Surveys are a powerful tool for gathering information and insights. They give you the ability to learn about customer attitudes, behaviors, preferences and more. But when is the best time to send out surveys?
Unfortunately, there is no universal right time. The best timing can depend on what kind of survey it is and a number of other factors.
Because of this, it’s best to look at all aspects of your survey before choosing a blanket best time to send out surveys.
We’re breaking down the importance of survey timing and a few tips on how to decide the best time. With a strong survey and the right schedule in place, you can make sure your survey is as successful as possible.
Examples of Poor Survey Timing
Poor survey timing can manifest in a number of ways. One of the most common culprits is when companies send out surveys too frequently.
The consequence of this is that they may become fatigued by the constant inquiries, making them less likely to provide accurate feedback.
Due to the frequency of surveys, customers may not remember their experiences with your company, which can lead to unreliable responses.
Another example of poor survey timing is when surveys are sent too late.
For instance, if customers need a response within 24 hours and the survey comes after that timeframe, they may be less likely to respond or their response may be influenced by other factors such as their current mood.
Ultimately, it’s important to consider the purpose and timing of your surveys in order to get accurate and reliable feedback.
Companies who carefully design when to send out surveys, you can maximize the number of respondents and ensure that the data collected is useful for decision-making.
Benefits of Correct Survey Timing
Correct survey timing can yield a variety of benefits. Here are just a few benefits to note when it comes to selecting the right survey timing.
1. Higher Response Rates
Accurate and timely survey timing can help businesses to get higher response rates. Businesses can maximize the number of respondents and ensure that the data collected is useful for decision-making.
For instance, satisfaction surveys that are sent soon after an interaction with customers can help to capture fresh memories of their experiences, yielding higher rates of response.
2. More Accurate Responses
When surveys are sent out at the right time, customers are more likely to remember their experiences and provide accurate feedback.
This helps businesses get reliable data that can be used for product development, customer satisfaction levels, loyalty and marketing strategies.
3. Better Customer Relationships
Choosing to send out surveys at the right time can also help maintain customer relationships and show that you or your company care.
When showing that you value their feedback and taking the time to ask for it, customers will likely have a better impression of your business which can lead to increased loyalty and engagement.
4. Improved Decision-Making
By gathering timely and accurate data through surveys, businesses can gain insights into customer attitudes, behaviors and preferences that can inform their decision-making process.
Developing a business based on current data provided by real market research or even feedback from current customers will result in a much more efficient business overall!
5. High ROI
Correct survey timing can help businesses make better decisions and ensure a high return on investment.
Afterall, with all of the effort and time you put into creating a survey, the goal should always be to get the highest return on insight.
Effects of Poor Survey Timing
On the other hand, poor survey timing can have a number of negative effects. It can lead to customer fatigue and unreliable responses due to customers not remembering their experiences. Here’s what you need to know about poor survey timing.
1. Decreased Response Rates
If you send out surveys too frequently or too late can lead to decreased response rates and inaccurate responses due to customer fatigue or lack of recall.
Low response rates can result in unreliable data that is not useful for decision-making, as well as damaging customer relationships by showing a disregard for their feedback.
Businesses should be mindful of how often they choose to send out surveys and the timing of them.
2. Lack of Reliable Data
Poor survey timing can also lead to the lack of reliable data. Customers may not remember their experiences with a company, resulting in inaccurate responses or no response at all.
Unreliable data cannot be used for decision-making and will have negative impacts on customer relationships.
3. Damaged Customer Relationships
Good survey timing can form a positive relationship between brands and customers, but the opposite is also true.
Poor timing can also have a negative effect on customer relationships. Customers may feel bombarded or overwhelmed by frequent surveys, which can lead to feelings of frustration and anger towards the company.
On the other hand, if surveys are sent out too late, customers may also become frustrated as they won’t be able to provide feedback in a timely manner. This can lead to negative feelings towards the company and a decrease in customer loyalty.
Timing Tips for Send Out Surveys
With an understanding that survey timing matters, it’s good to know the best timing tips for getting more eyes on your survey leading to a greater return on investment.
Day of the Week
When it comes to surveys, the day of the week you send them out can make a difference.
For instance, if you send out surveys on Monday or Tuesday, it can yield higher response rates than when a company chooses to send out surveys later in the week.
Surveys sent during work hours (9am–5pm) will likely get more attention than those sent at night or on weekends.
Consider how you feel at the end of a week when you finally have some time to yourself and pause obligations, are you jumping at the opportunity to comb through survey prompts in your inbox?
Time of Day
The time of day you send your surveys can also affect the number of responses you get.
Generally, it’s best to avoid sending out surveys during peak times such as lunch hour or when people are commuting home from work.
Instead, aim for mid-morning or late afternoon/evening when people are more likely to be free and have the time to complete a survey.
Similar to the days of the week, you’ll want to avoid the end of the day when people are just starting to unwind.
If you choose to send out a survey request earlier in the day, you allow participants to manage when they want to respond – during the morning train ride, while eating breakfast, during their first break, etc.
Based on Survey Content
The timing of your survey should also take into account the content of the survey.
For example, if you’re asking customers to recall a recent purchase or experience, then it’s best to send out the survey soon after they’ve interacted with your company.
Distributing based on survey content can ensure responses are as accurate as possible and not influenced by other factors.
On the other hand, if you’re surveying customers on long-term trends, then waiting a few months before sending out another survey may be more beneficial.
Based on Internal or External Use
If you’re sending out a survey for internal use, then it may be best to send it out when the team is actively working on that project.
Planning your timing around whether the survey is designed for internal company-wide use or beyond, companies can make sure they have enough time has been devoted to gathering and analyzing the results before any decisions are made.
Alternatively, if you’re sending out surveys for external use (e.g., customer satisfaction surveys), then it’s best to send them out at a time when customers will be most likely to respond.
How to Create Effective Surveys
While the big question on your mind may currently be when to distribute your surveys, you don’t want to neglect other important factors like the foundation of the survey.
To help make sure you’re in good shape, here are a few tips for creating effective surveys that yield the best data and help to boost response rates.
While knowing when to send out surveys is important, it certainly can’t outpace a poorly designed survey.
1. Use the Right Survey Platform
The survey platform you choose can make a big difference in the success of your survey. The right platform will provide the features and security needed to ensure accuracy, reliability, and timely delivery of surveys.
It also should offer customizable templates that allow you to create engaging and informative questions that best suit your audience.
Furthermore, a good platform will have the capability to track responses effectively and provide insights quickly for data-driven decisions.
When choosing a survey platform, it is important to consider these factors as well as cost effectiveness. ProductLab offers an all-in-one stop for creating surveys and analyzing the results.
2. Keep it Short
Time is an important factor for both customers and survey creators. Long surveys can be daunting and demotivate customers from participating, resulting in fewer responses.
To avoid this, keep your surveys short and make sure they are no longer than 10 minutes to complete. Also, try to limit the number of questions you ask and focus on what’s most important.
A succinct survey will ensure that customers are not overwhelmed by the survey and can provide accurate responses.
3. Keep it Simple
When creating your survey, make sure to keep the questions clear and easy to understand.
Long-winded questions or technical terms can be confusing for participants and lead to inaccurate data due to misinterpretations.
Instead, opt for simple, straightforward questions with clear purposes that require a single answer. This will help ensure that the responses you get are accurate and reliable.
4. Pay Attention to Response Rate
When creating surveys, it is important to track response rates in order to gauge their success.
Low response rates can be indicative of ineffective survey timing or content, while high response rates can signal effective survey design and timing.
It’s important to monitor response rates and adjust survey timing or content accordingly in order to ensure surveys are providing accurate data.
If your survey is performing poorly, you might consider experimenting with release days and times.
For example, A/B testing survey send outs Monday mornings versus evenings or Tuesday mornings versus Friday mornings and so on.
5. Analyze the Data
Once you have collected enough responses, it is crucial to analyze the data in order to make informed decisions.
Analyzing survey results can provide valuable insights into customer needs and opinions that can be used to improve products and services.
The analysis of survey results can be used to create customer personas and target marketing campaigns accordingly.
Additional Reading: 10 Common Problems with Survey Design & How To Avoid Them
Conclusion
Overall, survey timing is an important factor to consider when designing and sending out surveys.
By taking the time to think about when you should send them out based on customer preferences, content of the survey, or internal/external use can help ensure that your surveys receive higher response rates and accurate responses.
It will also help build better customer relationships as customers won’t feel overwhelmed by too many surveys or disregarded if they are sent out too late.
With these tips in mind, businesses can make sure their surveys are well-timed for maximum benefit.
FAQs
Q. What is the best day of the week to send out surveys?
A. The best day of the week to send out surveys will depend on a variety of factors such as customer preferences and survey content. Generally, sending out surveys on Monday or Tuesday can yield higher response rates than sending it out later in the week. Surveys sent during work hours (9am–5pm) will likely get more attention than those sent at night or on weekends.
Q. What time of day should I send out surveys?
A. Generally, it is best to avoid sending out surveys during peak times such as lunch hour or when people are commuting home from work. Instead, aim for mid-morning or late afternoon/evening when people are more likely to be free and have the time to complete a survey. You’ll also want to avoid the end of the day when people are just starting to unwind.
Q. What other factors should I consider when timing surveys?
A. When designing and sending out surveys, you should take into account the content of the survey and its purpose (internal or external use). If you’re asking customers to recall a recent purchase or experience, then it’s best to send out the survey soon after they’ve interacted with your company. For surveys being used for internal purposes such as making decisions or gathering customer feedback, it’s best to send the survey out when the team is actively working on that project.