journey wasn’t planned, but it’s been rewarding, and I’m proud of where we are today.

That sounds like a smooth transition. Since then, how has the landscape of the survey tools industry evolved, particularly in terms of catering to the increasing importance of user feedback in refining and promoting products? Have there been any notable changes that stand out?

Businesses are continually seeking fresh avenues to gather feedback. Gone are the days of relying solely on periodic net promoter score (NPS) or customer satisfaction score (CSAT) surveys. There’s a growing emphasis on collecting contextual feedback at various touchpoints throughout a user’s journey, enabling companies to gain deeper insights into user experiences and preferences.

As products and technology evolve, tools must remain adaptable to keep up with these advancements. Our responsibility goes beyond just collecting data. Companies now seek to leverage this feedback within their automation tools to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Therefore, the flexibility of product integration has become crucial.

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, predicting the future is challenging. Just a year ago, discussions on LinkedIn revolved around leveraging GPT to simplify and streamline workflows. Now, users can instruct artificial intelligence (AI) to generate entire movies. Perhaps the next frontier will be integrating feedback mechanisms into augmented reality experiences, potentially revolutionizing how users interact with products and services.

AI has really changed how I work as a content marketer. I definitely see a big and fast shift, especially in the last year. To what extent is artificial intelligence used in survey tools for automation and data analysis? How does this improve the survey creation process?

AI is transforming survey tools by enhancing both automation and analysis capabilities. At Survicate, we’re using this potential by introducing features that help users create surveys with AI assistance and efficiently manage responses. 

This translates to reduced time spent on logistical tasks and more focus on valuable feedback collection. Ultimately, this enables businesses to make informed decisions more swiftly and with minimal hassle, facilitating smarter moves in a fast-paced environment.

In your experience, what are some best practices for encouraging high participation rates in customer surveys?

Increasing survey participation depends greatly on timing and relevance. By gathering responses when users are most engaged, such as after a positive interaction or completing a key task, there’s a notable improvement in response rates. This method takes advantage of users’ active involvement, making them more likely to participate willingly.

Tailoring survey questions to align with the user’s journey not only enhances relevance but also increases the likelihood of participation. Consider app development. By crafting questions that resonate with users at specific points in their mobile app experience, you can capture more meaningful feedback. Moreover, ensuring that these surveys are concise and focused allows users to provide input swiftly without interrupting their app usage.

Offering various types of incentives, such as discounts, rewards, or exclusive access to new features, can entice users to participate in surveys. Additionally, clearly communicating how their feedback will directly impact app enhancements or new developments can instill a sense of ownership and value in users, further motivating them to share their insights willingly.

What challenges do product developers commonly face when implementing feedback-driven improvements, and how can they overcome them?

Gathering feedback is just the beginning; the real challenge lies in analyzing it and taking action. This involves carefully examining insights from various sources like customer reviews, surveys, and user interactions to understand user sentiment and needs thoroughly. 

Our mobile app feedback report indicates that nearly 60% of app developers are unsure about their next development steps. Despite 85% of them collecting feedback in various forms, it often falls short of expectations. 

Gathering customer insights from various sources, including customer reviews, social media comments, and survey responses, can offer valuable perspectives. 

However, managing data across diverse touchpoints often results in unstructured data that takes more work to analyze. Without standardization, deriving meaningful conclusions becomes a difficult task. 

That’s why Survicate is developing a comprehensive solution (Insigts) designed to tackle this issue. By harnessing the power of AI, we will be able to organize and interpret this diverse feedback and identify patterns, trends, and sentiment analysis across all data sources. 

Prioritization is a significant challenge for product managers. They must focus on feedback that directly impacts the product’s roadmap and addresses users’ most critical needs. Translating feedback into actionable steps is essential for businesses to drive meaningful improvements and adapt to evolving user expectations.

Source: Survicate’s mobile app feedback report

In the mobile world, staying connected with users is crucial. Compared to traditional B2B settings, mobile app developers often don’t have the opportunity for daily interactions with their users. That’s why finding the right tools to stay attuned to user needs is essential. 

Establishing a feedback loop to regularly review customer reactions to changes is invaluable. This enables developers to refine and enhance products continuously, ensuring they always align with user preferences and expectations. 

Speaking of feedback collection, how can product developers and marketers balance it without overwhelming their users?

From a technical standpoint, effective survey engagement involves more than precise targeting and managing survey frequency. It also includes leveraging analytics to determine optimal engagement times and platforms. Additionally, ensuring data security and privacy throughout the feedback process is crucial for building trust with users.

Beyond technical considerations, fostering meaningful interactions and relationships with users is essential. This involves transparently communicating the value of their feedback and involving them in the feedback loop by providing regular updates on how their input influences decision-making and product improvements. Establishing this rapport requires empathetic communication and a commitment to addressing user concerns promptly and effectively.

Successfully striking this balance between technical optimization and relationship nurturing hinges on the seamless integration of smart technology with genuine human interaction. By prioritizing both aspects, organizations can gather valuable insights and cultivate a loyal and engaged user base without overwhelming them with technical jargon or impersonal communication.

This has been incredibly insightful, Kamil. I would love to close with some takeaways for our readers. Any final thoughts you’d like to share?

Exploring the world of in-app and website feedback has led me to believe there’s a significant opportunity for product and marketing professionals to become more curious. Embracing curiosity doesn’t demand anything elaborate. It’s as simple as asking questions and being receptive to new insights.

Perhaps they’re in the dark about what they don’t know or may hesitate to ask for feedback. My advice is simple: “Go for it!” Even a short survey can be valuable, and the insights gained from even a few responses can lead to significant improvements. Just dare to ask!

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Follow Kamil Rejent on LinkedIn for valuable insights into the collection of user insights, marketing technology, and effective leadership strategies.

This post is part of G2’s Industry Insights series. The views and opinions expressed are those of the subject and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of G2 or its staff.