In this series of posts, we will explore the idea of using member surveys to improve service. Being based in the Credit Union industry, we’ll be looking at the topic from the perspective of Credit Unions who want to create their own survey. In other words, how to use a DIY approach. Read the full blog here (who, what, when, where, why, and how).
When Should I Send Survey Invitations?
Today, I am going to tackle the question of “When should survey invitations be sent out?”. Like many answers to important questions, the easy answer is “it depends”.
However, instead of stopping there (and thereby creating an entry in the World’s Dumbest Blog Post competition), I will assume that you are trying to measure a member’s perception of your Credit Union, whether it’s effort, satisfaction, or just how “into you” they are. Which means that in most cases, the answer is: ASAP.
As Soon As Possible
The most important benefit to asking for feedback immediately after an interaction is better data. When asking a member for their impression of your Credit Union, the more recent the actual interaction, the more detail your member will recall and potentially share with you. Also, feelings fade over time (just look at Hollywood marriages) so if you want to know how your member feels about you, the closer to the last contact you had, the clearer those feelings will be.
As an added bonus, if your surveys are sophisticated enough, you may even have the opportunity to reach back out to a member who had a bad experience and rectify the situation. Good luck doing that if you are surveying them a week or a month after the event.
What if “Right Away” isn’t an option?
If sending surveys immediately isn’t an option for you because you’re using regular mail, or your chosen provider doesn’t offer that feature, then aim for Sunday, Monday, or Friday. Most research suggests that these are the days when you will have the best chance of getting a response. Of course, this matters mainly because increased response rates mean more accurate results.
A word of warning about “transactional” surveys that aren’t immediate. Transactional surveys ask members for feedback about a specific transaction, and the results usually can be correlated back to a specific employee/branch for training purposes. If these types of surveys are sent out on a delay of any kind, you run the risk of getting skewed results since most members will give you feedback on the most recent event, which may have occurred after the event that triggered the survey.
Wrap-up
So, to answer the question of “when to send survey invitations”, remember these key points:
- Sending survey invitations right away usually leads to more accurate results
- If immediate surveys aren’t an option, stick to Sunday, Monday, or Friday for sending invitations
- The longer the delay, the higher the chance of an answer being directed at the wrong branch/employee, due to repeat visits.
