What is the purpose of a survey? Surveys are the ultimate cheat code for businesses wanting to peek inside the minds of customers. Whether you're launching a product, fixing service hiccups, or just curious about what makes your audience tick, surveys are your go-to data collection method. But here’s the kicker—traditional surveys are outdated, boring, and, frankly, annoying. Enter TheySaid: the AI survey tool that actually listens.
What is the Purpose of a Survey?
Surveys serve one primary function: to gather information that drives decisions. But let’s dive deeper. Surveys capture quantitative and qualitative research data, uncover customer preferences, measure satisfaction, and track trends. Brands use surveys to:
- Identify pain points: Spot issues in the customer journey that need fixing.
Example: A telecom company discovers through surveys that customers are frustrated with long call wait times, prompting them to invest in better call center software.
- Understand purchasing decisions: Learn why customers choose you—or your competitor.
Example: A coffee brand finds customers prefer competitors due to better packaging design, leading to a successful rebranding initiative.
- Analyze customer feedback: Get honest insights to improve services or products.
Example: A ride-sharing app identifies driver punctuality as a significant complaint, resulting in stricter driver guidelines.
- Improve product offerings: Use data-driven insights to enhance features or develop new products.
Example: A software company adds an offline mode after users express the need for access without internet connectivity.
- Explore market opportunities: Understand market demand and emerging trends.
Example: A fashion retailer uses surveys to gauge interest in sustainable fabrics and launches an eco-friendly line.
- Test marketing messages: Ensure campaigns resonate with your target audience.
Example: An online retailer tweaks its ad copy based on survey feedback, increasing click-through rates by 25%.
- Assess employee engagement: Measure job satisfaction, workplace culture, and areas for improvement.
Example: A tech company uses employee engagement surveys to identify low morale due to long working hours, leading to the introduction of flexible schedules and wellness initiatives.
Types of Information Gathered:
Surveys gather various kinds of information crucial for brand growth. Here’s a breakdown with examples:
- Demographic Data: Understand who your customers are.
Examples of demographic questions:- What is your age range? (18-24, 25-34, 35-44, etc.)
- What is your gender?
- Where are you located?
- What is your employment status?
- What is your income range?
How brands use it: A fashion retailer targeting the 25-34 age group can design trendier collections that appeal to that demographic.
- Behavioral Insights: Discover how customers interact with your product or service.
Examples of behavioral questions:- How often do you use our app? (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Rarely)
- What features do you use most?
- When was your last purchase?
- How do you usually interact with our brand? (Mobile app, Website, In-store)
- What time of day do you typically use our services?
How brands use it: A streaming service may find that most users watch weekend content, prompting weekend promotions or special releases.
- Attitudinal Feedback: Learn what customers think and feel about your brand.
Examples of attitudinal questions:- How satisfied are you with our service?
- How likely are you to recommend us to a friend?
- What do you like most about our product?
- What concerns do you have when using our service?
- How do you perceive the value of our product?
How brands use it: An online retailer may discover customers love their fast delivery but are unhappy with the packaging, prompting operational adjustments.
- Market Research Insights: Assess your brand’s standing and uncover opportunities.
Examples of market research questions:- What competing products do you use?
- What would make you switch to a competitor?
- How do you usually hear about new products?
- What unmet needs do you have that current solutions don’t address?
- How important is price versus quality in your purchasing decision?
How brands use it: A beverage company might identify a gap in the market for sugar-free options and launch a new product line to meet demand.
Read - What is an Online Survey?
How Brands Use Surveys to Generate Insights
Let’s talk about real-world wins.
Case Study 1: A SaaS Company Improving Retention
A leading SaaS company used TheySaid’s AI surveys to identify why customers churned. Traditional surveys weren’t cutting it—response rates were low. With AI-driven conversations, they uncovered that 45% of churn was due to poor onboarding. Result? A revamped onboarding process and a 20% boost in retention.
Case Study 2: Retail Brand Expanding Market Share
A retail store wanted to explore new markets. Using TheySaid’s AI interviews, they found a surprising demand for eco-friendly packaging. Acting on this data, they launched a new product line, which increased sales by 30% in six months.
Case Study 3: Financial Services Enhancing Customer Experience
A bank used surveys to understand why certain products underperformed. Data revealed that customers found the mobile app interface confusing. Addressing these concerns, app usage grew by 25% in just three months.
How Surveys Work: The Basics
Surveys gather customer insights, but understanding which type to use is crucial. Let’s explore three of the most common types: NPS, CSAT, and Product Feedback Surveys.
1. Net Promoter Score (NPS) Survey
Purpose: Measure customer loyalty and predict business growth.
Why brands use it: Brands use NPS to understand how likely customers are to recommend them, an indicator of loyalty and potential referrals.
Questions:
- On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend our product to a friend or colleague?
- Follow-up: What’s the primary reason for your score?
- What could we do to improve your experience?
- How can we earn a higher score from you?
- Have you recommended our product to anyone in the past six months?
- What aspect of our service most influences your score?
Example: A subscription-based fitness app used NPS and found that users scoring below 6 cited a lack of advanced features. They added new workouts, increasing their NPS score by 15 points in a quarter.
Read - 50 Net Promoter Survey Questions to Boost Customer Insights
2. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Survey
Purpose: Gauge satisfaction after specific customer interactions.
Why brands use it: CSAT surveys provide immediate feedback post-purchase or after customer service interactions.
Questions:
- How satisfied were you with your recent experience? (Options: Very Satisfied | Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied | Very Dissatisfied)
- Follow-up: What could we have done better?
- How likely are you to use our service again?
- How would you rate the friendliness of our staff?
- How satisfied are you with the delivery time?
- How well did our product meet your expectations?
- Was your issue resolved to your satisfaction?
Example: An online retailer used CSAT surveys post-delivery and discovered frequent complaints about packaging. They improved their packaging process, reducing complaints by 40%.
3. Product Feedback Survey
Purpose: Gather input on product features and usability.
Why brands use it: These surveys help improve product design and functionality based on user feedback.
Questions:
- What feature do you use most?
- What can we improve?
- How easy is it to navigate our product interface?
- Which features do you find unnecessary?
- How often do you experience bugs or glitches?
- What additional features would you like to see?
- How does our product compare to competitors you've used?
Example: A software company used product feedback surveys and found users wanted a dark mode feature. After implementing it, user engagement increased by 20%.
Read - 23 Engaging Product Feedback Questions to Ask Customers (With Examples)
Summary: Similarities and Differences
While NPS, CSAT, and Product Feedback Surveys aim to improve customer experience, they differ in focus. NPS measures loyalty, CSAT captures immediate satisfaction, and product feedback deepens into feature usability. Together, they offer a comprehensive view of customer sentiment.
Survey Best Practices: Key Tips for First-Timers
Creating effective surveys isn’t rocket science—but it does require strategy. Here’s how to get it right the first time:
1. Keep It Short and Sweet
Long surveys scare people off. Aim for 5-10 questions max.
Example: Instead of asking, “What do you think of our website design, product selection, and customer service?” break it into shorter, focused questions.
2. Use Simple Language
No jargon or fancy words. Keep it conversational.
Do: "How easy was it to find what you were looking for?"
Don’t: "Did you find our website’s navigational interface satisfactory to your information retrieval needs?"
3. Start with Easy Questions
Ease your respondent in before asking more challenging questions.
Examples:
- How did you hear about us?
- Have you used our product before?
- What brought you to our website today?
Starting with simple questions encourages participation and builds momentum for more complex ones later.
4. Mix Question Types
Combine multiple-choice, rating scales, and open-ended questions for depth.
Examples:
- Multiple-choice: "Which of these features do you use?"
- Rating scale: "On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate our service?"
- Open-ended: "What can we do to improve?"
5. Test Before Launching
Pilot your survey with a small group to catch confusing questions or technical glitches. This helps refine the final version.
Why AI Surveys Are the Future (and How TheySaid Can Help)
Traditional surveys are often shallow and time-consuming. TheySaid’s AI-powered surveys engage respondents in real-time conversations, uncovering the "why" behind responses. With automatic action item detection, you won’t just gather data—you’ll act on it immediately. Brands using TheySaid have seen faster response times, richer insights, and higher engagement rates.
Ready to upgrade from boring surveys? TheySaid offers the world’s first survey that actually listens.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Purpose of a Survey
1. What is the purpose of a survey?
A survey collects data that helps businesses make informed decisions.
2. How do surveys work?
Surveys ask targeted questions to gather opinions, behaviors, and demographic information.
3. What are survey best practices?
Keep surveys short, use clear language, ask a mix of questions, and pilot test beforehand.
4. Why should I use AI for surveys?
AI surveys provide faster responses, deeper insights, and higher engagement.
5. What types of surveys should my business use?
Start with NPS, CSAT, and product feedback surveys for comprehensive insights.
