3 replies to this topic

[tam]

I'm thinking about asking my site users for feedback, but now I'm wondering what questions to ask. I want to say 'how can I make this site better for you?' but I'm sure I need to be more specific to get useful answers. Any tips? Is multiple choice better, or free text questions?

 

I thought I'd start with those that took out a free trial to have their business information displayed in my directory, but didn't stay (pay a fee) once their trial ran out. I want to know why and what I can do better. What would you ask?

[iamlost]

I recommend caution regarding contacting ex-members, whether free trial dropouts or not, as it could be construed as spam, even if you already have an enabling ToS or other clause.

What I would certainly do is create a feedback contact form within the directory and market it going forward: mention in on signup, mention with every reminder of time left on free trial, etc. A possibility is to send every free trial user a feedback form during their last week offering an additional free period for filling out.

You need to make it simple, short, and easy. Ending with a textbox for 'further comments/suggestions' is fine; otherwise stick to checkbox choices. And be careful to be clear, minimise ambiguity.

As to where you get the questions and answer choices...
* start with a list of what you would like to change.
* contact 5 or 6 (size is statistically sufficient) of your 'best' longer term users and ask them to critique your list and add their thoughts.
* refine list and build a feedback form of less than a dozen, best 5 to 7, questions and answer choices plus catch all textbox.
As list question results implemented or dropped repeat.

[tam]

Thanks, that's a good point about spam. In this case they aren't ex-members as such, I have free listings and paid with extra features, and at the end of the trial period the revert back to free but they still have an account and I contact them around once a year or so to check their information anyway.

 

I like the idea of an ongoing feedback form that changes as features are added. I have a 'to do' list of features so it would be a really good way to get input before implementing them.

[cre8pc]

When I worked for AT&T Worldnet I was subcontracted by the company contracted to handle the surveys of their customers.  I helped build the gihungous application that asked rotating questions, grouped them, tabulated them, and otherwise were analyzed by the marketing app software company I consulted with.

 

I learned:

 

Never ask more than 3 questions at a time, preferably one.

Avoid yes/no.  Use ratings instead.

All questions were based on satisfaction or not satisfied levels, on a scale of 1 - 5 (if I recall, 1 was very satisfied and 5 was hated it, the reverse of how I thought it should be.

This metric format made it easier to produce charts for stakeholders.

 

Questions were things like "Did you find what you were looking for", "Please rate your experience with our [service, product, phone contact, etc.] and "On a scale of 5 for "never" and 1 for "Definitely", would you refer us to [insert type]"

 

Rotating questions allows for variety, attracting return visitors, and I know there were other reasons but I forget now 

Edited by cre8pc, 21 February 2013 - 05:12 PM.