Gathering customer feedback online and Swedish SMEs

Purpose - This paper aims at exploring and describing the tools used by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to collect customer feedback online, their components and the criteria used in selecting these internet-based tools.Design methodology approach - Multiple in-depth case studies were conducted on five SMEs all of which are engaged in customer feedback collection online. The data collected by personal interviews was analysed in a cross-case analysis. Findings: We conclude that e-mail is the most dominant tool though supported other offline means. Components of Internet-based customer feedback system and the criteria for assessing Internet-based customer feedback collection tool by SMEs were also identified.Research limitation implications - Five cases were investigated out of 60 and the study was restricted to the northern part of Sweden. Adding other methods could also have cross-fertilised the study.Practical implications - The study reinforces the need for SMEs managers to use the Internet to gather feedback from customers online, learn much about the nature and habits of their customers and the best medium to reach out to them - be it Internet-based, offline or the combination of the two.Originality value - Application of the concept of customer feedback collection and theories on the components and the criteria used in selecting Internet-based tools in a relatively new context.