Online surveys can get you answers quickly. But will you get different results if you close a survey after two days or five days or ten days?
Do grumpy customers take the first opportunity to tell you what’s wrong? Or do satisfied customers answer quicker than do dissatisfied ones?
Our analysis of recent online surveys saw that most responses were (unsurprisingly) on the day of invitation. Response return numbers then dropped but increased a little after each reminder.
Overall, two thirds of all responses were received within four days of the invitation and the first reminder being sent. The remaining responses arrived mostly on the day of each additional emailed survey reminder.
The additional days after four days did generate higher response numbers, but would closing the survey after four days have changed the overall findings and insights?
We compared survey participants’ personal characteristics, attitudes to the businesses, and market perceptions. We found that the answers on these questions varied by 2% or less between those received within 4 days and those received after.
Thus, you could close off an online survey after four days, with a smaller sample, but with answers that were essentially those you’d get if the survey was open longer. Alternatively, if you seek to be inclusive, and have a larger sample, you can keep your online survey open longer.
If knowing more about effective online survey measures can strengthen your survey-generated insights and strategies, please call Philip Derham on 0414 543 765 or email him at derhamp@derhamresearch.com.au or use our contact form – https://www.derhamresearch.com.au/contacting-us/