Is there a solution to a low response rate?

Questionnaires are all set and running, but your customers’ response is not what you would call enthusiastic? Time to get to the root of the problem and collect the feedback that you crave!

 

Before we delve into the practices that have been proven to increase response rate, it’s important to talk a little about what an average response rate is. So, let’s start from the basics and work our way from there.

What is Response Rate?

 

When you run surveys, the response rate is simply the percentage of people who answered your questions. To calculate it, the number of the people who answered needs to be divided by the number of people that you sent your survey. Then, you multiply the result by 100 to get the percentage.

A considerable response rate is important, because a higher number of answers means more reliable metrics and more actionable feedback.

What is the average Response Rate?

 

The average response rate is a rather relative number that ranges across industries and depends on a list of factors, one of them being the type of survey used (e-mail, online or in-app surveys). 

From a data analysis that e-satisfaction.com performed, we came up with two interesting figures:

• Estimated Response Rate on Check Out Surveys: 20%
• Estimated Response Rate on After Sales Surveys: 10%

Now, according to international CX reports, the highest expected Response Rate is estimated at 23-25%, while 10%-20% Response Rates are classified as reasonable. 

Of course, averages are meant to be surpassed… Check out how L’Artigiano achieved a 39% Response Rate with the help of e-satisfaction.com!

What can you do to boost your Response Rate?

 

If your response rate is on the low side, then you need to rethink your approach, survey-wise. Whether you have set up online or e-mail questionnaires, there are a number of ways to tweak, improve them and reap the benefits. 

What follows is a list of best practices that will set you on the right path towards a higher response rate:

• Mention the objective of your survey! Customers are more willing to provide answers when they know the reason you’re asking them questions in the first place and what it means for them. If you also add the estimated time they will need to complete the survey, then you are setting an inviting atmosphere that leads to more respondents. 

• Keep the whole affair short and to-the-point! Time is the most precious commodity nowadays and people don’t like to spend it on answering surveys that seem to go on forever. Don’t forget that if you want to delve deeper and ask further questions, you always send them a follow-up questionnaire.

• Used branded questionnaires! They contribute to a higher response rate since they draw customers’ attention and show that you went the extra mile and did not use a generic template. 

• Keep your tone of voice consistent! If your brand uses a friendly or relaxed tone to communicate with your audience in all of its assets, you don’t want your surveys to come out as flat or uninspired. You can keep your spark and wit, but make sure that your message is clear.

• Optimize for mobile! OK, this one is practically a no-brainer and it should be on the top of your list when it comes to improving your surveys. Almost 50% of customers use their smartphones for online purchases and web browsing. Wouldn’t it be a shame if you lose their precious answers because they find it difficult to answer your questionnaires through their mobile devices?

• Check your frequency! Nobody likes a spammer and you should be careful about how often you reach out to your customers. They need to feel that you care about their opinion and not that you are begging for it.

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Always keep in mind that a higher response rate is not something that will happen overnight. You need to try different things, measure their impact and keep adjusting and tweaking until you reach that sweet spot with your audience, the one where they eagerly share their feedback with you.

And it always helps if you use a platform like e-satisfaction.com, that allows you to streamline the whole process: from the set up of a questionnaire to the ways with which it can yield results!