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If you’re looking for a DIY approach to survey building, we know that sometimes it’s difficult to come up with a great customer satisfaction survey without resorting to boring templates you can find online. These are useful, but to really create something that will make a difference for your business, we think you have to scout around and find out what the best businesses and retailers out there are doing.
Of course, we’d recommend working with *ahem* an expert, but we know that not everyone wants to make that initial investment…
That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the best survey examples: take a quick look at ten customer satisfaction surveys that will make you think twice, and maybe incorporate some of their ideas into the survey you’re working on. Each one has something going for it which can really make your survey better.
In no particular order:
First we’ve picked this survey from the U.S. retailer Walmart. While the website visuals leave a little bit to be desired, it highlights something really important: right at the beginning of the survey there is the option to pick which language you want to complete the survey in. With our surveys, you can tailor even further. We integrate your customer data into our platform, so the survey will appear in the correct language from the start – essential if you’re working in a country like the US which has such a high proportion of Spanish speakers.
Second, we’ve picked U.K. grocer Sainsbury’s survey. Their specific website, tellsainsburyssurvey.com, sports an impressive 1.2 million recommendations on Facebook – so presumably they have a lot of responses to sift through. The best thing about this survey though is the way they give you open ended questions, not just ‘out-of-10’ ratings. ‘What was good about your visit today?’ leaves the door open for a response you could never see coming with prescribed questions.
Next we’ve picked a survey from the UKECC, the UK European Consumer Centre. While they won’t get as many responses as an Walmart or a WHSmith, the UKECC have done something clever with their survey. Towards the beginning, they’ve put a section where the respondent outlines ‘reasons for contacting’. This allows the UKECC to sort their responses by this metric, giving them more specific data should they need it.
Back to supermarkets, we have Asda. This survey highlights a very simple tool to make more people respond to your survey: offer a reward! This Asda survey offers a £1000 prize just for entering, and like always the survey only takes a few minutes. Offering a prize really takes advantage of that ‘why not’ attitude, which is all-important – because if you don’t, it will be likely that the only people responding are people who want to complain.
This survey, set up through Surveymonkey for HMV, is not as well-tailored as some of the others on this list, but there are still positives in it. It really highlights the importance of asking specific questions to get the data you need. HMV has been struggling recently and has poor ratings for customer satisfaction, and this survey is trying to find out why. It asks whether their goods are too expensive, and in another question asks about the importance of illegal downloading to respondents. With the answers to these questions, they could try to implement new policies and revive their old famous brand.
Again, Argos have an offsite survey, i.e. not on their regular website, something which is quite common among UK businesses. Unlike others though, the Argos survey has something pretty unique, although depending on your business you may not be able to implement it. Like other surveys the respondent is required to input a receipt number to prove that the survey is genuine; but unlike others, the Argos receipt also has a till number, meaning that in the event if a major complaint (or positive point!), the shop can easily identify the employee in question.
Apple (as you would expect) have a snazzy section on their website for their customer satisfaction survey, done in their own particular style. Apart from the usual questions, Apple have also included a few questions which actually help them with their sales, for instance: ‘Are you aware that you can upgrade your contract or activate an iPhone on a rate plan with a mobile carrier directly at the Apple Store?’. With these questions Apple surreptitiously sells their own products in the middle of a survey!
The Tesco survey is very much what you expect to find, but don’t let that fool you – it is well put together. Tesco have lots of questions – ranging from stock availability to whether the staff were dressed presentably – but phrasing these questions correctly is of the utmost importance. Take care when you craft your questions!
Hilton are perhaps one of the most recognisable brands in the world. They rely on top-notch service to keep their brand stellar. So it’s no surprise that their survey feedback form is excellent. Where other sites have page after page of questions, Hilton have kept it simple, keeping it to one page and only asking a few detailed questions. Of course being detailed can be a good thing – but for a customer filling out a survey, nothing is more of a turn-off than 20 long-winded open-ended questions – they won’t even bother finishing!
Last but not least is this survey from Oddbins, U.K. alcohol retailer. The survey itself is rather normal – but the prize isn’t! Unlike 90% of other surveys whose prize is some voucher or other, Oddbins give away a premium bottle of champagne to their customers! This is a contested point in the world of surveys – we would argue that if you work with an expert to make your survey relevant, targetted and concise, there should be no need for costly prizes. However, it’s a tip worth bearing in mind if you’re going DIY!
Read all that and think you’d like to explore the expert option? We’re here to help! Email us for a cost effective and high quality solution.
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