• Surveys should always be conducted in person or by phone - and always by appointment.

• Questions should be provided in advance.  The answers will be more considered and comprehensive.

• Be sure to use a third party questioner in a private setting.  (Don't even let the Account Exec sit in.)

• Emphasize confidentiality.  Your survey will be meaningless unless your clients can speak candidly.

• Focus on the top 10% of your clientele (find out what makes them happy)

• Include the bottom 10% - especially ex-clients

• Always interview the key decision-maker or CEO.  It is imperative to connect with the person responsible for the account's profitability, not the buyer who may have relationship with the seller, or another person with some biased view.

• How long have you been a customer?

• Name other three competitors from whom you buy our product

• Rate our performance compared to the other three - and why

• Blue Sky: Imagine the perfect supplier - what and how would they deliver that would delight you?

• At least once every three sales cycles

• After any significant industry event

• In preparation for any major organizational restructuring

Other considerations: Limit all interviews to 15 minutes. Feedback the composite numbers to all participants with appropriate appreciation.  Act on what you learn and tell the customers; "We listened."

• Response rates better than 67%

• Significant gains in precise product/service intelligence