The End of the Survey

ByChuck McDanal

It crept up on us slowly, over time. The survey. Just a minute. Just a few questions. A bit of our time. Now they are the lifeblood of customer-experience metrics. Watch how many you get in a week, and it will probably surprise you. They come at the end of many web site visits, service phone calls, even retail shopping. I went to get a piece of art for this post and literally got a survey request. I mean, how often have you been on a call to your cell phone provider, or insurance company, or anything really, and heard something like: “would you participate in a brief survey when this call is complete?” Or you are checking out at a store, maybe a big-box place of some sort, and the cashier circles something on the receipt and asks you to take a survey. Or you get a follow up email from just about anyone you buy something from online asking for a quick survey. They are everywhere and all the time. I believe we are at a tipping point. We have survey exhaustion. We’re just not going to do them. The end of a trend in analytics is coming and I don’t know what comes next.

Chuck McDanal is the owner of StudioC and has more than 25 years of experience in a range of roles, from managing an IT department to working as an editor; from directing a large operation to leading an internet startup and creating a 501(c)(3) nonprofit from the ground up. He has extensive experience in process improvement, data analytics, coaching, mentoring, facilitation, strategic planning, managing and leading. Chuck also is a Certified Analytics Professional, an RRCA-certified running coach, has a certificate from the Wharton School in Business Analytics, is a Six Sigma Black Belt, and is a professional coffee roaster. He has served on multiple community boards and organizations, which currently includes the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra and Lakeland Vision. He is a graduate of Leadership Lakeland and Leadership Polk, and was Chair-elect of Leadership Lakeland Class 36 and Chair of Class 37. Chuck was named 2020 Businessman of the Year by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. He recently published a book called “Human Training,” which is available on Amazon and through other resellers.

Similar Posts

Fruit Roll Up

OK, nothing about fruit here, but let’s talk about rolling up data. When you spend the time and resources to gather data for something you’re doing, it’s a giant hassle to have to go back and do it again, so always collect your data as granularly as possible. There are constraints of time and money…

No, You’re Biased

Take a Buzzfeed quiz that promises to tell you how smart you are, and when it says you are a budding Einstein, you nod, smile, and think about how insightful and talented the people who designed the quiz must be. And if that same quiz tells you to go back to living under the bridge…