When you implement your idea, and it becomes a product or service, you have a great tool that was not available when it's was still only an idea. A device that will help you not only change your product but also can help you make your idea better.
The tool is feedback from those using your product to gain the benefit you created with your initial idea.
But, there is one problem: most will never tell you what you need to know.
When your product successfully delivers on your promise, you have the other party - the customer, consumer, user - getting what they wanted. You promise, you deliver, the end. You gain no new insights.
Sometimes you fail to deliver as promised. There are many reasons for that:
- The other party is not your right target audience
- The mode of delivery is not agreeable to the user
- You've made an honest mistake while delivering on the promise
- There was a communication problem, and the user misunderstood you
And many more.
You should concentrate on these occasions because they give you your best chance of achieving two important goals:
- Gaining new knowledge
- Creating evangelists
When you have a complaint, try and really help solve the user's problem. Hear them out. Make them feel visible. Communicate in the most direct and honest way.
Give them the feeling they are heard, and you are genuinely trying to help. You'll hear things you've never heard before that can make your product (and even your original idea) much better - for them and you.
If you do that, even if you can't help them (and you can't help them all), you'll be appreciated, and they will become your greatest evangelists, telling everyone how great you are.
You'll rarely get such reactions by simply fulfilling your promise. It's the surprise of the ones who are disappointed - when you try and change that - that will create your greatest PR wins.
One last thing you should consider: only about 5% of disappointed users will complain. Make it easy for them to do so.