Focus on attributes of products and services that bear most directly on
customer satisfaction. Rank attributes on a continuum starting
with "essential to customer retention" (core product/service
requirements) and ranging to "likely to spark repeat business and
referrals."
Clearly define
objectives using pre-survey testing. This testing determines
threshold values for satisfaction attributes on the continuum.
Keep it simple. Your customers should easily understand what you are trying to achieve
in the survey.
Make it relevant to your customers. Do not load
up the survey with esoteric questions.
Focus on determining services and/or products of
highest perceived value to customers.
Ask what they like and dislike about your company,
and ask for improvement suggestions.
Not too long. If a consumer
telephone survey, limit it to 10-12 minutes. For executives, 25 minutes should be
the max. If a mail survey, do not expect to keep people's attention for more than 5
minutes (especially if you want reasonably honest responses).
Offer incentives. Survey
respondents must have a compelling reason to cooperate. Cash incentives (including
drawings) work best with consumers. Executives respond well to offers of
information.
Use highly professional interviewers,
if a telephone survey. Make sure to train interviewers in technical terms.
They should not sound scripted.
Carefully test all survey instruments.
Make sure all skip patterns are smooth and logical.
For open-ended questions, interviewers
must record responses verbatim. Code and tabulate these written responses with
specialized clerical staff.
Highly skilled analysts should examine survey data and identify
product/service areas in need of immediate remedial attention for
customer retention, areas where minor improvements will bring
significant customer repeat business and referrals, and areas relatively
unimportant to customer satisfaction and retention.
Analysts should present detailed action recommendations, including
improvement suggestions.
Consider outsourcing the survey.
Use of an experienced market research firm builds credibility among customers and
enhances data reliability and value.
Customer
Surveys 