Are Your Customer Satisfaction Surveys Hurting More Than Helping?

Customer satisfaction surveys can be an incredible tool. When done right, they provide insights to improve your service and enhance customer loyalty. But when they fail—whether due to technical glitches or poor design—they can frustrate your customers and undermine the very satisfaction you’re trying to measure.

This week, I encountered two broken surveys. One wouldn’t submit, and the other had missing fields. In both cases, I went from being a satisfied customer to doubting the organisation’s attention to detail. A poorly functioning survey can undo the goodwill you’ve worked hard to build.

The Survey Success Process: Steps to Optimise and Monitor Customer Satisfaction Surveys

1. Define a Clear Purpose - Know what you’re trying to achieve. Are you measuring overall satisfaction or seeking feedback on a specific service? Keep your questions focused and relevant.
2. Test Rigorously - Test your survey across devices, browsers, and platforms. Use internal testers or a small customer beta group to ensure it works as intended. Pay attention to small details like button functionality and confirmation messages.
3. Make it Mobile-Friendly - With over 60% of surveys completed on mobile, your survey must be responsive and easy to complete on any device.
4. Keep It Short - Aim for 5–10 focused questions. Use a progress bar to set expectations and reduce drop-offs.
5. Include an Open-Ended Question - End with an open-ended question, like “Is there anything else you’d like to share?”. This allows customers to provide raw, unscripted feedback you may not have considered.
6. Monitor Performance - Use tools to track completion rates and flag anomalies, such as sudden drop-offs. Set up alerts for errors like failed submissions or timeouts.
7. Show Gratitude - Send a thank-you message or email post-survey. A small token of appreciation—a discount code or giveaway entry—can boost completion rates and leave customers feeling valued.
8. Analyse and Take Action - Use the insights to make meaningful changes and, where possible, communicate those changes back to your customers. Let them see how their feedback impacts your business.
9. Iterate Regularly - Customer needs evolve, so periodically update your survey to reflect new priorities and challenges.

Why Open Questions Matter

Open-ended questions provide a goldmine of qualitative data. They allow your customers to express concerns or ideas you might not have considered. For example, one user might suggest a feature that could appeal to a larger audience, or flag an issue that’s flown under the radar.

These insights can help you move beyond just fixing problems to discovering new opportunities.

The Risk of Not Testing

Without thorough testing, even the best-intentioned survey can backfire:

• Technical Errors: Broken submission buttons or missing fields frustrate users.
• Ambiguity: Poorly worded questions lead to confusion and incomplete data.
• Accessibility Issues: Surveys that aren’t mobile-optimised alienate a significant portion of users.

A Better Way

Make your surveys a value-add experience. For example:

• Frame them as a way to improve not just your service, but the entire customer experience.
• Use incentives strategically to encourage responses without cheapening the brand.

Final Thought

Your survey process reflects your brand’s care and attention to detail. A polished, functional survey reassures customers that their feedback is valued—and a broken one does the opposite.

If you want to optimise your customer satisfaction process—or any part of your funnel—send me a message. Let’s turn insights into actions that grow your business.