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Building a Product Feedback Repository [+10 Tools to Help]

How to Build a Product Feedback Repository: 10 Essential Tools

By
Theertha Raj
November 4, 2024

Product teams often struggle to make sense of user feedback scattered across various tools and channels. A product feedback repository helps solve this challenge by centralizing all customer insights in one place. This guide will help you understand how to set up and manage feedback repositories, and choose the right customer feedback tools for your needs.

How do you track product feedback?

Product feedback tracking typically follows one of two paths. Many teams start with manual tracking, recording feedback in spreadsheets, taking notes during customer calls, saving email threads and chat logs, and maintaining documents with feature requests. 

As organizations grow, they usually transition to automated tracking using customer feedback tools. These dedicated platforms automatically collect feedback from multiple channels, use AI to tag and categorize feedback, and generate insightful reports and analytics.

What is a product feedback repository?

A product feedback repository is a centralized system that helps teams collect, organize, and act on customer feedback. Think of it as your single source of truth for all user insights, feature requests, and product improvements.

A well-organized feedback repository helps product teams:

  • Track user needs and pain points
  • Identify patterns in feedback
  • Prioritize feature requests
  • Share insights across teams
Here’s a guide to building a detailed research repository.

What is customer feedback software?

Customer feedback software helps businesses collect, manage, and analyze user feedback through various channels. These tools typically combine feedback collection through surveys, forms, and widgets with robust organization features, analytics and reporting capabilities, team collaboration tools, and customer communication features.

Types of feedback repositories

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets often serve as the starting point for small teams new to feedback tracking. While they're free or low cost, easy to set up, and offer flexible structure, they require manual data entry, offer limited collaboration features, and become difficult to scale as your organization grows.

Product development and issue tracking tools

Product development and issue tracking tools like Jira, Linear, and GitHub Issues work well for technical teams that want to link feedback to development tasks. These tools integrate seamlessly with development workflows and offer built-in prioritization, but their technical interface and limited feedback collection options can be challenging for non-technical team members.

Project management tools

Project management tools such as Notion, Trello, and Asana appeal to teams that want to manage feedback alongside other projects. While they offer familiar interfaces and good collaboration features, they lack feedback-specific functionality and typically require manual data entry.

Purpose-built feedback management tools

Purpose-built feedback management tools like Looppanel, Canny, and UserVoice best serve growing teams that need a dedicated feedback solution. Though they come at a higher cost and may require integration work, these tools offer automated collection, advanced analytics, and customer portal options specifically designed for feedback management.

Curious to try one out? Check out Looppanel here.

How to set up a feedback repository: Step-by-step

Setting up a product feedback repository requires careful planning and execution. Here's a streamlined four-step process to get your feedback system up and running effectively.

Step 1: Plan your feedback strategy

Before choosing any tools, map out your feedback collection strategy. Start by identifying your key feedback sources – these might include customer support conversations, user interviews, NPS surveys, or feature requests. Define what success looks like for your feedback system and set clear goals. Think about who needs access to the feedback, how it will be used, and what insights you want to extract. This planning phase helps ensure your repository serves your team's actual needs rather than creating extra work.

Step 2: Choose and configure your tools

With your strategy in place, select tools that match your requirements. Consider factors like team size, budget, and integration needs. If you're a small team just starting out, you might begin with a simple project management tool like Notion. Larger teams might need a dedicated feedback management platform like Canny or UserVoice. Once you've chosen your tool, take time to properly configure it. Set up your feedback categories, create templates for collecting information, and establish clear naming conventions. This foundation will make it easier to organize and find feedback later.

Step 3: Establish your workflow

Create a clear process for how feedback moves through your system. Define how feedback gets collected, who reviews it, how it's categorized, and what actions should be taken. Set up automation where possible – for example, automatically routing certain types of feedback to specific team members or sending notifications when high-priority items come in. Create guidelines for tagging and categorizing feedback so everyone on the team follows the same conventions. Document these processes clearly so new team members can easily learn the system.

Step 4: Train and iterate

Roll out your feedback repository to your team with proper training. Show them how to input feedback, search for existing items, and use the system effectively. Start with a small group if possible, gather their input, and refine your process before expanding to more users. Monitor how the system is being used and regularly check in with your team about what's working and what isn't. Be prepared to make adjustments based on real usage patterns. Remember that a feedback repository is a living system that should evolve with your team's needs.

10 Essential Product Feedback Tools

Choosing the right customer feedback software can feel overwhelming with so many options available. We've analyzed dozens of tools and selected the top 10 that stand out for different use cases. These product feedback tools range from simple survey platforms to comprehensive feedback management systems.

What are the different types of product feedback tools?

Product feedback tools generally fall into four main categories. User research tools help collect and analyze qualitative feedback through interviews and studies. Survey and form builders focus on gathering structured feedback at scale. Feedback management platforms help organize and track feature requests and bug reports. Finally, behavioral analytics tools track how users interact with your product. 

Most companies end up using a combination of these tools to build a complete feedback system.

1. Looppanel

product feedback repository tool Looppanel

Best for: User research and feedback analysis

Looppanel is an AI-powered research repository and research assistant that helps teams record, transcribe, and analyze user interviews and feedback with incredible accuracy and speed.

Features to love:

  • Uses AI to automatically transcribe conversations in over 17 languages with high accuracy
  • Provides intelligent note-taking during live interviews, organized by discussion topics
  • Offers powerful Google-search functionality across all feedback and transcripts
  • Includes advanced sentiment analysis of call transcripts to understand user emotions

Pricing: Starting at $27 per month with a 14-day free trial available.

Try Looppanel out here.

2. Savio

product feedback repository tool Savio

Best for: Centralizing feedback from multiple channels

Savio helps product teams capture and organize feedback from various sources like Intercom, Slack, and email. It's particularly useful for B2B companies that need to track and prioritize feature requests from high-value customers.

Features to love:

  • Automatically captures feedback from numerous communication channels
  • Links feedback to customer attributes like revenue and plan type
  • Creates detailed feature request reports with supporting customer quotes
  • Enables tracking of feature requests through the development pipeline
  • Helps close the feedback loop by notifying customers when features launch

Pricing: Starts at $49 per month for small teams, with a free trial available

3. Canny

Best for: Feature request management and user feedback tracking

Canny helps product teams collect, organize, and analyze feature requests from users. It creates a transparent feedback process where users can see what others have requested and vote on features they want.

Features to love:

  • Creates public feedback boards where users can submit and vote on feature requests
  • Enables teams to provide status updates and keep users informed about feature progress
  • Integrates smoothly with development tools to connect feedback with implementation
  • Offers detailed analytics to help prioritize feature requests based on user demand
  • Allows customization of the feedback portal to match your brand identity

Pricing: Custom pricing based on team size with a free trial available

4. Qualaroo

Best for: In-product surveys and contextual feedback collection

Qualaroo specializes in gathering contextual feedback through targeted surveys that appear while users interact with your product. Its non-intrusive approach helps capture authentic user sentiment at crucial moments.

Features to love:

  • Deploys targeted surveys based on user behavior and characteristics
  • Uses advanced skip logic to create dynamic survey experiences
  • Provides AI-powered sentiment analysis to understand emotional context
  • Supports multiple question types for varied feedback collection
  • Includes mobile-optimized surveys for consistent cross-platform feedback

Pricing: Starts at $80 per month with a free trial period

5. HubSpot

Best for: CRM-integrated feedback management and customer service

HubSpot combines feedback collection with comprehensive customer service tools, making it ideal for teams that want to manage feedback within their existing CRM system.

Features to love:

  • Creates and manages NPS surveys directly within the CRM environment
  • Builds custom feedback forms that automatically sync with customer profiles
  • Includes comprehensive ticket management for tracking feedback-related issues
  • Generates detailed reporting dashboards for tracking feedback trends
  • Integrates feedback data with other customer information for deeper insights

Pricing: Begins at $45 per month with some free tools available

6. Typeform

Best for: Creating engaging, conversational surveys

Typeform transforms traditional surveys into interactive conversations, helping teams collect rich feedback through beautifully designed forms that users actually enjoy completing.

Features to love:

  • Creates visually appealing surveys that feel like natural conversations
  • Implements complex logic jumps to personalize the survey experience
  • Provides extensive customization options for branding and design
  • Offers robust integration options with other business tools
  • Delivers detailed analytics about survey completion and drop-off rates

Pricing: Starting at $25 monthly with a free plan available

7. UserVoice

Best for: Enterprise-level feedback management

UserVoice provides comprehensive feedback management designed for larger organizations needing sophisticated tools to handle feedback at scale.

Features to love:

  • Maintains a dedicated feedback portal for collecting and organizing user input
  • Uses smart suggestion technology to reduce duplicate feedback
  • Includes advanced administration controls for large team management
  • Provides detailed analytics dashboards for data-driven decision making
  • Offers extensive integration options with enterprise software systems

Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing with demo available

8. Zonka Feedback

Best for: Multi-channel feedback collection and analysis

Zonka Feedback excels in gathering feedback across various channels while providing powerful analysis tools to make sense of the data.

Features to love:

  • Collects feedback through multiple channels including email, SMS, and kiosks
  • Uses AI-powered sentiment analysis to understand customer emotions
  • Provides real-time notifications for immediate response to feedback
  • Includes customizable surveys with various question types and formats
  • Offers automated workflow tools for feedback management

Pricing: Flexible pricing with a free version available

9. Refiner

Best for: In-app micro surveys and targeted feedback collection

Refiner specializes in collecting contextual feedback through short, targeted surveys that appear at specific moments in the user journey.

Features to love:

  • Creates focused micro-surveys that achieve high response rates
  • Targets surveys based on user behavior and characteristics
  • Integrates seamlessly with popular CRM and marketing tools
  • Provides real-time feedback analysis and reporting
  • Enables automated follow-up actions based on survey responses

Pricing: Starts with a free trial followed by usage-based pricing

10. Hotjar

Best for: Visual feedback and user behavior analysis

Hotjar combines feedback collection with behavioral analytics, helping teams understand not just what users say, but how they actually use your product.

Features to love:

  • Records user sessions to visualize how people interact with your product
  • Creates heatmaps showing where users click and scroll
  • Collects feedback through targeted surveys and feedback widgets
  • Enables users to highlight specific elements when giving feedback
  • Provides tools for organizing and analyzing qualitative feedback

Pricing: Begins with a free plan, with paid plans starting at $39 monthly

What to look for in a product feedback tool

When selecting a product feedback tool, consider its feedback collection methods, organization capabilities, analysis features, collaboration tools, integration options, and security measures. The best tools offer multiple collection methods, flexible categorization, sentiment analysis, team workflows, API access, and strong data protection.

Reddit's favorite customer feedback tools

According to a Reddit poll with 124 votes, Productboard emerged as a favorite customer feedback tool among product managers. Users praised it as more than just a product feedback software, highlighting its ability to centralize feedback from multiple sources. Pendo ranked second, with users appreciating how this customer feedback platform bridges different types of feedback in one view. Other popular user feedback tools included Hotjar and Aha!, though many users mentioned using a combination of product feedback tools to meet their needs.

Reddit on best tools for logging product feedback

For small teams (<10 customers), many recommend starting with Slack channels or basic product feedback software. As teams scale, dedicated customer feedback management software becomes essential. Popular product feedback tools mentioned include Productboard, ProductlyAI, and Canny. Users highlight that while Productboard offers comprehensive features, some find it complex and expensive. Several product managers use Airtable or Notion as their product feedback repository when starting out, later transitioning to more specialized feedback analysis tools.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are feedback tools?

Customer feedback tools are specialized software applications designed to collect, organize, and analyze user input. These user feedback tools range from simple survey platforms to comprehensive customer feedback platforms that integrate with your entire product development process.

How do you track customer feedback?

Product teams typically use a combination of user feedback tools and processes to track feedback. Some employ dedicated product feedback software that automatically collects and categorizes input, while others start with simpler tools like spreadsheets or project management systems. The key is having a centralized product feedback repository where all insights can be stored and accessed.

The most effective customer feedback management software includes features for categorizing feedback, tracking its status, and linking it to specific product features or development initiatives. This systematic approach helps teams turn raw feedback into actionable insights.

What is the best user feedback tool?

The best customer feedback tool depends on your specific needs, team size, and budget. For enterprise companies, comprehensive platforms like Productboard or UserVoice often prove most effective. Smaller teams might find success with simpler product feedback tools like Canny or Trello.

The most effective feedback analysis tool will integrate well with your existing workflows and make it easy to collect, organize, and act on feedback. Many teams combine multiple tools - for example, using a dedicated customer feedback platform for collection and a separate tool for analysis and prioritization.

What is customer feedback in CRM?

Customer feedback in CRM systems involves collecting and managing user input within your customer relationship management platform. This integration allows teams to connect feedback directly to customer profiles and interactions, providing valuable context for product decisions.

Modern CRM-based feedback management often involves specialized customer feedback software modules that work within the larger CRM ecosystem. This approach helps teams maintain a complete view of customer interactions and feedback in one place.

What is a feedback management tool?

A feedback management tool is specialized customer feedback software that helps organizations collect, organize, and analyze user input systematically. Unlike basic survey tools, these product feedback tools offer features like automated categorization, sentiment analysis, and trend tracking. Modern customer feedback platforms often include capabilities for routing feedback to appropriate teams and tracking how feedback gets addressed through the product development cycle.

What is Enterprise Feedback Management software?

Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) software represents the most comprehensive category of customer feedback tools. These sophisticated user feedback tools help large organizations manage feedback across multiple products, teams, and channels. Unlike simpler product feedback software, EFM platforms typically include advanced features like multi-language support, complex workflow automation, and enterprise-grade security. They serve as a centralized product feedback repository for the entire organization.

What is product feedback software?

Product feedback software comprises specialized tools designed to help teams gather, organize, and act on user input about their products. These customer feedback management software solutions often include features for collecting feedback through multiple channels, analyzing trends, and connecting feedback to specific product features. Modern product feedback tools typically integrate with development tools to create a seamless flow from user input to product improvements.

Who needs product feedback tools?

Any organization that builds products or services for users can benefit from dedicated feedback analysis tools. Startups need user feedback tools to validate their product decisions, while established companies use customer feedback platforms to stay aligned with user needs. Product managers, UX researchers, and development teams regularly use product feedback software to inform their decisions and prioritize features.

What is a good software for product feedback?

According to Quora discussions, effective product feedback tools should offer multiple feedback collection methods, robust analysis capabilities, and good integration options. Popular customer feedback tools mentioned include Productboard for comprehensive feedback management, Canny for feature requests, and Hotjar for user behavior analysis. The best product feedback repository solution depends on factors like team size, budget, and specific needs.

How do you keep track of user feedback?

Successful teams use dedicated customer feedback management software to maintain organized records of user input. This typically involves using product feedback tools to collect feedback through various channels, then centralizing it in a single product feedback repository. Many organizations start with basic tools like spreadsheets but eventually transition to specialized customer feedback platforms as their needs grow.

What is a product repository?

A product repository is a centralized system where teams store and manage all product-related information, including user feedback. Modern product feedback software often serves as this central repository, helping teams maintain organized records of feature requests, bug reports, and user insights. These feedback analysis tools make it easier to search, categorize, and act on stored information.

Where can I get product feedback?

Organizations can gather feedback through various channels using customer feedback tools. Common sources include:

  • In-app feedback widgets
  • Customer support interactions
  • User interviews and surveys
  • Social media monitoring
  • Product analytics
  • Beta testing programs The key is using the right user feedback tools to capture and organize input from these various sources in your product feedback repository.

How to create a product feedback survey?

Creating effective feedback surveys involves using appropriate customer feedback software and following best practices:

  1. Define clear objectives for your feedback collection
  2. Choose the right customer feedback platform for your needs
  3. Keep surveys focused and concise
  4. Use a mix of question types
  5. Include open-ended questions for detailed insights
  6. Test surveys before full deployment
  7. Use product feedback tools to analyze and act on responses

The most effective surveys often combine multiple user feedback tools to collect both quantitative and qualitative feedback, providing a complete picture of user needs and preferences.

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