Are the results always accurate? 
 …Sometimes accurate? 
 …At all accurate? 
 Are there “hidden pockets of customer discontent” that a survey overlooks?
 Can the survey information be trusted enough to take major action with confidence?

As the examples above show, different survey designs, methodologies and population characteristics will dramatically alter the results of a survey. Therefore, it behoves a company to make absolutely certain that their survey process is accurate enough to generate a true representation of their customers’ opinions. Failing to do so, there is no way the company can use the results for precise action planning.

The characteristics of a survey’s design, and the data collection methodologies employed to conduct the survey

INTRODUCTION

CRM is based on the premise that, by having a better understanding of the customers’ needs and desires we can keep them longer and sell more to them.

InfoQuest performed a statistical analysis of Customer Satisfaction data encompassing the findings of over 20,000 customer surveys conducted in 40 countries by InfoQuest.

The conclusions of the study were: -

A Totally Satisfied Customer contributes 2.6 times as much revenue to a company as a Somewhat Satisfied Customer.

A Totally Satisfied Customer contributes 14 times as much revenue as a Somewhat Dissatisfied Customer.

A Totally Dissatisfied Customer decreases revenue at a rate equal to 1.8 times what a Totally Satisfied Customer contributes to a business.

Consider the following situations…

A large, international hotel chain wanted to attract more business travellers. They decided to conduct a customer satisfaction survey to find out what they needed to improve their services for this type of guest. A written survey was placed in each room and guests were asked to fill it out. However, when the survey period was complete, the hotel found that the only people who had filled in the surveys were children and their grandparents!

WHY?

Business travellers don’t have the time or the interest in participating in this kind of survey!

A large manufacturing company conducted the first year of what was designed to be an annual customer satisfaction survey. The first year, the satisfaction score was 94%. The second year, with the same basic survey topics, but using another survey vendor, the satisfaction score dropped to 64%. Ironically, at the same time, their overall revenues doubled!

WHY?

The questions were simpler and phrased differently.
 The order of the questions was different. 
 The format of the survey was different.
 The targeted respondents were at a different management level.
 The Overall Satisfaction question was placed at the end of the survey.

Although all customer satisfaction surveys are used for gathering peoples’ opinions, survey designs vary dramatically in length, content and format. Analysis techniques may utilize a wide variety of charts, graphs and narrative interpretations. Companies often use a survey to test their business strategies, and many base their entire business plan upon their survey’s results. BUT…troubling questions often emerge.

Are the results always accurate? 
 …Sometimes accurate? 
 …At all accurate? 
 Are there “hidden pockets of customer discontent” that a survey overlooks?
 Can the survey information be trusted enough to take major action with confidence?

As the examples above show, different survey designs, methodologies and population characteristics will dramatically alter the results of a survey. Therefore, it behoves a company to make absolutely certain that their survey process is accurate enough to generate a true representation of their customers’ opinions. Failing to do so, there is no way the company can use the results for precise action planning.

The characteristics of a survey’s design, and the data collection methodologies employed to conduct the survey,

InfoQuest performed a statistical analysis of Customer Satisfaction data encompassing the findings of over 20,000 customer surveys conducted in 40 countries by InfoQuest.

The conclusions of the study were: -

A Totally Satisfied Customer contributes 2.6 times as much revenue to a company as a Somewhat Satisfied Customer.

A Totally Satisfied Customer contributes 14 times as much revenue as a Somewhat Dissatisfied Customer.

A Totally Dissatisfied Customer decreases revenue at a rate equal to 1.8 times what a Totally Satisfied Customer contributes to a business.

Consider the following situations…

A large, international hotel chain wanted to attract more business travellers. They decided to conduct a customer satisfaction survey to find out what they needed to improve their services for this type of guest. A written survey was placed in each room and guests were asked to fill it out. However, when the survey period was complete, the hotel found that the only people who had filled in the surveys were children and their grandparents!

WHY?

Business travellers don’t have the time or the interest in participating in this kind of survey!

A large manufacturing company conducted the first year of what was designed to be an annual customer satisfaction survey. The first year, the satisfaction score was 94%. The second year, with the same basic survey topics, but using another survey vendor, the satisfaction score dropped to 64%. Ironically, at the same time, their overall revenues doubled!

WHY?

The questions were simpler and phrased differently.
 The order of the questions was different. 
 The format of the survey was different.
 The targeted respondents were at a different management level.
 The Overall Satisfaction question was placed at the end of the survey.

Although all customer satisfaction surveys are used for gathering peoples’ opinions, survey designs vary dramatically in length, content and format. Analysis techniques may utilize a wide variety of charts, graphs and narrative interpretations. Companies often use a survey to test their business strategies, and many base their entire business plan upon their survey’s results. BUT…troubling questions often emerge.

Are the results always accurate? 
 …Sometimes accurate? 
 …At all accurate? 
 Are there “hidden pockets of customer discontent” that a survey overlooks?
 Can the survey information be trusted enough to take major action with confidence?

As the examples above show, different survey designs, methodologies and population characteristics will dramatically alter the results of a survey. Therefore, it behoves a company to make absolutely certain that their survey process is accurate enough to generate a true representation of their customers’ opinions. Failing to do so, there is no way the company can use the results for precise action planning.

The characteristics of a survey’s design, and the data collection methodologies employed to conduct the survey

WHY?

Business travellers don’t have the time or the interest in participating in this kind of survey!

A large manufacturing company conducted the first year of what was designed to be an annual customer satisfaction survey. The first year, the satisfaction score was 94%. The second year, with the same basic survey topics, but using another survey vendor, the satisfaction score dropped to 64%. Ironically, at the same time, their overall revenues doubled!

WHY?

The questions were simpler and phrased differently.
 The order of the questions was different. 
 The format of the survey was different.
 The targeted respondents were at a different management level.
 The Overall Satisfaction question was placed at the end of the survey.

Although all customer satisfaction surveys are used for gathering peoples’ opinions, survey designs vary dramatically in length, content and format. Analysis techniques may utilize a wide variety of charts, graphs and narrative interpretations. Companies often use a survey to test their business strategies, and many base their entire business plan upon their survey’s results. BUT…troubling questions often emerge.

Are the results always accurate? 
 …Sometimes accurate? 
 …At all accurate? 
 Are there “hidden pockets of customer discontent” that a survey overlooks?
 Can the survey information be trusted enough to take major action with confidence?

As the examples above show, different survey designs, methodologies and population characteristics will dramatically alter the results of a survey. Therefore, it behoves a company to make absolutely certain that their survey process is accurate enough to generate a true representation of their customers’ opinions. Failing to do so, there is no way the company can use the results for precise action planning.

The characteristics of a survey’s design, and the data collection methodologies employed to conduct the survey

WHY?

The questions were simpler and phrased differently.
 The order of the questions was different. 
 The format of the survey was different.
 The targeted respondents were at a different management level.
 The Overall Satisfaction question was placed at the end of the survey.

Although all customer satisfaction surveys are used for gathering peoples’ opinions, survey designs vary dramatically in length, content and format. Analysis techniques may utilize a wide variety of charts, graphs and narrative interpretations. Companies often use a survey to test their business strategies, and many base their entire business plan upon their survey’s results. BUT…troubling questions often emerge.

Are the results always accurate? 
 …Sometimes accurate? 
 …At all accurate? 
 Are there “hidden pockets of customer discontent” that a survey overlooks?
 Can the survey information be trusted enough to take major action with confidence?

As the examples above show, different survey designs, methodologies and population characteristics will dramatically alter the results of a survey. Therefore, it behoves a company to make absolutely certain that their survey process is accurate enough to generate a true representation of their customers’ opinions. Failing to do so, there is no way the company can use the results for precise action planning.

The characteristics of a survey’s design, and the data collection methodologies employed to conduct the survey

Are the results always accurate? 
 …Sometimes accurate? 
 …At all accurate? 
 Are there “hidden pockets of customer discontent” that a survey overlooks?
 Can the survey information be trusted enough to take major action with confidence?

As the examples above show, different survey designs, methodologies and population characteristics will dramatically alter the results of a survey. Therefore, it behoves a company to make absolutely certain that their survey process is accurate enough to generate a true representation of their customers’ opinions. Failing to do so, there is no way the company can use the results for precise action planning.

The characteristics of a survey’s design, and the data collection methodologies employed to conduct the survey, require careful forethought to ensure comprehensive, accurate, and correct results. The discussion on the next page summarizes several key “rules of thumb” that must be adhered to if a survey is to become a company’s most valued strategic business tool.

QUESTION TYPES

Survey questions should be categorized into three types:

Overall Satisfaction question – “How satisfied are you overall with XYZ Company?”

Key Attributes – satisfaction with key areas of business, e.g. Sales, Marketing, Operations, etc.

Drill Down – satisfaction with issues that are unique to each attribute, and upon which action may be taken to directly remedy that Key Attribute’s issues.

The Overall Satisfaction question is placed at the end of the survey so that its answer will be affected by a more in depth thinking, allowing respondents to have first considered answers to other questions.

o QUESTION DESIGN

A survey, if constructed properly, will yield a wealth of information. The following design elements should be taken into account:

First, the survey must be kept to a reasonable length. Over 60 questions in a written survey will become tiring. Anything over 8-12 questions begins taxing the patience of participants in a phone survey.

Second, the questions should utilize simple sentences with short words.

Third, questions should ask for an opinion on only one topic at a time. For example, the question, “how satisfied are you with our products and services?” cannot be effectively answered because a respondent may have conflicting opinions on products versus services.

Fourth, superlatives such as “excellent” or “very” should not be used in questions. Such words tend to lead a respondent toward an opinion.

Fifth, “feel good” questions yield subjective answers on which little specific action can be taken. For example, the question “how do you feel about XYZ company’s industry position?” produces responses that are of no practical value in terms of improving an operation.

o THE PERILS OF PAPER

Though the fill-in-the-dots format is one of the most common types of survey, there are significant flaws, which can discredit the results. For example, all prior answers are visible, which leads to comparisons with current questions, undermining candour. Second, some respondents subconsciously tend to look for symmetry in their responses and become guided by the pattern of their responses, not their true feelings. Third, because paper surveys are typically categorized into topic sections, a respondent is more apt to fill down a column of dots within a category while giving little consideration to each question. Some INTERNET surveys, constructed in the same “dots” format, often lead to the same tendencies, particularly if inconvenient sideways scrolling is necessary to answer a question.

In a survey conducted by Xerox Corporation, over one third of all responses were discarded because the participants had clearly run down the columns in each category rather than carefully considering each question.

o TELEPHONE SURVEYS Though a telephone survey yields a more ac