How to Gather Customer Data through a questionnaire?
Let us learn how to gather customer data. A well-defined goals are the best way to assure a good questionnaire design. When the goals of a study can be expressed in a few clear and concise sentences, the design of the questionnaire becomes considerably easier.
To effectively conduct a customer survey through a questionnaire, follow these guidelines:
- Keep your questionnaire short because long questionnaires get fewer responses when compared to short questionnaires.
- Include experts and relevant decision makers in the questionnaire design process.
- Formulate a plan for doing the statistical analysis during the design stage of the project.
- Questionnaires reflect first impressions. The respondents first impressions come from the cover letter. Provide a well-written cover letter.
- Give your questionnaire a title that is short and meaningful to the respondents.
- Include clear and concise instructions on how to complete the questionnaire.
- Use short sentences and basic vocabulary.
- Begin with a few interesting items. If the first items are too boring, there is little chance that the questionnaire will be completed.
- Use simple and direct language in the questions so they are clearly understood by the respondents.
- Leave adequate space for respondents to make comments. One criticism of questionnaires is their inability to retain the connotation of responses.
- Place the most important items in the first half of the questionnaire.
- Hold the respondents’ interest. One way to keep a questionnaire interesting is to use a variety of questions.
- Provide incentives as a motivation for a properly completed questionnaire.
- Make it convenient. The easier the questionnaire, the better the response.
- Use professional production methods for the questionnaire, such as desktop publishing.
- The final test of a questionnaire is to try it on representatives of the target audience to identify any problem areas.
