How can the response rate in customer experience surveys be improved? What is the range of response rates in which channel?
Low response rates are among the most common problems when measuring customer experience. Why are your customers not participating in experience surveys? What should you do to achieve high response rates?
What is the response rate? How is it calculated?
Response rate is the number of people who responded to your survey compared to the total number of people you sent or showed your survey to. The survey response rate is a percentage calculated as the number of completed surveys divided by the total number of people to whom the survey was sent or displayed (and multiplied by 100).
For example, let’s say you sent out a survey to 1000 people and 125 people responded.
In this case, your survey response rate is: 125/1000 = 0.125 x 100 = 12.5%.
What is the ideal response rate in surveys?
So, what is a good survey response rate? What should the response rate be for an accurate sample? What are the factors affecting the response rate?
Consumers who come into contact with many brands every day need to have a significant motivation to spend time on the experience surveys offered by brands. The formula that provides this motivation is hidden in the customer experience offered. However, although the response rate varies in experience surveys, rates between 4% and 25% are considered ideal. A response rate above 25% is more than ideal, it is a great rate.
Participation rates by channel
When the responses collected by Wiseback in the last 5 years are analyzed, the graph below shows the participation rates by channel. Although digital channels have gained prominence with the acceleration of digital transformation, the SMS channel is still the most preferred channel for businesses. Participation in SMS surveys ranges from 3% to 22%, but the average participation rate is 5%.
The email channel, on the other hand, can lag behind due to the intensity of the inbox filled with advertising messages. Although the response rate is low in B2C e-mail surveys, this rate increases in B2B surveys.
We see that the highest response rate is collected through mobile applications integrated with the SDK. The response rate of single-question surveys positioned on a transaction basis within the application can reach up to 32%. The response rate on the web channel is lower than the mobile application. The email channel, on the other hand, can lag behind due to the intensity of the inbox filled with advertising messages. Although the response rate is low in B2C e-mail surveys, this rate increases in B2B surveys.
Kiosk devices, on the other hand, can reach participation rates as high as 7% when positioned correctly. QR code usage and awareness increased significantly during the pandemic. However, the participation rate in surveys offered via QR codes remains low compared to other channels.
Ask at the right time
You need to get the timing right to achieve a high response rate. Sending/showing surveys while the emotion of the experience is hot will significantly increase the response rate. Measuring a store shopping experience within an hour versus a day later will result in different response rates. The right time may vary depending on the location of the experience (physical/digital) and the type of product/service. To find the right time, put yourself in your customer’s shoes and empathise. This will make it easier to find the right time for the experience survey.
Ask in the right channel
For a high response rate, you should choose the right channel for the experience survey. The main channel through which the business communicates with its customers will also be the right channel for surveys. In businesses with an omni-channel communication structure, the right channel may differ based on the touch point.
For example, if your customers are enrolled in the loyalty program with their mobile phone numbers and you make campaign announcements via SMS, SMS will be the right channel for the store experience survey. If you offer a service through a mobile application, a survey within the application will be the right choice.
Ask the right questions
Ask clear and short questions about the experience so that respondents do not abandon the survey. The longer your survey is, the lower the completion rate and therefore the lower the response rate.
- State the purpose of the survey briefly and clearly just before the questions.
- If possible, share in a single sentence what you are aiming for with the survey.
- Among the NPS, CSAT and CES metrics, use the one related to experience.
- After measuring the experience, complete the survey with a few key questions.
- Create logical flows and differentiate survey flows for satisfied and dissatisfied customers.
- Do not ask for personal and demographic information in the experience survey. Obtain and update this information within your CRM program.
Personalise
Customise your surveys to the customer you are sending or displaying to. Offer customer-specific single opt-in surveys. Avoid using anonymous survey links.
Use messages that address your customers by name. Link information about the experience (store, segment, age, purchase amount, etc.) in the background. Set daily, weekly and monthly limits to avoid overwhelming your customers with surveys.
Make the subject line in email messages attractive. You can make your message stand out by including emojis appropriate to your brand or the purpose of the survey.
Incentivize
It is a fact that customers are not very enthusiastic about taking surveys. You can thank your customers for giving their valuable time to participate in your surveys with a gift / discount coupon. Wiseback allows you to create coupons and attach them to your feedback surveys. You can create a general coupon code or unique coupon codes in seconds and attach them to any survey you want.
If you don’t want to offer a gift or discount coupon, you can offer a social benefit. For example, you can offer a social benefit such as tree planting or donations for your customers who participate in your survey.
Meet Wiseback
Wiseback has been providing experience measurement management, consultancy and training solutions to businesses from many different sectors since 2017. Contact us to get information about our solutions that advance the experience measurement and management processes of businesses that want to grow customer-oriented.
