Three questions for building stronger customer relationships

When it comes to growing your business, customer insight can be one of the most powerful tools you have in your arsenal. But feedback isn’t just data to collect; it’s also a tool to connect.

While using your CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system and detailed surveys are a couple of ways to get to know your customers, what you really need to do is ask the right things at the right time. This could be at the till, when you have a captive audience or at the end of a project.

This Get to Know Your Customers Day, we’re here to help! Use these three questions to help you uncover what’s working, what isn’t and what could be — while strengthening the relationships that matter most.

1. “What nearly stopped you from buying?”

This is perhaps the most important question your business could ask. Why? Because objections are quiet. Customers hitting a blocker or second-guessing their decision rarely say anything. They just don’t come back.

Asking new customers what almost put them off can shine a light on hidden issues, like whether something was unclear or even broken. It can also highlight slow processes or trust issues that you may not have otherwise known about.

The good news is that these answers are often practical and fixable.

Use this insight to:

• Simplify your customer journey
• Refine your messaging to address real concerns
• Turn common objections into FAQs, testimonials or case studies

Remember: It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being better than the alternative.

2. “What’s changed since we last spoke?”

Assumptions are the enemy of relevance. Your customers’ needs shift, and their priorities evolve. So what they needed six months ago might be completely different today.

This question helps you stay relevant and meet the needs of your customers quickly and precisely.

You don’t need a big research project. Just check in — especially after a renewal, a second purchase, a quiet patch or a moment of change. A one-line question in a follow-up email can lead to a big insight, so ask it often.

Use this insight to:

• Tailor your service to new circumstances
• Spot opportunities for upselling, cross-selling or support
• Catch churn (when a customer decides to stop using your product or service) before they become a lost customer

3. “What would make you recommend us?”

Referrals don’t come from satisfied customers. They come from impressed ones.

This question can help gauge loyalty, but it also identifies the moments that matter most. These are the moments your customers remember and tell their friends about.

Equally, it works when a customer isn’t satisfied. If someone wouldn’t recommend you yet, that’s not a failure, it’s feedback.

When you focus on what makes people talk about you, you get closer to what makes your business grow.

Use this insight to:

• Pinpoint what’s driving positive sentiment in your products or services
• Build a referral programme around what customers actually value
• Close experience gaps that prevent them from telling their friends about you

Make it a habit, not a one-off

The best way to grow a business isn’t by guessing. It’s by getting to know the people you’re building it for.

Real customer insight doesn’t only come from form fields or drop-downs. It comes from listening — and acting on what you hear. So keep asking questions and be ready to change what you do, based on what you learn.

What is Get to Know Your Customers Day?

Every year, on the third Thursday of January, April, July and October, Get to Know Your Customers Day prompts businesses to dig a little deeper when it comes to understanding their customers and clients.

It’s a reminder to move beyond transactions and start conversations. Whether it’s through surveys, feedback or simple check-ins, this movement aims to help businesses understand what customers really need and build stronger relationships, improve what you offer and add a more personal touch to your business.

Want to get some other great marketing and business dates in your calendar? Download our key business dates for 2026.

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