How to use SMS for Customer Surveys

Getting customer service right is key for any business. There’s no business without your customers, so making sure they have a great experience is crucial. You’ve probably already got a customer service strategy in place, but are you doing everything you can to keep your customers happy when they reach out with questions, issues or feedback? This is where SMS is a game-changer: Making use of SMS for e.g. surveys offers a unique combination of simplicity, high response rates and immediacy. If you’re new to using SMS for customer satisfaction purposes, fear not! We’re here to help. Read on to discover more about SMS surveys and how it can help you boost customer satisfaction.

Using SMS for customer surveys comes with a bunch of perks. Here’s two of the major reasons why it’s working: The first one is high open and response rates: SMS messages pretty much blow other channels out of the water when it comes to open rates. Most texts are opened within minutes, which means that they beat most other marketing channels. This means that not only do more customers see your surveys, but the chances of them actually responding are significantly bigger, too. The second is speed and convenience for your customers: Texting is all about quick and easy communication. Customers can fire off a response to an SMS survey almost instantly and on their own schedule, whether they’re in line for a coffee or commuting. Because it is so convenient, this results in both quicker and more frequent responses, giving you lots of feedback to work with. In a nutshell, incorporating SMS into your customer feedback strategy can enhance how you connect with customers and gather valuable insights.

Here’s how to make sure your surveys hit the mark every time:   Keep it short and simple Have you ever said yes to a survey only to discover that it’s closer to an interrogation? It’s not motivating at all as a customer. So aim to limit your SMS surveys to just a few key questions – or even just a single rating.   Question format Go for closed-ended questions wherever possible. These are not only easier for customers to answer with a quick tap – they also simplify data analysis on your end. Using a mix of multiple choice or rating scales helps you gather consistent, quantitative data that’s easy to interpret and act on.   Personalization and consistency Never underestimate the power of a personal touch. Personalizing SMS messages with the customer’s name or recent purchase details can really make a difference as to whether or not your customer will respond.  Also, make sure your SMS surveys reflect your brand’s tone of voice. Being consistent in your branding helps build trust and let the customer recognize your brand – which will make them more likely to engage with your surveys!   Timing and frequency Timing is everything. Send your SMS surveys at a time when customers are likely to be available and receptive – typically mid-morning or late afternoon works best. As for frequency, be mindful not to overwhelm your customers. Spacing out surveys ensures that customers don’t feel bombarded and are more likely to respond when you do reach out.

SMS surveys are not only useful for customer feedback but for feedback from any bigger and widespread group you want to target. A great example of SMS surveying is from Roskilde Festival, which we will take a look at here: Roskilde Festival is one of the largest festivals in Europe, taking place in Denmark annually. With 130,000 participants, the festival relies heavily on their 30,000 volunteers to make everything run smoothly, from providing camping security and building stages to staff the festival stalls. During the preparations for the festival, Roskilde Festival uses SMS to survey their volunteers which provides them valuable insights ahead of the big event. By sending a message to all recruiters of volunteers asking them to vote on how confident they were regarding getting their teams recruited in time, Roskilde Festival got a full picture of the situation in no time:

SMS could become your favorite tool of choice when it comes to getting your target group to answer surveys – SMS surveys offer a blend of simplicity, high engagement and quick feedback that’s hard to match with other communication methods.  If you haven’t started using SMS for customer feedback yet, now is a great time to explore the option. SMS surveys are straightforward to get started with and can really change how you collect customer insights.  Whether you’re gathering feedback, measuring satisfaction or just checking in, SMS is an excellent channel for engaging customers and getting the valuable insights you need to keep improving.