A satisfaction survey respects the same rules as those of a market study.
However, two specific parameters must be taken into account while drafting this type of survey. Firstly, the sources of satisfaction must be well-defined, then, the organizing and the structure of the questionnaire must be carefully studied.
The three principle sources of satisfaction: the customer, the company and the competitors
The customer expectations very rarely succeed in covering up all the objectives that should consider the study.
This is why, it is recommended to include three study factors in the questionnaire that will allow to encircle the customer’s overall satisfaction:
– The customer – the expectations exploration phase, carried out prior to preparing the study, allows to gain a clear cut apprehension on his specific needs and objectives. The questions related to this subject, once joint into the questionnaire, will allow to bring forward foreground tracks of improvement.
– The company – The performance quality, the service and the axes of improvement should be thoroughly defined
– The competitors – Comparing the level of performance of a product or a service to the competitors ones.
The structure of the questionnaire
The structure is basically stood upon three levels:
– The Overall satisfaction – this allows to define the general satisfaction of all the proposed products or services,
– Areas of satisfaction – The major points of satisfaction are determined here. For example, the quality of the welcome or the internal signage could be evaluated … The choice of such areas to be evaluated will depend on the strategy of the company or the organization,
– Sources of satisfaction – customer satisfaction with regard to supplied products or services is evaluated. For example, the staff availability or even the satisfaction criteria of a product can be put into evaluation…
This structural model define the order of the questions in the study based on the following manner:
1) Filters question – they allow to identify the people questioned and justify that they belong to this sample,
2) Questions that lead to evaluate the knowledge and the use of products or services in the organization,
3) Questions to measure the customer’s overall satisfaction towards the product or the services of the company,
4) Questions that evaluate the various areas of satisfaction, or, the major points of satisfaction,
5) Questions that evaluate the weight of the satisfaction, or, the criteria of satisfaction on products or services,
6) Questions on the habits of use,
7) Questions regarding their intentions of using the company’s products or services (this means “the declared loyalty “),
8) Questions regarding their intentions to recommend or not, the company’s products or services.
Towards the end, the information concerning the respondent and if necessary, the client company is gathered.
It is recommended to verify one’s study before broadcasting it onto the sample that we wish to question. This allows to recheck for any errors, left unnoticed, and detect any repetitions of certain questions for more clarity.
Publishing one’s satisfaction survey on the internet simply allows to broadcast at a lower cost, conveniently and faster.
Read the french version
Comment faire un questionnaire de satisfaction ?, click here