Customer satisfaction
Plain-language summary
Track how customers actually perceive you — not how you hope they do — using defined methods, and act on what the perception data says.
What the clause is really asking
Monitor customers' perceptions of the degree to which their needs and expectations have been fulfilled; determine the methods for obtaining, monitoring and reviewing this information (surveys, scorecards, complaints, market share, compliments, warranty claims).
What auditors look for
Auditors ask for your defined methods and the latest data, then the action trail: perception dropped — what happened next? Relying on 'no complaints = happy' gets challenged; silence is not satisfaction.
Typical evidence
Customer scorecards; survey results; complaint trends; review records with actions.
How to comply — recommendations
For most SMEs the customer's own scorecard plus a structured annual review call per key account is the honest method. Track the trend, minute the actions — perception data without response is decoration.
Common nonconformities
No defined method beyond waiting for complaints; scorecard data downloaded but never reviewed; declining trends with no action.
Related clauses
IATF 16949: extended by 9.1.2.1; links 5.1.2
In the book
Chapter 9 — Evaluation — Reading Your Own Instruments treats this clause family in full: what it is really asking, what auditors look for, the evidence that satisfies, how to make it work on a real floor, and where companies stumble.
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