Every now and then I get all fired about about a specific phrase that transforms how I think and ask questions. Lately my favorite phrase has been “What’s missing?”
You’re probably used to saying something like “What’s wrong?” but there is a subtle distinction between “What’s missing” and “What’s wrong.” When you say “What’s wrong” — then the assumption is that something isn’t working and needs to be fixed. While this might be the appropriate question if your computer is broken, it may not be the best question to ask if you’re trying to find a way to stand out from the competition.
LEARN ABOUT: This or that questions
When to use “What’s Missing” as a question in your survey
The “What’s missing” question is the ideal follow up to a rating question. Instead of asking people to rate their overall experience on a scale and then ask them WHY they gave the rating they did, ask them “What’s missing from this product that would make your experience a “10”?
This gets the respondents’ brain thinking about the ingredients or elements that are missing from the product or service as it stands today that would take their experience over the top.
You can expect to get much more specific answers that will help you in developing your product or service in a way that will get your customers to choose you.
