They answer different questions
Neither is better. One answers what you want to know, or it doesn't.
Survey
Many people, the same questions and the same choices
- Answers
- How many, how much, what percentage
- Answers come from
- The choices you thought of before
- Good for
- When you already know what to ask, and want to know how much
- How many people
- The more, the more you can trust the numbers
Talking to customers
One at a time, following up on each answer
- Answers
- Why, and how, in the customer's own words
- Answers come from
- What customers tell you, including things you never thought to ask
- Good for
- When you don't yet know what the real problem is
- How many people
- A few, up to ten or more How many is enough
It can only answer what you already thought of
If the real reason isn't one of the choices, customers pick the closest one. You get a very clear number and the wrong answer. The example below is made up.
The missing choice
Almost nobody fills in “Other”. When they do, it's too short to know what they mean.
Why don't you come to our shop more? ☐ Price ☐ Taste ☐ Service ☐ Other
☑ Price
The last time you wanted to come but didn't, what happened?
I finish work at six. By the time I get there you're closed, so I stop at a street stall.
Talk first, then count
- Talk first, to learn what to ask
With five to ten people you'll see reasons you never thought of. Use them as the choices in your survey.
- Run a survey if you need to know how much
For example, before an investment that depends on how many people. Now the choices come from customers' real words.
- Strange numbers? Go back and talk
Numbers tell you what happened, not why. You need to follow up.
What a few conversations can't tell you
Talking with ten customers tells you why people do things. Some things it can't tell you, and shouldn't pretend to.
- What percentage of all your customers think this
- How many groups your customers split into
- Whether doing this will make sales go up
- What customers really do in your shop or app: sales and usage data tell you that better
What you can say: among the people you talked to, how many answered which way, when the question has clear answers. For example, “9 of the 10 people we talked to come because it's near their office”. Not “90% of customers”.
Questions
Can a free online survey replace talking?
Yes, if you already know what to ask and want to know how many. If you don't yet know the real reason, a survey can only tell you what's in its choices.
Is a comment box enough?
Usually not. Most people leave it empty, or write something short like “good”, and nobody asks “good in what way?”
Which should I start with?
If you're not sure what customers think, start by talking. If you know, and only want to know how much, use a survey.