The what, why and how of using text message surveys

Hands up who feels busier than ever? Yep, it’s a real thing, folks. You don’t need a survey to tell you that your customers are super busy. 

But you do need a survey to find out what your customers think of your products and services. Yet, when everyone’s so busy, how can you make it as quick and easy as possible for them to respond? Simple. Send a two-way SMS. 

Let’s look at the what, why and how of using text messages to send customer surveys and collect valuable feedback about your business. But be warned: it won’t be long before you know what everyone thinks of you.

First, the ‘what’: Different types of text message surveys

Theoretically, a text message survey could be about anything under the sun. You could ask a customer what they thought about the new pair of shoes they bought. Or you could run a quick straw poll about what colour your next range of towels should be.

Whatever you want to collect feedback about, just remember that the key to success with SMS surveys is brevity. Frame your question so that it’s super clear and simple for the customer to give you an answer. 

For example, you could ask, ‘Based on your recent experience, would you recommend us to a friend?’ Then it’s a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. Or you could ask for a rating out of 10, which gives them more room to show you what they think. 

Then, depending on their response, you can tailor your next message to them asking for further feedback. For example, if they give you a 9 out of 10 rating, you could reply by saying thank you and asking them to leave a review on your website. But if it’s a 3 out of 10, you could send a different reply that gives a nod to their negative experience and asks for more information.

Now, the ‘why’: Text message surveys are easy-as-pie for all involved

With a text message survey, your customer can send you an answer while they’re waiting for a bus. Or waiting for the kids at school pick-up. Or waiting for the kettle to boil. In short, they’ll love how easy it is to give feedback.

Simply ping them a simple question asking to rate your product or service, and there’s a super-high chance they’ll respond. 

As well as their simplicity and immediacy, text surveys are a big win for your business for these handy reasons:

• Simple automation. You can easily set up automated messages depending on your customers’ responses. This way, you don’t need a team member sitting there waiting for responses to flow in.
• Less marketing spend. From just 3.7 cents per message, SMS is a super-affordable way to get in touch with your customers. 

More reach. Let’s face it. Most of your customers have their phones on them all day long. You’ll reach more people with a text message survey than you will with email or phone calls.

Now, the nitty-gritty: How to set up a text message survey

To send customer surveys using SMS, you’ll need to set up two-way SMS. And, to do this, it’s a good idea to use a dedicated number. This way, all your messages come from the same number, making it easier for your customers to recognise your business. 

Then, head to your SMS Broadcast dashboard to write and send your survey messages. You can either reply to these messages one-by-one, or you can set up automations based on your customers’ responses. The options are endless.

Ready to find out what your customers really think?

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There’s no better way to gauge your customers’ opinions than with a quick text. To get started, dive in with our cost-effective, easy-to-use text messaging platform today.