A survey is a data collection tool used to collect information from people. They can be carried out through printed questionnaires, telephone surveys, by mail, in person or on the web.
A survey is a very simple tool for market research, evaluations, customer / employee satisfaction, event planning, and many more uses.
When done correctly, questionnaire-style research can provide highly reliable and usable data and improve the return on investment (ROI) of research.
Examples of an online questionnaire:
• Customer service survey, user experience survey, product development survey
• Customer retention survey, service satisfaction survey
• 360 degree employee feedback survey, managerial performance survey
A questionnaire is an effective, simple and, above all, cheap tool to acquire valuable information directly from the desired respondents.
Types of survey data collection
Surveys can be run in a number of ways. Some examples of the methods in which this type of data collection can be carried out are:
• Telephone
• Online
• Home / office interview
• Focus groups
Why Online Surveys Are the BEST Kind of Survey Data Collection
The most popular methods for conducting research questionnaires are rapidly becoming email and online, rather than face-to-face, in writing, or over the phone. Not only is it easier for people to answer this way, but it is also much easier (and cheaper) to ask the questions and reach a broader spectrum of respondents.
Custom appearance
Not only can you customize, bookmark, and add images to your online survey with ease, but you can also edit the questions and the appearance of your survey even while you’re collecting responses.
High response rates
Respondents have the change to answer when available, increasing the chances that they will complete your questionnaire. You also have a much greater reach to distribute your survey around the world.
Economic
Taking surveys online is much cheaper in terms of stationary costs, cost of delivery if I send my mail, salaries if done face-to-face, and phone costs if done over the phone. And it also saves time and we all know that time is money!
Custom structure
One of the great things about online surveys is that you can easily customize them to integrate with the responses of your individual respondents. You can route through your survey by using branching questions within your online survey.
Simple layout
Because there is no need to mail your survey, no need to stand on the main street, no need to gather a focus group, and no need to call countless phone numbers over and over again, distributing surveys in line is very simple. You can distribute to a large, almost unlimited number of people over the Internet.