So, you’ve probably heard the term “feedback survey” floating around, right? Administering feedback surveys is a bit like having a conversation between a business and its customers but in written form and a little more structured.
Feedback surveys are usually given after someone uses a product, attends an event, or experiences a service. The questions aim to find out what the person liked or didn’t like. This way, the person or company that gave the survey can make improvements based on what people say.
This blog will further dive into why we need a feedback survey, how to create one, and the advantages.
ALSO FEEDBACK: Growth Made Easy: Best Employee Feedback Templates to UseWhat is a Feedback Survey?
In short, a feedback survey is a tool for gathering opinions and experiences directly from the people who matter most: the users or participants. So next time you get a feedback survey, remember: it’s your chance to have a say!
For example, after staying at a hotel, you might get a survey asking about your stay. Was the room clean? Was the staff friendly? Did you enjoy breakfast? Your answers will help the hotel know what they’re doing well and what they need to work on.
That’s what a feedback survey is all about – learning from people’s experiences to make things better. It’s like a report card for businesses or services!
Why Administering Feedback Surveys Are Important?
Feedback surveys are super important for many reasons. Here are five simple points with examples to explain why:
Understand Your Customers
Administering feedback surveys helps you get inside the minds of your customers.
For example, a restaurant can use a survey to determine what diners think about their food, service, and atmosphere. The more you understand what your customers think and want, the better you can meet their needs.
Improve Your Products or Services
By asking customers what they like or don’t like about your product or service, you can find ways to make it better.
Let’s say you sell a kitchen gadget, and your survey reveals that customers find it hard to clean. With this information, you could improve the design to make it easier to clean in the next model.
Measure Customer Satisfaction
Surveys can help you find out how happy your customers are.
A company that offers online courses might send a survey at the end of a course asking students to rate their experience. If the ratings are high, great! If not, the company knows it needs to make changes to improve.
Gather Ideas
Feedback surveys are a great way to get new ideas.
Maybe you own a clothing store, and a customer suggests in a survey that you should carry a new brand. This could open up a whole new line of products for your store that you hadn’t considered before.
Show Customers You Care
Just by asking for feedback, you’re showing customers that their opinions matter. This can make them feel valued and more likely to stay loyal to your business.
For instance, a gym could send out a survey asking members what they think of the new fitness classes. Members will appreciate that their gym cares about their thoughts and experiences.
ALSO FEEDBACK: Employee Feedback for Growth: Top Questions to IncludeSteps to Administering Feedback Surveys
Creating a feedback survey that engages participants while maintaining brand identity can be complex. Here’s a detailed guide to help you administer feedback survey:
- Define the Objective of Your Survey:
The first step in creating an engaging feedback survey is to have a clear goal. What information are you trying to collect from your customers?
The answers to these questions will help guide the creation of your survey. Your objectives may range from understanding customer satisfaction levels, to identifying potential product improvements, to gauging overall user experience.
- Design an ‘On-Brand’ Survey:
To ensure your survey aligns with your brand, incorporate your brand’s colors, logo, and language style into the survey. Your survey should feel like an extension of your business. This will create an engaging experience for your customers, making them more likely to complete the survey.
- Choose the Right Questions:
Your survey should focus only on the essential questions that align with the motive of your survey. Avoid asking irrelevant questions. Keep your questions simple and clear, avoiding any jargon or complex language.
Questions can be open-ended for qualitative feedback or closed-ended for quantitative data. The type of question you choose will depend on the information you want to collect. Mix and match different question types like multiple-choice, Likert scale, and open text boxes to keep the survey engaging.
- Sequence the Questions Logically:
The order of your questions matters. Start with easy and general questions to warm up the respondent, then move on to more specific or sensitive ones.
The survey should feel more like a conversation than an interrogation. Also, similar questions should be grouped to make the survey easier to complete.
- Reach the Right Customer Journey Milestones:
This means you should consider where the customer is in their journey with your brand. Is this feedback from a new customer? A loyal, long-term one? Tailor your questions to suit their experience. This also influences when and how you should send out the survey.
- Test Your Survey:
Before you send your survey to customers, test it internally. This allows you to catch any mistakes and ensure that it works correctly. Test it on different devices to ensure it’s fully responsive and mobile-friendly.
- Distribute Your Survey:
You have a variety of channels through which you can distribute your survey. These include email, social media, your website, or even in person at your business location. The right channel depends on where your customers are most active and engaged.
- Analyze the Feedback:
After you’ve collected responses, it’s time to analyze the feedback. Look for trends and common themes among the responses.
What are customers satisfied with? Where do they think you could improve? The feedback you collect is valuable data that can help you make strategic business decisions.
- Take Action and Follow-Up:
It’s crucial to take action based on the feedback you receive. This could mean making changes to your products or services, retraining staff, or improving user experiences. After you’ve made changes, let your customers know. They’ll appreciate that their feedback was heard and acted upon.
Conclusion
Administering feedback surveys can be a powerful tool for improvement and growth. It allows for open dialogue and gives those using your product or service a voice.
However, designing these surveys thoughtfully is crucial, ensuring the questions are clear and actionable.
