Good businesspeople are referable, for the most part. If you were to ask all of your current clients if they would ever refer business to you, most would say that they would.

In fact, for healthy businesses, 80% of the clients on average would say that they would give a referral. So if they say they would give a referral, why don't they?

Sometimes, if you believe you are delighting your clients and still not receiving regular referrals from them, it's possible that there may be a disconnect. The insider perception of the business is not the same as how the clients of the business see things. And, it doesn't mean that you are doing something wrong – but it's worth checking out.

One way to find out for sure is to conduct a “Client Delight Survey.” You can mail or email the survey. Or, you can use an online survey service like SurveyMonkey to give your clients an easy way to give you feedback. With this tool, you can easily design your survey online and send a link to your clients for access. You can then view your results as they are collected in real-time, including live graphs and charts, and then see individual responses.

Typical survey questions

Below are some typical survey questions. Make sure that respondents grade them on a scale from A to F, like the grades one would get in school:

1. Our organization is totally committed to the idea of keeping you informed and delighted.

2. We seem to “do things right the first time.”

3. Our firm exceeds expectations.

4. We regularly provide information of value to you.

5. We have adequate contact with you.

6. We make it easy for you to do business with us.

7. Our employees often go above and beyond to serve you well. Anyone in particular?

8. We sincerely try to answer all your questions.

9. Our team has a good understanding of client service.

10. I would be willing to recommend someone with a need for financial planning and investing services. (Yes/No)

Name of someone you think could benefit from our services (phone and email).

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