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Customer Satisfaction Surveys
Posted By: revive-rainmaker on 8/7/2004 3:25 AM (CST) 250 Points
Hello - One of our customers has posed us an interesting challenge - do a customer satisfaction survey in 72 hours and let us know what we need to improve.
The client is an Marketing Solutions Provider and I am basically looking to see what is the best way to do this survey - any standard tool that is available that can be run every 6 months or so. I am looking for some powerful questions that go to the root of the issue and make customers really tell the truth - often I have seen such bland questions that dont really elicit anything.
Any advice. I am aware of companies on the net that can host and analyse my questions but what I am looking for is a set of powerful tested questions.

Posted by: SRyan ;] Member Response
8/7/2004 5:43 AM (CST)
Ramesh, have you used the Search Questions link yet? Try it with the keyword "survey" or "satisfaction." Also look at the hints on that page for using Search, especially the last one regarding Google.

The experts here have made lots of suggestions about survey tools and content for other KHE members. Since you're in a rush (only 72 hours??) and since traffic here on KHE slows down on weekends, I urge you to dive into the Q&A archive immediately!

- Shelley
 
Posted by: Michele Member Response
8/7/2004 10:01 AM (CST)
It is impossible to construct the survey questionnaire, solicit responses, analyse responses and generate strategic recommendations in 72 hours (unless you are surveying a small number of respondents who are dedicated enough to reply in 24 hours using an existing survey instrument).

If speed is the essence, and you are looking at existing customers - consider telephone interviewing or a series of focus groups as the optimum way to gather information.

The benefit of telephone interviews is that you can probe issues to a greater level of depth than online.

The most difficult part of any research exercise is determining the key research question and the survey instrument. This is as much an art as a science, and grabbing some half used questionnaires off the net will not help you ensure that your findings are usable.

Tell your client less haste, more speed.
 
Posted by: virago* Member Response
8/7/2004 8:36 PM (CST)
I agree with Michele, you want solid results for your client in 72 hours, near impossible. You will end out doing half a job with half the results the client wants.

Why does he need it in 72 hours? What's it going to be used for?

If he is unwilling to move this timeframe just point out to him that it will impede the quality of the results.

Make sure you get as much time with him as possible with a good marketing researcher to formulate your questionnaire. Camp at his office for a day to get the information, do the questionnaire, get his/her approval then do telephone interviews. I think this is the only real way to get the information in time.

There are tracking tools that you do every week, month, 3 months or 6 months to see what happens in all facets of your customers and segments. It can be used quite effectively but also very expensive on a regular basis. It works well with high moving segments such as technology. But if you want to organise this in 3 days it's impossible as it requires a thoughtout strategy and question formation.

Hope this helps. Good luck.
 
Posted by: revive-rainmaker Author Response
8/7/2004 10:54 PM (CST)
i have managed to talk the client out of the crazy time frame.
i have also managed to get some insights from questionpro and insightexpress etc.
thanks a lot for all the input...
 
Posted by: greens* Accepted Answer
8/9/2004 4:19 PM (CST)
There is an article in the Harvard Business Review by Frederick F. Reichheld, director emeritus of Boston-based consulting firm Bain & Co. In "The One Number You Need to Know," Reichheld wrote: "If growth is what you're after, you won't learn much from complex measurements of customer satisfaction or retention. You simply need to know what your customers tell their friends about you." He went on, "By substituting a single question for the... typical customer satisfaction survey, companies can actually put... survey results to use and focus employees on the task of stimulating growth."

Reichheld suggested that a "yes" answer to recommending a product or a service to a friend leads to word-of-mouth advertising and can be a powerful marketing tool.

This question can be used as a web survey (if you have a good online consumer databas) in a timely manner.

Read the article for more insight -- you'll be happy you did.
 


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