In Season 1 Episode 8 of Feedback Fatigue, Mike DiMella, an experienced marketing operator and Managing Partner at CHARLESGATE shares insights on how he views and utilizes feedback to shape his business strategy.
Mike’s approach highlights the importance of both micro and macro feedback, collaboration, and how functional specialization and centralization can unlock greater efficiency and customer satisfaction. Check out the full episode here:
For Mike, feedback isn’t just about collecting opinions—it’s a powerful tool that shapes his entire business strategy. "I feel like feedback is a gift...you can take and learn to get better with, grow with, improve by, [and] celebrate in some cases," he explained. Mike's team doesn’t just listen; they act. Feedback is central to everything, from refining operations to winning new business.
When pitching his feedback-driven model, Mike finds that clients quickly see the value. “It just makes sense to most people,” he said, highlighting how addressing common issues, like unresponsiveness, sets his business apart. By turning feedback into actionable improvements, he positions his company as more responsive and customer-focused—an edge that helps win over new clients and keep existing ones satisfied.
One of the most notable aspects of Mike’s perspective is that feedback should be actively sought and acted upon—not just collected for vanity metrics. It’s a continuous loop, where feedback informs strategy, and strategy, in turn, seeks more feedback to validate and improve processes.
Mike has operationalized feedback in a way that improves efficiency and outcomes by embracing functional specialization. This approach involves breaking down traditional property management roles into specialized functions. Instead of one person wearing multiple hats, different team members are responsible for specific aspects of the customer experience. “If we have the roles that are meant to deliver a better resident experience closer to those residents, that leads to a better outcome,” Mike says.
By focusing on functional specialization, his business can more efficiently address resident needs, making the feedback loop much tighter. The resident service managers—those closest to the customer—play a key role in gathering and responding to feedback. Their performance is directly tied to customer feedback, with clear accountability. “Feedback...is a key part of their role and one of the key things that goes on their scorecard,” Mike says, demonstrating that customer input is central to how teams are evaluated.
Specialization allows Mike’s team to be more agile and responsive, as they can quickly adapt to feedback. Whether you’re handling service requests or adjusting communication strategies, Mike’s model ensures that feedback doesn’t fall through the cracks.
Mike uses both micro and macro feedback to get the most value from customer feedback.
Micro feedback also informs standard operating procedures (SOPs). For example, if a specific complaint keeps popping up the team can tweak its processes to fix the underlying issue, ensuring that it doesn’t become a recurring pain point. This immediate feedback loop is key to maintaining a high level of service, as the business can continually refine its approach based on fresh insights.
Another tactical insight from Mike is the importance of a team-based, collaborative approach. Rather than operating in silos, his team works together across different roles to foster a consistent and universal approach to customer service. "We have a much more collaborative team-based approach... so it gives us a lot more opportunity for more collaboration and creating best practices holistically," Mike says.
This collaborative structure improves operational efficiency and reduces stress on individual team members. By working in pods, each team member is responsible for a specific function, allowing them to focus on their area of expertise rather than juggling multiple tasks. This approach improves response times and ensures that feedback is acted upon promptly and efficiently.
This model contrasts with traditional property management, where one person may be responsible for everything, leading to burnout and a slower response to feedback. By fostering collaboration, Mike’s team can handle feedback more effectively, creating better outcomes for both residents and the business.
Mike DiMella’s approach to customer feedback offers valuable lessons for any business looking to improve operations and customer experience. By treating feedback as a gift, embracing functional specialization, and fostering collaboration, Mike ensures that his team is agile and responsive to customer needs. His use of micro and macro feedback allows him to address immediate concerns while keeping an eye on long-term trends, creating a balanced and effective strategy.
“Clear is kind... [and] creating that consistency and clarity is like 90% of the battle,” Mike says. By making feedback a core part of your business operations, you can enhance customer satisfaction, improve internal processes, and, ultimately, drive greater business success.
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