No matter how busy you are, you should take the time to get feedback from your clients on a periodic basis. This will help you to improve your service and ensure you are meeting their expectations.

“Clients like to be asked to provide feedback, which demonstrates that you are interested in their opinions,” says George Hartman, CEO of Toronto-based Market Logics Inc. You will also be able to uncover things you might not have noticed or discover opportunities to build your practice, he adds.

“Client feedback can also help you identify clients at risk,” advises Joanne Ferguson, President of Advisor Pathways in Toronto. It can give you insights into what your clients want and “how you should be running your practice,” she suggests.

Here are some ways to obtain client feedback:

Conduct formal surveys

Surveys are one of the simplest methods to get feedback. Keep them as short as possible as clients may never complete a long survey. Oline survey tools are simple to use and can generate instant results, Hartman says. These tools can be part of your website and can be linked to social media such as Facebook or Twitter. He also suggests using a third party to conduct surveys as “clients would say things to a third party that they would not say to you directly.”

Make direct contact

Ferguson advises that you contact clients directly through “outbound calls” to obtain their feedback. This gives you the opportunity to talk to clients personally. You can either ask questions about a particular subject or simply gauge their level of overall satisfaction.

Embed feedback in client reviews

Ferguson recommends “embedding feedback in the agenda for client reviews.” Ask “how are we doing?” suggests Hartman. You would probably get the best feedback during a face-to-face meeting, which can uncover issues or expectations that are not typically covered in a survey.

Provide an open invitation

Hartman recommends asking for feedback through an open invitation in a newsletter or on your website. This broad-based strategy can produce feedback on a diverse range of issues as clients are not restricted to specific questions that are typical of a survey. For instance, you can learn what your clients think about your products and services, giving you the opportunity to make improvements or change your product line-up.

Ask open-ended questions

Although it might not be possible to tabulate the answers to open-ended questions, they provide you with real insights into what your clients are thinking. Surveys typically restrict answers to questions based on your own assumptions.

Provide feedback

As clients take time to provide you with feedback, make it a priority to provide them with the results of a formal feedback initiative, Ferguson says. Be proactive and inform them of your findings and how you plan to address any shortcomings, she adds.

At the end of the day, feedback is aimed at discovering the client experience and you should tell them “how you are adjusting to meet their expectations,” Hartman suggest.