Customer Feedback

Ask any startup founder or PM and they'll say collecting customer feedback is important - but most underestimate just HOW important it is. 90% of startups fail - but do you know what 34% of these startups have in common?

They didn't listen to customers. They made something no one wanted.  

Customer feedback is how you get inside the mind of your buyers, understand their problems, and build a product for them. It’s impossible to add value to your customers if you don’t know enough about them, and you won’t know enough about them unless you listen to them. 

And yet, most startups are guilty of it - product teams spend hours putting their heads down building features, only to find out their product usage is declining steadily. 

At which point, startups are faced with two choices - they can choose to listen to their customers, change direction and build something they want. Or, they ignore their customer and listen to their gut on what they think should build. Take a wild guess to figure out which startups stick around for longer. 

Here’s a story that's worth sharing here: 

When Amplitude launched back in 2012, it started as Sonalight, a text-by-voice software where users could talk and the device would let users text without touching a phone. It went viral on YC demo day, got featured in TechCrunch & acquired over 50,000 users. Not bad right? 

But they had a problem - retention was terrible. So Spenser Skates, the founder, decided to shut it down and pivot. But what he did next was exemplary - he didn’t just overnight decide to build a new product. In fact, he and his co-founder decided that they would not build anything until they had spoken to 30 customers. They consciously made the choice to spend 50% of their time talking to customers and 50% of their time building.

This proactive approach to listen to customer insights worked - Amplitude hit $1million ARR in 9 months, IPO’d in 2021 and is now a $4 billion company. Startups who succeed have one thing in common - they implement customer feedback, and make something people want.

So in this article, we’re diving deep into how to do customer feedback right—how to collect it, how to integrate it into your roadmap, and how to make it a scalable, sustainable part of your product operations.

Let’s get into it.

Customer feedback is basically your users telling you, “Hey, here’s what’s working—and here’s what’s driving me nuts.” 

It’s any kind of insight they share about your product—whether it’s their in-app experience, feature requests, or thoughts on what could be better (or what made them rage-click the exit button).

You can collect feedback in tons of ways—emails, in-app surveys, reviews, interviews... the list goes on. Want to know if your customer feedback system is actually working? Ask yourself this - Are you and your team able to decode what your customers actually want? If so, you’re on the right track. 

Do this right and feedback from your customer will help you:
- Improve your product
- Add real value for users
- Build something sustainable 

Listen to your customers, and they’ll tell you exactly how to make your product irresistible. 

You’ve probably heard the famous YC mantra: “Build something people want.” Sounds simple, right? But how do you actually know what people want? Spoiler: you ask them.

Customer feedback is the lifeblood of your product. Without it, you’re basically building in the dark—guessing what users need and hoping for the best. But when you listen to your customers, you get real, actionable insights that shape how your product is designed, perceived, and (most importantly) used.

And the best part? Collecting and acting on feedback massively increases your chances of hitting product-market fit. Plus, it directly leads to:

• Higher product usage (because you’re building what people actually want)

• Better activation rates (onboarding just got smoother)

• Less churn (no more users ghosting your product)

• Greater customer retention (sticky products = happy users)

• Increased LTV (because loyal customers stick around and spend more)

If you’re not collecting customer feedback, you’re leaving growth on the table. 

Customer feedback is gold—but collecting it? That’s a whole different ball game. With so many ways to gather insights, it’s easy to end up drowning in a sea of comments, survey responses, and feature requests. But don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.

Before we jump in, let’s get a few ground rules straight:

• Streamline – Keep all feedback in one place. Scattered insights lead to missed opportunities. Whether you’re a startup or a big player, make sure everyone—PMs, designers, customer service teams—has access to the same feedback hub.

• Organize – Tag, categorize and organize customer feedback so you don’t end up staring at an endless list of user comments, wondering what to do next. Use tools you already rely on, or invest in something that fits your workflow.

• Track – Know exactly where feedback is coming from. That way, when it’s time to act, you’re not piecing together random data like a detective on a crime show.'

Do these together, and you'll have a solid customer feedback loop in place. Alright, now let’s talk about some customer feedback strategies that actually work:  

1. In-App Surveys:

Want customer feedback that’s super relevant? Ask users while they’re in the product. In-app customer feedback surveys provide contextual insights—because let’s be real, no one remembers what frustrated them after they’ve rage-quit. Tools like Chameleon help you trigger surveys at the right moment, ensuring you get meaningful responses instead of random venting.

Here's how Squaredance uses a multi-button customer feedback survey to understand better how users use Squaredance's features. The customer experience is so much better when feedback is collected in context at the right time.

2. In-App Feedback: 

Think of this as the "drop a comment" feature for your app. Users can quickly rate or submit feedback without jumping through hoops. The easier it is to give feedback, the more you’ll actually get. 

Here's how Intercom uses in-app feedback. No flashy pop-ups—just a clean, simple way to gather insights while users are actively engaged. The design and timing are on point, making it feel natural and non-intrusive. It's also a great way to target unhappy customers and get actionable feedback without annoying them.

3. Chatbots & Life Ring Buttons: 

Chatbots aren’t just for answering “Where’s my order?” questions. They can also collect qualitative feedback through open-ended responses, helping you understand the why behind user behavior, while also identifying core user problems. Plus, customer feedback managers get real-time insights they can pass on to product, marketing, and support teams.

I love how Veed uses chatbots to not only prompt users to ask questions but also add value by pointing them to relevant resources. A great example on how to improve customer satisfaction!

4. User Interviews:

Sometimes, the best way to get game-changing feedback is to just talk to your users. Conversations open up insights that surveys will never catch—like the little frustrations, unexpected use cases, and pain points that no one is tweeting about (yet).

5. Contact Us Forms: 

Basic? Yes. Powerful? Also yes. “Contact Us” forms are one of the easiest ways to collect raw, unfiltered feedback. Just make sure you:
- Set clear expectations (when will they hear back?)
- Organize the form properly (no one likes a 10-minute survey)
- Send a real response (not just a “we value your feedback” auto-reply)

See how Plain prompts users to contact them and send feedback or chat with the founders directly.

6. Feature Request Boards: 

Users love being heard—so why not let them shape your roadmap? Tools like Canny or even a simple Trello board let customers suggest and upvote features they actually want. It’s a win-win: they feel involved, and you get real data on what matters most.

See how Ahrefs uses a feature suggest section in its in-app experience to prompt users to request a feature. How can you not love that?

Congrats! You’ve got a pile of customer feedback sitting in front of you. But now comes the real challenge—figuring out what to do with it. Because let’s be honest, raw feedback without action is just...noise.

Here’s how to turn insights into impact. 

1. Spot patterns 

Not all feedback is created equal. Look for recurring themes—are users raving about a certain feature? Do the same complaints keep popping up? Patterns help you make data-driven decisions instead of guessing what’s important.

2. Track feature usage 

Numbers don’t lie. Tracking how users engage with different features can tell you:
- Which features are most popular (and which ones users ignore)
- If new updates are actually making an impact
- How often and how long features are being used
- What needs tweaking, simplifying, or maybe even removing

3. Segment users for better insights

Not all users are the same, so their feedback shouldn’t be treated as one-size-fits-all. Segment users based on:

• Their Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) – Why are they using your product?

• Use cases – What problem are they solving?

• Engagement levels – Power users vs. casual users

When you know who is saying what, you can personalize the experience and build features that actually match user needs.

4. Use AI to take it to the next level

AI is a game-changer for making sense of customer feedback at scale. Use AI to analyze thousands of reviews instantly, spot trends, recurring issues, and customer sentiments without the manual headache. 

AI can also help you predict revenue and growth opportunities by identifying key topics and patterns that indicate churn risks or expansion potential. It can shape your product roadmap, highlight what users love, what frustrates them, and which feature requests actually matter—so you can prioritize the right things and build smarter.

Customer feedback isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a goldmine of insights that can fuel every part of your business. From product development to marketing, sales, and customer success, here’s how to put that feedback to work.

1. Product enhancement & roadmap building 

Think of customer feedback as your product development GPS. It tells you:
- What’s broken
- What’s frustrating
- What features users actually want (and which ones they ignore)

If multiple users struggle with a specific feature, that’s your cue to redesign, simplify, or add better training resources. Building a roadmap? Let feedback guide the way.

2. Messaging that resonates

Ever wonder how customers really talk about your product? Feedback gives you their exact words, pain points, and aspirations—so you can craft messaging that feels like it was pulled straight from their own thoughts. 

3. Content that writes itself

Your customers are telling you what they care about—why not use that? By mining feedback for common pain points, questions, and interests, you can create:
- Blog posts that answer real user concerns
- Case studies that showcase success stories
- Educational content that fills knowledge gaps

Basically, if people are asking about it, you should be talking about it.

4. Sales messaging & objection handling

Sales teams, this one’s for you. Customer feedback helps you sell smarter. If users love how easy your product integrates with their tools, that’s a selling point. If they hesitate because of price, find ways to emphasize value.

Tailoring your pitch based on real user insights means you’re not just selling—you’re solving problems. And that’s how you win deals.

5. Smoother onboarding & better customer success 

First impressions matter. If new users are struggling during onboarding, that’s a major red flag. Customer feedback helps you:
- Identify confusing steps or friction points
- Improve tutorials, guides, and walkthroughs
- Accelerate time-to-value so users get hooked fast

Better onboarding = happier customers, lower churn, and higher retention.

Customer feedback is one of the few things in startup land that actually stands the test of time. Ignore it, and you risk building something no one wants. Listen to it, and you’ll create a product that people love, use, and rave about.

Successful startups don’t build in isolation—they co-build with their customers. They gather feedback, analyze trends, spot gaps, and use real insights to drive product decisions. The result? Higher retention, better engagement, and a business that actually scales.

So, whether you’re fixing a frustrating bug, crafting spot-on messaging, or fine-tuning your sales pitch, remember this: your customers already have the answers—you just need to listen.

Want to collect customer feedback from your users? Check out chameleon.io