Setting up a customer satisfaction survey

Questionnaires and interviews are part of a customer satisfaction survey, but writing a strong survey starts earlier. Sometimes customers choose a competitor for reasons you did not see coming. If you want to understand those choices, you need more than gut feeling. You need a customer satisfaction survey that is prepared well, because better preparation leads to better results.

Setting up a customer satisfaction survey: four steps to make first

When you start exploring customer surveys, you want to take action fast. You think of a questionnaire. Maybe even interviews. The questions are already forming in your head. Keep that energy, but slow down for a moment. A questionnaire is only one part of the job. A successful customer satisfaction survey begins with four clear decisions.

Setting up a customer satisfaction survey

Once you have made these four decisions, you can build a solid questionnaire. But even then, your survey is only just getting started. After you have drafted the questionnaire and communicated clearly internally, phase two of a successful survey begins. Want the full picture of the four phases of successful customer surveys in B2B? You will find it in the free checklist.

1. Define the goal

Your goal determines everything. The method, the content, and the format all follow from it. So start here: what is the goal of this survey? Customeyes typically sees three broad goals. An accountability survey is descriptive. You do it because you need to meet a requirement, for example for ISO certification, and the key outcome is a satisfaction score. An improvement survey goes further. You want to know what can be better in your service, and you want results that lead to concrete improvement actions. An innovation survey looks ahead. You explore what customers will expect in the long term, so you can stay relevant. The outcome is often new products, new services, or a smarter way of delivering what you already offer.

2. Involve the right colleagues

In practice, many customer satisfaction surveys aim for change. If you want your results to help move the organisation, involve the right people early. Create support before you measure anything. The right colleagues depend on your goal. If you expect changes on the operational or production side, bring those teams into the project group from the start.

3. Choose the right method

How will you ask customers for feedback? With a questionnaire, in depth interviews, or a combination? The right method depends on your goal and your target group. For an accountability survey, a quantitative approach can be enough. Customers use a questionnaire to rate specific parts of your product or service. If you are running an improvement or innovation survey, you usually need to dig deeper. Qualitative surveying through real life in depth interviews can give you that depth, but it takes more time and effort. Sometimes the smartest choice is a mix of both methods.

4. Define the target group

Which customer groups will your survey focus on? Different groups need different questions. Think about small customers versus large customers, and new customers versus long term customers. How many people you invite depends on your goal and your method. A questionnaire typically involves more respondents than a qualitative approach.