Listen to consumer feedback, it helps

Whether for a company or government, having a system in place that allows for 'consumer' feedback is vital. Acting upon the feedback - especially critical ones - is what makes such entities be trusted, or not. The trick, of course, is to listen before complaints become a brand-damaging chorus, as has been the case with SIR. But better late than never, as EC has - lately - demonstrated. Facing heavy criticism over its handling of SIR of electoral rolls, the poll panel reportedly eased verification procedures in Delhi in late September. The result: of the 33 lakh Delhi voters who were issued notices under logical discrepancies/unmapped cases, more than 60% (some 20 lakh) have now had their cases resolved. Booth-level officers (BLOs) are now visiting homes to collect documents, minor discrepancies are being corrected without Byzantine paperwork, and voters needn't always appear for hearings in person. This, EC has stated, was being done under its objective, 'No eligible voter to be left out of electoral roll' promise. Excellent.

EC's turnaround - after 'stakeholder' pressure - extends well beyond electoral rolls. Governments that dismiss public grievances invite dissent. Companies that ignore customer complaints risk losing customers. Airlines that leave stranded passengers without information or assistance turn an operational problem into a reputational one. Institutions must distinguish between defending a legitimate objective and becoming prisoners of the machinery built to achieve it.

Negative feedback isn't an admission of failure, but opportunity for course correction. The customer may not always be right. But treating every complaint as coming from an ill-wisher is hardly a recipe for good business, or governance. Listening is good.