Entertaining your customers puts you in contact with them in a relaxed setting where they’re happy to share their views. Hold a customer appreciation event or invite good customers to a lunch or dinner.

Use such occasions to ask for suggestions and reactions. Bounce a new product idea off these good customers, or find out what features they’d most like to see improved.

Your customers can provide an expert panel for your informal research – you just have to provide the food!

Another effective way to do this is to create a customer advisory board that recognizes top customers and makes them feel appreciated and heard.