6 Secrets to accurate and intelligent customer surveying

Customer surveying is a tried-and-true method of understanding how your customers are responding to your products and the level of service they get from your business. With easy-to-use customer surveying software available, it's now an option for more companies than ever before. Of course, the quality of your results will only be as good as the questions you ask, and studies show that many people execute their surveys in a way that leads to inaccurate results, as explored in Forbes. Below, we'll explore some secrets to accurate and intelligent customer surveying.

1. Consistency. If you are measuring the same parameters, you need to use the same surveying techniques from survey to survey. Failing to do so results in additional variables which will affect the results you get, leading to inaccurate results.
2. High response rate. One of the biggest secrets to accurate and intelligent customer surveying is to work to get your response rate as high as possible. Low response rates, even if the overall number of participants is high, leads to variations in results. Forbes recommends monitoring the participation rate, and aiming for a rate of 40% for B2C surveys.
3. Frequency. By surveying frequently and regularly, you can catch and address changes as they occur. In addition, you will have the opportunity to try out new surveying approaches if you send out surveys more often. At the same time, customers can become annoyed with too many requests for survey responses, so strike a balance. Depending on your business, anywhere from once a week to once a month is the right frequency for routine customer surveying.
4. Quality questions. Your questions need to be unbiased, straightforward, and geared towards your audience. Stay away from biased language, which can lead to inaccurate results. In addition, make sure that each question is truly only a single question - customer surveying is not the time to be complex. Finally, gear your questions towards your audience. If your customers normally have a high school education, the survey questions you use should reflect that.
5. Excellent data analysis. Without being able to accurately analyze your data, even the best secrets to accurate and intelligent customer surveying won't lead to better business practices. Invest and use high-quality data analysis software like mTAB for the best results.

To learn more about methods for analyzing data derived from customer surveying, please contact one of our representatives by clicking here or calling 1.800.693.3111.