What parameters do you set for customer surveys?
To get a higher response rate, what factors does my company need to consider? How long should the survey be, should it be multiple choice, room for customers to add comments, incentive for completing it, etc. We are sending the survey out to 500 customers next month. What should our aim for response be out of our survey pool?
Thanks for sharing!
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Apr 23, 2015
It depends whether you are doing a short after-service survey, or a more in-depth annual type survey. For after-service surveys, keep it really short. Ask yourself: What do we really need to know? The big thing with surveys is that you need to ask questions in a way that will get the right feedback from your clients. Speak their language, not your company's.
The average standard response rate depends on your industry, but 15% is probably kind of the norm.
If you want a higher response rate, offer some kind of incentive. Don't send the survey just once. Send it about 3 times.
Do research as to what days and times are best to send it: e.g., a Friday is never good. Mondays are also not good. Tuesdays seem to be a good day, again depending on the industry.
I would suggest multiple choice but with a comment box because often, the answer choices we provide may be incorrect.
Nov 10, 2015
Incentives can invalidate responses. Just something I read - for you to consider.
Apr 23, 2015
Keep it short but to the point.
I have kept is very simple
How was your experience with my company?
What can we do to improve?
Would you recommend my company?
If you pride your company’s customer service experience, the last question tend to create referrals.
Nov 10, 2015
If you have a large sample size, the data from the open ended question, 'what can we do to improve' would be rather difficult to analyse quickly and easily.
Apr 23, 2015
Surveys should be brief and very well thought out. Frame each question for maximum synergy with the others. Include pictures - they speak thousands of words.
Don't waste space collecting personal data, just get the rough demographics and run them through a computer to fill in the details.
At the end of a good survey, they should feel like they changed the world - that's the best incentive.
Apr 23, 2015
There is only two questions worth a damn to ask customers:
1. Would you recommend us to your relatives or friends (business associates?)
2. If not, why?
That should keep you going on research and improvents for a long time.
BTW, if you have the time and engergy, have your top executives and managers do the survey via face-to-face interviews or on live calls.
Apr 24, 2015
Think about how you ask them to take the survey. We simply state how many questions are on the survey, "Just answer 5 questions."
Apr 23, 2015
I have a complete chapter in my book about this area. The survey should be about your markets print, radio, TV and outdoor marketing areas. Also some Internet questions. How your customers use or don't use them. 10-15 multiple choice questions. A prize of $100-300 that is not related to your product lines.
This will help you narrow your marketing areas and give you a better response rate. Because it is based on your customers.
Apr 29, 2015
Hi Rick, is it in the book Making a Superstar Company? Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check it out.
Apr 23, 2015
Anisia.
As you're already experiencing, survey responses are usually very low. The reason being that although you care (and it is very important for your company to know) about what you're asking, your customers have other concerns.
Rather than provide them with another "survey" to ignore, I suggest you pick some of your best clients and set up an appointment to meet with them in person to get their input.
In doing so, you can find out how they perceive your business's product(s) and service.
The most important information, however, will be your finding out "why" they hold their opinions.
I call this "re-validating" and I have chapter in my forthcoming book on the subject. If you would like to read my suggestions in more detail, please email me at eric@acumenbusinessadvisors.biz.
Hope this helps.
Apr 29, 2015
Hi Eric,
Yes I'm learning even with prizes, most people are too busy to fill out a short survey. We are just trying to gauge how our brand is performing among competitors, so a focus group like you suggested might be a more in depth analysis and better solution. Thanks! I will reference your book as well.
Apr 27, 2015
In my experience the survey should be short and simple because the costumers always have a 30 second attention span. If they like the content of the survey they will answer. It would be prefarrable to give an incentive for completion with free product of the company or similar to that and also get feedback on that.
You should aim how many are keep coming back to the brand.
Apr 29, 2015
In addition to surveys, you can consider forming a customer council. The council should include customers of various sizes and product choices. The members can serve as a sounding board for new products, enhancements, marketing ideas, training (if you provide training), etc.
Apr 30, 2015
Set parameters that give you direct Intel on your company, customer service, and on any improvements that would prove beneficial to both. Surveys at most should be no more than 5-10 questions, preferably on a 1-5 scale or multiple choice, perhaps a five line comment section if you believe is warranted. Time is always of the essence in participating in a survey. The way a company words a question will actually give the information it is seeking. It is controlled.
Apr 30, 2015
Communicate the survey 3 weeks before launching it . Send a email signed by the company CEO stating that the company cares for ts customers as a part of its strategy would like to get a feedback and plan to send a survey
Apr 30, 2015
A lot depends on what you want to accomplish. If you want input on a specific product or service, that is one thing. However, if you just want to measure overall customer satisfaction - and monitor it over time - one question has been developed that works perfectly: "On a scale of 1 - 10, hoe likely are you to refer us to a relative or friend?"
I am sorry I cannot remember who to attribute this process to, but you can then define an index that is equal to the percentage of those who rated you a 9 or 10, minus the people that rated you 0-6 (I think called the "Customer Satisfaction Survey"). This is simple, easy to answer, can be use multiple times, and can be tracked to ensure ongoing improvement.
Thank you Claire, this answer was very helpful! It would be a short survey to get an idea of how recognizable our brand is to our customers, what they associate it with, and so on. Thanks for bringing it to my attention that it's smart to send the survey out more than once. I was also thinking a incentive would give us better result.