If you're a founder, find your version of the reception desk.

Every week, I sit at Emoneeds clinic's reception desk.

Sometimes for an hour, sometimes the whole day.

On these days, I'm not the co-founder, I'm just the guy at the front desk greeting clients, checking them in, making small talk.

I used to be terrified of asking clients what they actually thought. What if they hated something? What if they told me the thing we built or designed wasn't working? I'd rather just... not know.

That changed when I started showing up physically.

When you're sitting front and center, you can't hide from the truth. You see the energy in the room.

You notice who's anxious, who's relaxed, who's been waiting too long.

Who is tired from their commute, and who seems eager to go into their session.

These details and vibes are something that can only be felt in the moment.

And when someone's chatty, I'll introduce myself and just ask, "How was your experience today?"

And that is when you get the real gold!

We re-thought and defined the client experience from the moment they walk in to the moment they walk out. Even small touches like greeting them by their name as they step in, to putting out candy on the counter as a fun little treat (these bowls finish every day!).

Each moment increases the chances that a client feels comfortable in a space where they come in anxious.

We introduced new types of plans and bundles based on people's priorities. We digitized our entire check-in and feedback collection process.

We found gaps and edge cases in our tech and payment flows and worked on them.

We defined new experience metrics - like waiting time (which we need to reduce), walk-out satisfaction (which we need to increase).

You can run surveys. You can look at NPS scores. You can read reviews. But nothing replaces being physically present where your service meets your customer.

Good feedback is fuel. Bad feedback is a call to arms.

And the only thing worse than bad feedback is no feedback at all.

If you're a founder, find your version of the reception desk.

Sit there. Stay uncomfortable. The answers are closer than you think.