Are you planning some big surprises for your clients this year? You better know what they want rather than shoving things down their throat. A good way to determine what your customers expect from you is through an online survey. If you cannot decide where to start then here are some tips that may help you.
Plan ahead
Before jumping in to conduct market research, decide what information you are looking for. Do you want to know how your customers perceive your product or what do they expect from you in the near future? Do you want suggestions from them or want to determine their satisfaction levels?
Short and simple
How would you feel if someone asks you to fill a questionnaire that takes over 20 minutes to complete? You will get bored and leave it halfway. It is true for your customers also. You may feel like asking them many questions, but you should balance the number of questions with the length of the survey. Keep your survey short and simple.
Ideally, it should not take more than five minutes.
Simplification is the rule
As a planner, your hardest task would be to keep the questions simple so that maximum number of respondents understands them. Do not use industry jargon. Stay away from acronyms. The questions should be clear, short and crisp. They must be unambiguous and elicit simple answer such as in ‘yes’ or ‘no’ format.
Keep on track
You had an objective behind the survey and stick to it by designing questions that relate to it only. Do not go off the track because that will generate unnecessary data that will only waste your time and energy, and might reduce the participation rate.
Pay attention to the design
The survey should be well designed so that it intrigues the respondents. It must have a clear introduction that defines your purpose. Explain the parameters and stick to it throughout the survey.
Use more of radio buttons then drop down list, as it would take less time for the respondents to answer the questions. It is also a good idea to include options for “do not know” or “not applicable” as this provides more choice.
Get it tested
Before going online with the survey, test it with your internal employees. Ask for their feedback and incorporate the changes they suggest. Refine your questions and work on the online survey until you are sure about it.
Increase participation
You should consider offering incentives such as prizes to encourage your customers to complete the online survey.
Make it successful
Make plans beforehand to get a good response rate. Let your customers know about the survey and give them an appropriate amount of time to complete it. Keep the survey open for at least two weeks. Reminders can also be sent to the respondents who have not yet completed the online survey; ideally this should be done after the first week.
These tips will help make your online survey successful. Work on the data and come up with positive changes so that your customers know that you value their opinions. ke a detailed plan with your research company and follow it thoroughly.
How to Successfully Design an Online Survey