Customer Management System - Measuring Customer Satisfaction in a Survey

Measuring Customer Satisfaction in a Survey

Best Practices in Client Feedback Questionnaire Design

The purpose of a customer feedback questionnaire is to measure the level of customer satisfaction with a product, service, or brand. Yet measuring how a company is failing to meet its clients' expectations and pinpointing areas for improvement is problematic if the client satisfaction survey design is flawed. A well-designed questionnaire can make all the difference. Falling back on customer feedback survey software or free questionnaire templates will only get a researcher partway there.

Customize the Client Feedback Template to the Company

A free template available online might be easy and convenient, but it may not yield the desired targeted, actionable data in its raw form. If starting with a pre-made customer feedback template, treat it as a sample of the general style to use, then go from there. Customize the form to match the company's goals in soliciting customer feedback.

General, non-targeted questions asking about customer satisfaction, such as those asked in survey templates, have limited use. The more specific and focused the questions, the greater the chance the questionnaire will result in getting complete and honest answers, and the more actionable the resultant data on customer satisfaction is likely to be.

Identify Goals to Determine the Best Survey Question Design

Figure out what the company wants to measure from the survey. Focus not only on the questions to be answered, but also on the general aim. For instance, is this to be a preliminary questionnaire, aimed more for discovery than action? Since the respondents' answers to questions will be used to launch more extensive, targeted research, then follow these best practices:

• Limit leading questions. The goal is to tap customers' ideas, not bias them.
• Include frequent write-in sections.
• Offer plenty of opt-out responses (such as "other"), with open space to elaborate.
• Use simple sentence structure so the question doesn't confuse the survey respondent.
• Plan to give respondents a wide window of time to complete the survey.

Or, alternatively, is this survey aiming to be actionable, a basis for implementing change? The questionnaire should seek to extract specific, definitive answers and follow these general guidelines:

• Limit write-in opportunities.
• Use multiple choice questions.
• Write tightly focused survey questions.
• Design the survey to be balanced and comprehensive to assure its usefulness and accuracy.
• Design survey questions relevant to the potential action.

Use Unbiased Language in the Customer Feedback Survey Questions

A common mistake in customer satisfaction surveys is to word questions with biased language. Use neutral terms in order not to slant the responses in one direction or another.

• Use language that does not presuppose the survey taker is of a certain race, nationality, religion, creed, age, sexual preference, or gender. (Use "Does your spouse or partner use our product?" instead of "Does your husband use our product?")
• Avoid asking leading questions. (Use "What do you like about our product?" rather than "Do you like our product?" )
• Avoid complex sentence structure. Keep words and syntax simple so the survey questions don't confuse the respondent.
• Use clear language that doesn't leave room for multiple interpretations.

Ask for Positive Feedback from Clients, Too

In measuring customer satisfaction with a product or service, survey designers can be so focused on figuring out the problems that they neglect to ask what's working, what customers like, and what the company is doing right. Identifying the positives can inform companies of what not to change, so they don't lose existing customers while acquiring new ones

Aim for Acceptable Survey Response Rates

Survey data is only as good as the sample size. Use incentives to encourage survey participation. Convey to respondents that participating in the survey means they're getting their voices heard--especially good advice when soliciting employee participation in a staff satisfaction survey.

Gain trust. It's part of best practices to disclose to the survey respondents that feedback answers might be used in testimonials. Assure the confidentiality of the respondents' identities and answers. Use media that's convenient, and give respondents a choice of how to respond, if possible- whether in an online survey, by telephone, or via email.

Follow FTC Guidelines

Federal Trade Commission guidelines for the use of testimonials and endorsements revised in 2009 may affect how a business uses the write-in and quantitative results of its client feedback survey in promotion efforts, such as with testimonials or claims of success. Become familiar with the guidelines designed to protect consumers from advertising fraud.

Evaluate the Customer Service Questionnaire on Several Fronts

Client feedback is very valuable. But bad questionnaire design means bad data and possibly big mistakes ahead. Measuring customer satisfaction accurately is a matter of articulating market research goals, using good survey design principles, choosing the language of the survey questions carefully, and assuring a large enough sample of data to work with. Do all this, and increase the chances of getting honest customer feedback that can help a brand, product or service succeed.

© 2009 Karen Proctor

Read more at Suite101: Measuring Customer Satisfaction in a Survey: Best Practices in Client Feedback Questionnaire Design http://marketingpr.suite101.com/article.cfm/measuring_customer_satisfaction_in_a_survey#ixzz0tLk8IVDu