Is Your Survey Worth My Time?

A manufacturer complains that his customers rarely return the satisfaction surveys he sends out.

A leading resort gets back just 30% of the comment cards left for guests inside their fancy rooms.

One government agency had a response rate of only 6% when they sent out an 11-page survey.

What’s going on here? Why is the response rate so low? Why don’t customers complete and return customer satisfaction surveys?

The problem, as I see it, is twofold:

First, the format of many satisfaction surveys has taken on the language of academics and the structure of statisticians. Asking customers to rate the relative importance and performance, both perceived and expected, of 17 categories on a scale from 1 to 10 is a bit like asking someone attending the theater to evaluate the parking, lighting, sound system, seating, air conditioning, restrooms, refreshments and ushers – and, oh, by the way, did you enjoy the performance?

If your questionnaire is too complex for customers to understand at a glance, it’s just too complex.

If your survey is too long for them to complete in a few quick minutes, it’s just too long.

If your response form is loaded with jargon, scales and numbers, it’s so filled up with your ideas there’s no place left for your customers to speak their minds.

A statistical sampling of customer opinion can make sense. A quantitative monthly or quarterly survey may highlight where you’re slipping, climbing or simply standing still.

But don’t ask every customer to reply ‘by the numbers’, or the majority will stop thinking about your survey, before they even start!

That leads to the second point: Customers learned long ago that ‘standard surveys’ yield a ‘standard company response’ – which in many cases is nothing.

If I complete your survey, how can I be sure you’ll take action on my comments? There’s little guarantee of action in a long list of detailed questions, tiny little boxes and columns of numbers.

If you want to increase the quantity and value of customer comments you receive, if you want to make your survey really work hard for you, here are three things you can do:

First, make it clear at the top of your survey that your customer’s comments are not just collected, they are truly valued.

‘Customer Satisfaction Survey’ is about as interesting as gray paint. ‘Your Voice Counts!’ sounds much better. ‘Tell us what you want!’ is appealing. ‘We are listening to YOU!’ is a promise I’d reply to.

Second, design your form to gather qualitative input you will study and act on. Ask for subjective impressions and ideas with questions like these:

‘What did you like? What didn’t you like? What would you like? What do we do that you wish we didn’t? What would you like us to change? What did you appreciate the most? What should we provide that is missing? Did anyone or anything let you down? How can we serve you even better? What do we have to do to justify raising our price by 10%? What does no one in our business do that you think everyone should do? What should we start doing, stop doing, do more of, do less of, do immediately?’

That’s a long list to choose from. Pick the questions that work for you and use them! (A blank ‘comments’ field on your existing form just doesn’t cut it!)

Third, promise – and then take – immediate action. Tell customers how quickly their comments will be read, and how fast the changes will occur.

Ask them: ‘May we reply to you personally about this? If so, please check here.’ Now it’s obvious that you are reading every comment, you are listening to the customer, you are committed to making changes every day.


Key Learning Point

Next Article in Customer Service Measurements >>
'I Want to Speak to a Supervisor' Part 2

First Article in Customer Service Mindset >>
Leave This Place Better Than You Found It

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Copyright, Ron Kaufman. Used with permission.
Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed customer service training educator for quality service. He is author of the bestselling series "UP Your Service!" and founder of "UP Your Service College". To enjoy more customer service training articles, visit www.RonKaufman.com and www.UpYourService.com

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