9 Tips for Effective Surveys

9 Tips for Effective Surveys

ShuBee can create a survey for your business! – Click here for more information about the ShuBee Report Card or call your ShuBee Service Consultant.

1. Begin with the end in mind.

What would you like to know? What are your objectives? Until you know the information you’re looking for, your survey can end up with questions that take your respondents all over the place. It’s better to make it clear to your respondents what you’d like to know, and make sure you know what you’re trying to accomplish with your survey.

A few reasons you may want to create a survey-

Gauge website ease of use

Impression of a new product or service

Customer’s impression of your technicians

2. Avoid leading questions

You wouldn’t want to call Peter Piper’s Plumbing, would you?

It’s obvious why this is a leading question. Be careful about the less obvious leading questions. Questions using could, should and might all sounds similar, but can produce completely different responses.

3. Make it appealing

Personalize your survey. Writing to “Dear John” instead of “Dear Valued Customer” can increase response rates by nearly 60{938cd9e8dae860e800efc538277d4f7684e6f6981618ba70d1c34357a53c2e1f}. Take the time to customize your survey.

4.  Location, location, location

Use general questions at the beginning of your survey. Make it easy for your respondents to start. Place your more complicated questions in the middle followed by the easiest questions such as demographic information.

5. Keep it short

A survey with more than 10 questions is very unlikely to be completed. If you have a number of questions you want to ask, write them down and then narrow them down. Stick to what’s important and refer back to your objectives.

6. Keep them informed

Tell them approximately how long your survey is going to take, how many questions are on it and how long they have to complete it. Respondents are much more likely to take time to take your survey if they know what to expect. (This is especially important for online surveys.)

7. Let them speak

Allow your respondents to make comments. This increases their satisfaction level and gives you detailed information. (Keep in mind it may be difficult to analyze this information in larger respondent groups.)

8. Use plain English

Try not to use technical jargon or acronyms. It may be difficult for the respondent to understand the question which will make them less likely to complete your survey.

9. Just do it

Creating a survey seems like the last thing you have time to do during the day. However an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take the time to find out what your customer is thinking before it becomes a problem. Or find out ahead of time what you’re doing right, what you need to keep doing. Remember to analyze your results and make changes if necessary. The information you receive from customers is only valuable if you use it!