Companies are trying to find qualitative data to improve their business and this leads them to seek honest customer feedback and opinions. However, research shows that the average customer is easily distracted eight secondsThe US Census Bureau conducts the most extensive business survey in America. Getting feedback is critical because of the important data they provide to make sure business continuity and planning for the future. If you run a business and intend to conduct surveys, there are things to consider first. For example, to avoid bias in responses, you should strictly avoid leading questions. Consider the points below on how you can plan your methods of gathering feedback before releasing it into the public domain.
- The wording of your question should be neutral
Neutrally worded questions reduce the risk of leading statements. For example, if you want to determine whether consumers are contented with your product, avoid structuring your question like this: “Did you like our new product?” A better option would be, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this new product?” The hallmark of this carefully framed question is the boundless opening it offers people when they express an accurate perception of your product. Otherwise known as MaxDiff analysisYou will have the ability to form an honest opinion without the risk of response bias.
- Offer a complete list of answers
In most professional business surveys, it isn’t enough to give the usual set of YES or NO answers. Please note that your respondent may not have an affirmative answer that falls within the strict set of options you provide. Therefore, to avoid or reduce biased responses, offer a comprehensive and complete set of answers. For example, ‘I do not know; Not from any of the above; Other; etc. is the best way to get an honest response. Sometimes, your respondents are unintentionally biased. However, your limited answer choices force them to check what they think best describes their response.
- Organize your survey
Business surveys with a coherent structure contribute to the ability of respondents to understand what is anticipated of them. Do the questions in the survey follow a pattern? Also, do subsequent questions build on previous questions? All of these careful considerations will determine the results of your survey. However, a haphazard arrangement of questions (digital or on paper) is likely to discourage people. Remember that carefully structured surveys lead to a better positive experience amongst respondents. More importantly, it reduces the chance of response bias.
- Consider the demographics
There are situations where it becomes necessary to consider the demographics of the respondents you are attempting to reach. In other words, respondents outside of you desired demographic won’t be sufficiently appropriate for its intended purpose. For example, your demographics could be set to include the following: workers, or people between the ages of 35 and 45 with an expected level of education. Therefore, any respondent outside of the specifics highlighted could skew the results.
In conclusion, since the results from a customer feedback survey are meant for serious purposes, it is essential to go the extra mile to organize the process properly. In essence, what you put in, is what you’ll get out of it.
