How can you design questionnaires that accurately reflect customer feedback?

Having clearly defined objectives for research sets the tone and affects everything about the research, especially the questionnaire. The objectives determine the kind of questions to be asked, and how the questionnaire should be structured. It also determines how the data would be used which tells on the kind of data (questions) to be collected and from whom. It could also help in determining that not every participant in the survey will answer the same set of questions.

One of the most important questions researchers can ask before embarking on a project is "how will you use the data?" Understanding what decisions the survey data will inform allows me to think about the project with its end goal in mind. Understanding the end goal and the practical applications of the data provides a clear sense of purpose and helps guide the entire research process.

Designing questionnaires that accurately reflect customer feedback involves strategic considerations. Begin by defining clear objectives and align questions with these goals. Keep the questionnaire concise and focused, ensuring that each question serves a specific purpose. Use a mix of closed-ended and open-ended questions to gather both quantitative and qualitative insights. Frame questions in a neutral and unbiased manner to elicit honest responses. Utilize a logical flow, starting with general topics before delving into more specific details. Incorporate a rating scale for measurable feedback. Pre-test the questionnaire to identify potential issues and refine language for clarity. Remember to egularly update the questionnaire.

If a survey is about customer feedback, you've already set the objectives somewhat, so time to start thinking about the feedback in a more specific way. - Do you want feedback on a product or service? - Do you have more than one product or service that you need to consider? - Will the feedback be connected to the customer journey, or other key moments in the customer experience? - Is the feedback about satisfaction with the product experience? Good customer service? Alignment with their values? Once you have answers to this more detailed reflection, you'll be able to determine the objectives. For example: Evaluate customer satisfaction with our full range of products at the point of purchase and advocacy stages of the customer journey.

The ‘ART OF ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS’ is a hidden super power. In my role as innovation facilitator of 100+ innovation projects, I USE THE TEDI MODEL both in interviews and focus group settings. The right flow of questions can reveal a lot of information. But how do you ask the right questions? Somewhere I read about TEDI. -Tell me about… -Explain… -Describe for me… -If you were x, then what would be your thoughts on y? I like to expand it to TEDI+, as it’s even more powerful when you dare to ask the ‘Why…? Why …? Why …?’ question frequently to dig deeper. Spend 95% of your time exploring the right problem, EINSTEIN advised us ???.

For customer feedback surveys it's important to use questions that will capture metrics for measurement, as well as follow up open ended ended questions that will ensure you fully understand the feedback so you can address it. The simplest example being: Now that you've purchased XYZ, how satisfied are you with product overall? 1-5 What makes you say that? But! There's always an opportunity to include your brand values or pain points to ensure the feedback is useful and engaging for respondents and your stakeholders. Please tell us how much you agree or disagree with the following now that you've purchased XYZ. XYZ is the best choice for a greener home. XYZ has made my morning routine easier.

Any survey or questionnaire should be clear and consise, that's the nature of a survey or questionnaire. In customer feedback questionnaire it's important to isolate for the different areas of feedback, for example, it's really common to see double-barrelled questions that don't allow you to see where the issue is. For example, "How would you rate XYZ's products and services?" vs. "How would you rate your most recent purchase from XYZ?" and "How would you rate your most recent service experience from XYZ?"

If you are conducting research in multiple countries, be careful if using the same scales. While Likert scales are a common and effective way to measure attitudes and opinions, they can be influenced by cultural, linguistic, and contextual differences. For example, what is considered "neutral" or "satisfactory" in one culture may differ in another. Work with local experts or translators to adapt Likert scale items and response options to the cultural and linguistic nuances of each country and consider pilot testing.

Es importante probar el cuestionario; verificar que cubra los objetivos de investigación, que fluya y se entienda. Cuando reviso las respuestas verifico que el tipo de información sea la esperada; no la respuesta específica sino que corresponda al formato de la pregunta. Siempre ir de lo general a lo particular; una pregunta revela o puede sesgar otra. Pedir revisión de expertos es difícil por tiempo, pero el cliente puede ayudar a tener otro punto de vista. Al terminar de aplicar la encuesta, suelo preguntarle al propio encuestado si las preguntas fueron claras y si tiene alguna sugerencia. Una vez listo y aprobado el cuestionario no debe tener más cambios para que sea comparable uno con otro.

Adding checks and balances is also important. Some questions to check for consistency of data are also important. In quantitative research the questionnaire is a locked in document . In qualitative research, it can be a guiding document which can be use as an indicative guide of what to ask. Though you have to be sure that across different researches the questions broadly remain the same, or else you will face difficulty when analysing the results.

Clear and concise questions makes a questionnaire or session(in the case of face-to-face interview) interactive. It saves time, strenght. Questionnaires should not be designed in a way that looks like it is inconsiderate of the respondents time and overall well-being. So that, questionnaires will always get honest feedback.