I used to stress about how to gather feedback the 'right' way from customers.  Before talking to customers about Balihoo's ad builder software, I would have all my W's (and one H - catchy right?) in a line:  Who, What, When, Where, Why, How.  I would search to find just the right customers, plan all the content out via a well defined script, decide a time that would work perfectly for all involved time zones, and then I would worry about whether or not I had the perfect format by which to relay and receive information - Would they get it? Would they get hung up on something? Would they be able to provide valuable feedback? 

Now that I'm a veteran product manager and totally comfortable with all aspects of my job (note the sarcasm), I have more confidence.  Maybe it's in me, but I think it's in the customers.  When I have questions, or when I find myself looking at a few different options, wondering which one is the right one, I go to the customers.  Representative customers can be found everywhere: the people placing the orders (of course), coworkers, third party feedback sites, family (thanks Mom).  Though, taking representative customer feedback as directional and inconclusive is my job. It's still my job to take that information and make a decision based on what will help the affiliate be successful in their local advertising.  All along the process of development, information is power, and that directional input gets us one step closer to perfecting Balihoo's ad builder software.