Have you ever been at a restaurant and found a customer feedback form included with your bill at the end of your meal? Many different types of customer service oriented businesses, whether their offline or on the Internet, ask for your opinion and want your feedback and for good reason.

This information benefits these enterprises in many different ways and collecting your home business customer’s and potential client’s views via a customer feedback form on your website can also help you and your operation.

1. Your customers can sometimes provide information on how you can improve your sales and customer service because they’ve just been through the process. Maybe they had difficulty accessing their product after purchase or downloading was an issue for them or maybe the customer service representative they dealt with could have been a little more courteous; whatever the situation they can offer advice which may help you retain disgruntled clients who would otherwise request a refund.

2. Website design and functionality are very important when it comes to keeping people on your website long enough to check out your products and or services and become paying customers. Who better to tell you how to improve your home page than your visitors?

Maybe it took them longer than they would have liked to find what they were looking for, or perhaps it took too long for your site to load in their browser, or possibly they just don’t like the appearance of your home page.

Whatever the reason for their dissatisfaction any feedback your guests can offer in this area may help increase the return traffic to your home business because of modifications or changes you made as a result of their help.

3. Perhaps some of your guests recognize areas where you could cut costs and reduce expenses. Your delivery process may be too cumbersome and time consuming or you may be able to eliminate a step in the after purchase process or possibly your top heavy with administrative staff.

These are situations we’re sometimes too close to and we can’t reognize the problem even when it’s staring us in the face. Any information your customers can provide could possibly save you money which you could dedicate to other areas of your home business such as advertising and promotion.

4. Your customers may be happy with the overall performance of your product however they may notice something you could improve upon such as the time it takes to download from your website or perhaps you could make it easier to use or you may be able to improve upon the instructions for using your merchandise. This type of information may improve your customer retention rate by helping you further develop your current product.

5. Your customers and visitors may be able to tell you what you’re competition is doing to increase their sales. Perhaps they’ve visited your competition before deciding to purchase your products and can suggest ways to persuade others to buy your merchandise before they buy from similar businesses as yours.

Maybe you could offer a discount on their next purchase or give them a free subscription to your ezine or perhaps include an add-on product with your original good to persuade them to become paying customers.

Constructive criticism, customer feedback or simply suggestions; whatever you choose to call them can be a very important aspect of your home business success online if you choose to accept them for what they are and make them an integral part of your Internet marketing strategy.