Most questionnaires aren't worth the paper they're printed on because they're designed to elicit only positive responses. Companies are afraid to ask the hard questions - the ones they really need answers to.
Recently my youngest daughter, who lives 400 miles away, needed car insurance, so I decided to try an online insurance site. It took 20 minutes just to fill out the application form the way the site demanded it. I definitely didn't find their slogan, 'where you and your insurance really click,' to be an accurate expression of my experience.
Since the initial quotes seemed pretty high, I didn't accept any of the offers. Several hours later I received an e-mail offer that was lower, but I wasn't impressed enough to buy. The following day, the site improved their offer, so I asked to have an agent contact me. The agent, a very pleasant young man, called and took detailed information over the phone. Due to a prior violation that my daughter had, he said he'd have to do some research and call me back with a firm quotation in an hour or two - which turned out to be two days.
In the meantime, I called my personal agent and asked him to write the policy for my daughter, even though she was out of the area. It took all of about 10 minutes for him to find the right coverage at the right price and fax over the paperwork.
I figured that was the end of the story until I received an electronic customer survey form from the site almost a month later. Some of their questions exemplify the classic self-serving questionnaire:
- How would you describe your experience shopping for auto insurance on the site? Answers ranged from very positive to not sure, with no possibility of providing an explanation for your answer.
- What did you like best about the site? They didn't allow for responses such as 'nothing' or 'very little.'
- Which best describes how you submitted your information to participating carriers? The answers ranged from 'all the carriers presented' to 'all but the current carrier.' My answer would have been 'I don't remember.'
- You requested a quote and/or coverage from the following companies. How long did it take to receive it? The form listed two carriers. I don't remember requesting anything from either of them.
- How would you rate the overall quality of the service you received from the carriers? Possible responses ranged from excellent to disappointing, but there was no way to cite reasons.
- How much would you have to save in annual premium costs in order to change carriers? Answers ranged from 'less than $50' to 'more than $500.' The question is a waste of time because it assumes that price is the only issue.
- How likely are you to recommend the site to others? Finally, a question I could answer truthfully. There was no space to cite a reason for my answer or to list a referral if I wanted to give one.
The questionnaire should have included tough questions, such as,
- If you were unhappy with the experience, what are the reasons?
- What didn't you like about our service?
- Why did you visit our Web site?
- Did you expect more than what you found? If so, what?
After taking the time to complete the survey, I never even received an electronic thank-you note. This is the fatal error. You must follow up to make clients and prospects feel that they've invested their time well.
If you're doing surveys, are you willing to ask the tough questions and pay attention to the answers? Do you make the person you're questioning feel that they're a vested partner in your company? Do you thank the participants? Do you let them know what the surveys are revealing and what you're doing to change things?
Remember, surveys create expectations. If you can't address those expectations, you're better off with no survey at all.