SurveySparrow

surveysparrow

Last October, I was in the U.S on a customer visit when I got a reminder email from my HR team. It was the third notification of its kind, asking me to fill in the Employee Satisfaction Survey for the month. Attending surveys aren’t my favorite thing in the world and that’s when it struck me — it wasn’t just me! I haven’t met many people who are enthusiastic about filling in surveys. I appreciate a positive work culture and the efforts to maintain it that way. I understand how surveys are necessary to keep the organization healthy. I admire the HR efforts to ensure everyone does their part. I know that I will only stand to merit from partaking in the surveys. I get all that, but still didn’t enjoy taking one. “Unfortunately, knowing the reasons why you have to do something doesn’t necessarily make the chore enjoyable.” I have seen managers within the company sending out emails to their direct reports and encouraging them to complete the surveys every month. So much time, attention and effort to ensure that the survey questions are answered. And sometimes, people don’t even care about their skewed answers in their rush to get over the thing. I know, because I am one of them, that this resentment to complete surveys has nothing to do with one’s reluctance to provide feedback. I am quick to respond to my colleagues over WhatsApp or Google Hangout, but I put off taking the employee satisfaction surveys, which, in all honesty, won’t take any longer to complete. That got me thinking. Why would anyone go on doing a boring task if they had the option of making it interesting? Here’s a problem and I was sure that there was a solution to it. I asked myself why I dread the task of filling in surveys and here’s what I found: 1. The conventional survey forms fail to engage me. 2. They aren’t mobile friendly and that is a major put off. Unless I pull out my laptop,I have no option of taking the survey at my favourite cafe or while taking the subway. 3. Too many HR hours are spent in operational things related to the completion of surveys. Following up with 2–3 reminders for each one who didn’t fill it yet? Pointless. What if all those survey questions were sent to me in a WhatsApp chat instead? I know I would have answered them in no time. People enjoy unique experiences. Not dull old structures and layouts that bore them to death. A conversational survey that I could attend with the comfort of my smartphone, when I was stuck in traffic or waiting in a line was much preferable. A few quick google searches on a lazy weekend later, I found that the domain wasn’t taken. Bought it and my idea had found an address. surveysparrow.com Once I was back from the U.S, I pitched the idea to a friend. I saw him getting excited at the possibilities of engaging surveys similar to human conversations and his enthusiasm sealed the deal for me. I pitched the idea to Subin Sebastian, a long-time friend who was packing for Australia and just about to leave his last startup. He readily agreed to stay back and thus I found my co-founder. Things were falling into places and the time was ripe for SurveySparrow to grow its wings. On January 2017, I left Freshdesk (now Freshworks), ready for the next big adventure. Subin and I rented a tiny 100 sqft room in Kochi and in that humble little office, SurveySparrow officially took off. The first-ever office of SurveySparrow — a modest 100 sqft space. Mere months later, we are a 9-member team at a 400 sqft prime address office, marching towards our private beta. The Sparrow has a long way to fly and we would be happy to have you on board. to collect feedback from customers or employees with conversational surveys which will result in a 40% higher completion rate. Join us Originally written by Shihab Muhammad at surveysparrow.com on September 20, 2017.

Our Startup Story: How SurveySparrow Hatched Out of its Shell

In the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of e-commerce, one element has stood the test of time — customer retention. Amidst all the noise of the digital marketplace, one thing is clearer than ever: your most valuable asset isn’t the customer who just clicked ‘buy’ for the first time but the one who keeps coming back for more. Retention Over Acquisition: The Numbers Don’t Lie If you think that’s a bold claim, consider this: Research by Bain & Company reveals that a mere 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by an astonishing 25% to 95%. Adobe also supports this sentiment with a statistic of its own: repeat customers who purchase through a company’s app contribute 40% more revenue per visit than their first-time counterparts. The reasoning is surprisingly straightforward. Satisfied repeat customers not only spend more but also turn into brand advocates, fueling the most effective form of marketing — word of mouth — that no advertising budget can truly buy. The ‘Revolving Door’ Dilemma Despite this, there’s a prevailing narrative that champions customer acquisition over retention. On the surface, this makes sense: more customers equals more revenue, right? This belief system, however, often leads eCommerce businesses into a ‘revolving door’ scenario. Here, a steady influx of new customers obscures a high attrition rate. Here’s the harsh reality: acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than keeping an existing one, according to Invesp. Essentially, brands may be throwing away resources trying to keep the revolving door spinning, rather than investing in strategies that help retain the customers they already have. Beyond Transactions: Crafting Customer Experiences Mastering eCommerce customer retention isn’t just a game of numbers; it’s an art of fostering meaningful relationships. Today’s customers are spoilt for choice. They might be lured once by a competitive price or an innovative product, but securing their loyalty demands an exceptional overall experience. This involves not just a seamless purchasing process but also proactive customer service, personalized engagement, and consistently providing value. Personalization: A Necessity, Not a Luxury Today’s consumers seek personalized experiences that cater to their unique preferences, needs, and aspirations. According to a recent study by Accenture, 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that provide relevant offers and recommendations. This craving for personalization presents a golden opportunity for businesses to differentiate themselves from the competition. By collecting and analyzing customer data, companies can gain valuable insights and deliver tailored experiences that resonate with individual buyers. Leveraging Data to Understand and Delight Data lies at the heart of effective customer retention strategies. Gathering customer data through various touchpoints, including browsing history, purchase behavior, and demographic information, enables businesses to gain a comprehensive understanding of their customers. Analyzing this data unveils valuable patterns and trends that can drive personalized marketing campaigns, product recommendations, and loyalty programs. By leveraging advanced analytics tools, such as SurveySparrow, businesses can identify pain points, preferences, and emerging trends to craft targeted retention strategies. The Power of Segmentation Segmentation allows businesses to divide their customer base into distinct groups based on shared characteristics. By segmenting customers effectively, entrepreneurs can create tailored marketing campaigns and experiences that cater to the specific needs and interests of each group. For instance, a clothing retailer can categorize customers based on their style preferences, allowing them to send personalized recommendations and offers. This level of customization enhances customer satisfaction, loyalty, and ultimately, retention. Embracing Omnichannel Experiences In an increasingly interconnected world, customers expect seamless experiences across multiple channels. A study by Google found that 85% of online shoppers start a purchase on one device and finish it on another. To excel at customer retention, businesses must adopt an omnichannel approach, ensuring consistent messaging, seamless transitions, and personalized interactions throughout the customer journey. By integrating platforms such as which allows for multichannel feedback collection, businesses can gather insights from various touchpoints and refine their strategies accordingly. SurveySparrow, Balancing Personalization and Privacy Customers are rightfully cautious about sharing their data, fearing potential misuse or breaches. Businesses must prioritize data security and transparency, assuring customers that their personal information is protected. By adhering to stringent privacy policies, obtaining explicit consent, and providing clear opt-out options, companies can foster trust and establish themselves as responsible custodians of customer data. The Future is Retention-First Looking ahead, it’s crucial for e-commerce brands to prioritize customer retention. Technological innovations like AI and machine learning offer unprecedented opportunities to personalize the customer journey and predict buying behaviors, thereby elevating the overall experience. Coupled with a human-centric approach, the future of e-commerce could be one where customer loyalty is the rule, not the exception. Wrapping Up In essence, e-commerce customer retention is not just an operational tactic — it is a strategic necessity. It isn’t just about economics; it’s also about fostering brand loyalty, building reputation, and driving sustainable growth. While customer acquisition remains important, the brands that will truly flourish in the challenging e-commerce landscape are those that master the art of retention. Hence, the time is ripe for businesses to shift gears towards a retention-first approach — after all, the key to e-commerce prosperity may lie in cherishing the customers you already have. It’s not just about selling — it’s about serving. And the companies that get this right will have customers who keep coming back, time and time again. Also published here .

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Want to know what your customers think of your new products? What do your employees feel about your workplace? Or even who’s likely to win the next election? Perhaps you need to take an important strategic decision, and every informed decision needs data. You can’t gaze into a crystal ball for the answers. But you can choose from different types of survey methods. Surveys help us to shape the future with first-hand data from the present. But to successfully achieve your survey purpose, you would need to choose an apt survey method. Choosing the right method depends on your objective, timeline, budget, and sample. ? What is a survey method There are many ways to deploy surveys. The survey method generally refers to the process used to gather data. It influences the exchange of ideas and information between the researcher and participants. There are two broad categories of survey methods: qualitative and quantitative. Let’s look at the different types of survey methods to help you choose the one right for you. Types of Survey Methods 1. Face-to-Face Surveys Face-to-face surveys require little effort on the part of the respondents as the interviewer meets them at a prearranged time and location. The interviewer works directly with the respondents while filling the survey and clarifies their doubts. Face-to-face surveys are apt for respondents who are low on literacy. In addition, it helps uncover deep insights by asking more open-ended questions. The interviewers can make sure that the respondents pay attention without getting distracted. To ensure that no data goes ignored, the researcher records the interview. Cons: Face-to-face surveys can be long and time-consuming. They are pricey due to travel expenses and the costs of hiring and training an interviewer. Due to logistical limits, the survey is confined to a particular location. The success of the survey relies heavily on the interviewer’s skills. There is no anonymity. Hence respondents would be hesitant to answer questions of a sensitive nature. Many studies have also pointed out interviewer bias. Interviewers may give verbal or non-verbal cues as to how they should respond. This bias might skew the overall results. Researchers observed that participants often changed their responses or behavior in a third person’s presence. This is the Hawthorne effect – another unavoidable bias in face-to-face surveys. Compared to other types of survey methods, face-to-face surveys offer profound insights and accuracy. But it is expensive and time-intensive. 2. Focus Groups Like the face-to-face survey, this survey method is in-person. The only difference is that there is a group of people (around 6 to 10). The group is selected to represent the survey’s target population. Each person can share their feedback on a topic, while a moderator leads the group. Their role is to control the flow of discussion and reduce bias. This survey method is good for market research because it lets you uncover personal attitudes and perceptions. Focus groups are increasingly becoming digital. There are no geographical restrictions – anyone can participate from anywhere. Focus groups perfectly complement a quantitative survey method. A focus group study conducted right before surveying a larger population can reinforce insights. Cons: Selecting the apt participants takes time. The participants should be aware of the research objectives and essential facts before the discussion. It helps if you decide what questions the moderator should ask and prepare a script for the questions. Certain participants may dominate the discussion. So the opinions expressed may not represent that of the population. This survey method is also a bit cost-intensive. You may have to incentivize participants and moderators, and bear their travel expenses. 3. Online Survey Method Online surveys are one of the most popular types of survey methods for good reason. First, they are accessible, economical and easy to share at the click of a button. Second, they are fast – you can get responses within hours, if not minutes. Third, they come with extra features such as templates, images, skip logic, compulsory questions or a minimum character count. An online survey software, like SurveySparrow, has real-time reporting and analysis since the responses are stored automatically. What’s more, people will give honest answers to sensitive questions because you can set online surveys to ‘Anonymous’ mode or encrypt the fields with passcodes. Give it a try. Cons: There are certain sections of the population that can’t access the internet. Online surveys pose a challenge in such cases, but one can use offline surveys in those scenarios. Online surveys don’t have an interviewer to clarify queries compared to face-to-face surveys. Here are that you should avoid. 6 common mistakes in survey questions 4. Panel Sampling sampling is when you choose people randomly from a target audience to be a part of a panel. This panel is then part of a study that requires them to take recurring surveys over a period. For example, a longitudinal study where researchers can observe changes in customer perception and behavior over a period. Panel Organizations ranging from news media and government agencies to market research companies employ panel surveys. They roll out similar surveys to the target audience many times over various weeks and months. Say, a survey at one point in time indicates that the X variable has the most impact on user behavior. But a panel survey, administered after a long duration, will prove otherwise. This change reflects the variable’s effect over time. Cons: This method may jeopardize data quality if the respondent is a member of two or more similar panels. Respondents may decide to answer surveys based on the incentives they receive. 5. Phone Survey Almost everyone has a phone at home. That’s why phone surveys are incredibly convenient. It also allows anonymity in case of sensitive questions. If the interviewer is skilful, it can also lend a personal touch which helps build a relationship. In market research, CATI ( ) has led to a faster way to handle and process data obtained from phone surveys. Interviews are effortless since the survey displays on the computer screen, and the interviewer can easily record answers with a mouse and keyboard. Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing Cons: Phone surveys are time-constrained and usually can’t go longer than 15 minutes. Many people screen their calls to accept only select callers and may not attend calls from an unknown number. Phone surveys can be mistaken as telemarketing calls and perceived negatively. 6. Mail Surveys These are questionnaires distributed and delivered via postal service to a sample audience. Respondents then have to complete these surveys and return them via mail. Mail surveys are straightforward and consist of a few open-ended questions. Mail surveys may seem old-fashioned, but they also offer a sense of authenticity. Ensure that the study does not exceed one page. Also, include a cover letter with your enterprise letterhead and the purpose of this survey. In addition, it should include details like the survey deadline and the incentives on offer. Cons: While mail surveys are convenient for the respondent, it also requires their effort. Thus it has a high chance of being ignored, especially if the target respondents are busy professionals. There is the cost of printing, envelopes and postage. 7. Kiosk Surveys You might have seen product promotion kiosks at your local mall or self-service kiosks at your favorite restaurant. The latest kiosks also offer consumers the feature of taking surveys. The goal of kiosk surveys is to collect feedback immediately after interaction with the brand. Kiosks within the establishment ensure that customers can casually take the survey with no pressure. Kiosk surveys are also suitable for areas with spotty wifi because they don’t require a net connection. Kiosk surveys can capture feedback immediately, especially when the in-store experience is fresh in the customers’ minds. This real-time feedback provides brands with a clear picture. For example, suppose a brand has five branches set up within the same city. Kiosk surveys offer the fantastic advantage of gaining responses from customers across multiple branches. Cons: Just about anyone can take these surveys. Even people who aren’t customers may end up taking the survey – especially if incentives are on offer. Since kiosks are often a part of the in-store experience, customers may not notice a survey kiosk or ignore it. In addition, if the kiosk faces technical issues, this may end up ruining the survey-taking experience. 8. Paper Surveys Many feel that paper surveys are a thing of the past. But paper surveys help to get responses from difficult-to-reach audiences. Moreover, a paper survey is the best alternative when the respondent cannot access its online version. Paper surveys in conjunction with online surveys can boost response rates. What’s more, not everyone is tech-savvy enough to be at ease with online surveys. For example, senior citizens may prefer a paper-based survey. So they are printed on a white background and in easy-to-read large fonts. Cons: With its printing costs, the paper surveys method is expensive. Paper surveys are not environmentally friendly. Unlike online surveys, paper surveys lack an extra layer of data security like password authentication. 9. SMS Surveys SMS surveys let you gather user feedback through text messages. When you send an SMS, users can either text a shortcode to access the survey or click on the survey link through their phones. This survey method is ideal for collecting feedback on recent events. It’s necessary to have permission from the users to send them the surveys. Ensure that the messages are short, and make the responses quantifiable rather than ask for qualitative feedback. In that sense, you can measure the NPS for a particular interaction right after it happens. SMS surveys have a high opening rate of 98% compared to emails at just 22%. Cons: There’s limited space for elaboration in a text message. This makes SMS surveys unsuitable for studies that need an introduction or context for better answers. These types of survey methods can be costly depending on the carrier charges. How to choose the apt survey method There are varied types of survey methods in research. You can choose one or a mix of many. Here are some of the factors to keep in mind: If your target population can be enumerated, then you can easily pick a sample from the list of names you have at hand. Online surveys or phone surveys are not used for populations that are difficult to enumerate or list out. If your target population is illiterate, it is advisable to do a face-to-face survey. Target population: If your sample is small, it’s easier to carry out face-to-face surveys. On the other hand, you may need to deploy online surveys to guarantee higher response rates for a larger sample. Sample size: If your study lasts for a longer period, especially if the same sample takes the surveys, a panel survey would be apt. Other types of survey methods are sufficient for collecting data at a single point in time. Duration of research: Ensure that you have the infrastructure required to carry out your survey. In phone surveys, you would require phone surveying facilities. For conducting focus groups, you would need a comfortable room and equipment to record responses. Facility and infrastructure: Face-to-face surveys are expensive since there is a high cost of training and hiring interviewers. The same goes for mail surveys and associated postage. Costs incurred: Wrapping Up Surveys are a systematic form of collecting primary, raw data from your target audience. It is one of the most effective ways to conduct research. In this article, we discussed the numerous types of survey methods and how to choose the one most apt for you. Each one has its pros and cons. Ultimately, the survey method you select will depend upon numerous factors such as cost, response rates needed, target audience, and duration of research. Choose wisely! You Might Also Like 5 Customer Retention Strategies from the World’s Best Brands

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Picture this. You’ve been asked to design a survey for your company. But the closer you get to its deadline, the more you find yourself wondering where to begin. And before you know it, you’re losing sleep just trying to figure it all out! Sounds exhausting, right? Well, we’re here to tell you that it shouldn’t be. Yes, designing and conducting a survey is indeed easier said than done. However, with the right tools at hand, this could even turn into a fun process! Now, if you’re wondering why we even need surveys, let us stop you right there! Because, no matter what, there’s nothing like a survey to help you gather valuable feedback on your company. So, as hard as they might be to use, there really is no way around them. What do we do then, right? Well, we could refer to some survey design guidelines, of course! And now, in light of this noble quest, we’ve prepared a fabulous guide on survey designing (with examples, mind you!) that will give you some great ideas to work on. So, if you’re all set, let’s begin! Why Do You Even Need Survey Design Guidelines? Let’s face it. We all dread filling out those old-school survey forms. In fact, they are often the worst offenders of the never-ending and dull styles of surveying. But fortunately for us, those days are now long gone! And today, with a great many experts chiming in, we’ve got hundreds of ways to make these questionnaires more eye-catching. But eye-catching doesn’t necessarily mean better responses. That’s why you need guidelines. Now, if you’re curious to know what these survey design guidelines are, we get it! But before we tell you, we’d like to take a small detour and look at what survey designs are. What’s A Survey Design? Simply put, survey design is the process of putting together efficient surveys that will help you collect much-needed research. And more often than not, it uses an online survey tool or some ready-made templates. But if those aren’t for you, you’re also free to design a survey from scratch. So, this is where you get to choose your sample size, set a desirable response rate, select a survey medium, design your questions, and so on. 10 Great Guidelines For Your Survey Research Design! Now, since you’re more familiar with survey design, we’ll let you in on our secrets. So, here are some great survey design guidelines, tips and tricks. 1. Keeping it Relevant Do you know what’s most likely to throw your responders off track? That’s right! Irrelevant questions. So, before you even start thinking about the questions, make sure you plan out what you wish to assess. And once you lock that down, keep your questions very close to those goals. For instance, let’s say you want to know how well your food products have been selling. So, you can ask them about its taste, quality, price, and so on. This way, when you tell them why you’re recording their answers, they’ll be more inclined to believe you. 2. Incentives Go a Long Way Are you thinking about giving out some incentives for taking your survey? If so, you’re certainly on the right path! However, when it comes to questionnaire design, this can get a little dicey. Now, there’s really no harm in offering some rewards. So, feel free to send out gift vouchers or discount coupons to your regular responders and non-responders. But fair warning! You do not want to overdo it. Because if you do, you might just push your customers to lie in the survey. So do watch out for false answers to see what works best for you! 3. Short and Sweet for the Win! Say it with us! Nobody wants to fill out a 40-minute survey. Sure, in an ideal world, this would absolutely work, and you’d get some detailed answers. But sadly, that’s far from reality. For one, you’d most likely bore your customers to death. Or they’d get frustrated with the non-stop questions and gain a negative image of your company. But more importantly, an insanely long survey would tell the responder that you do not respect their time. And that, dear readers, is why we say – ‘short and sweet is the best!’ 4. Say Yes To Mobile Features Given how quickly smartphones have taken over the world, it would be a bad idea to not have mobile features in your survey. So, while sending out an email survey, you may want to embed some cool features for your mobile users. For instance, in such a survey design, you could add features like doodling, swipe, drag-and-drop, share buttons, and more. And who’s to say? These attractive features might just improve your response rates. 5. Some Visual Aids, to Taste The better your survey looks, the more responses you’re likely to get. So let your creative juices flow, and throw in some animations, fun color schemes, and more into your survey research design. And while you’re at it, make sure that the font is easy to read. This way, you can give your customers a fabulous visual treat that’d be hard to turn down. 6. A Touch of Personalization Over the years, personalized surveys have been proven to improve customer engagement. This is because such surveys can make them feel heard and seen by your company. So when you send out your final questionnaire design, why not give them a personalized experience? So go ahead and address your clients by name or send them tailor-made messages. In fact, while you’re at it, why not categorize them (based on their purchases) and assess their recent experiences? This way, they’ll know that you’re listening to their individual needs. 7. Stay in the Moment Trust us when we say this! You do NOT want to be the company that sends out their surveys too late. So, while planning your survey design, make sure to put “timely email” at the top of your list. Then stick to that goal, and send out your questionnaires within 3 to 4 days of a customer’s purchase. This way, your client won’t forget about their experiences and can answer all your questions. Now, if you feel this is too much work, we understand! However, this is an easy fix. With the help of online survey tools like SurveySparrow, you can now schedule your questionnaires whenever you need them. And then just sit back and relax, because you’ll never miss another survey! 8. Remember the Follow-up If your follow-up game is strong, you’re already miles ahead of your competitors. Because most companies fail to send out a follow-up email. So, folks, always remember to send out your follow-up surveys! This way, you can get at least some of your non-responders to answer it. 9. Make it Fun A survey design that entertains its responders is very likely to succeed. So, through means like chat surveys, gamification features, and more, you can keep your customers hooked. And guess what? If you add some humor to that, your users won’t bore too quickly! 10. Sprinkle the Marketing Mix Finally, just put your marketing hats on and get to work! Because recent survey design methodology suggests that the 4 Ps of marketing – product, price, placement, and promotion – can be applied to surveys as well. So, think of your questionnaire as a product you’re selling and market it accordingly. For instance, catchy titles, rewards, and more can entice your customers to spend their time (the price) on your survey. Similarly, you could also use pop-up surveys (placed at the right spot) to draw in your users. Some Popular Survey Design Examples The trick to a good survey is asking the right questions. But if you find it hard to nail this down, we understand! And this is why we’ve put together some examples of survey questions that you can use. So, let’s have a look at them. 1. The Multiple Choice We’ve all, at some point in time, come across a multiple-choice question. And its beauty lies in the fact that it gives your respondents a finite number of answers. This way, they aren’t forced to think hard and can quickly move through the questions. Now, are you wondering how this would work? Perhaps these survey design examples can help. With this question, you can ask your customers to choose one answer and quickly move on. But if you want multiple right choices for a question, you can do this instead: Here, your respondents are free to choose one or more answers from the list. For best results, we’d urge you to put these questions at regular intervals in the survey. This way, you can ensure that it’ll be quick and efficient. 2. Ranking Order Questions As far as survey design examples go, this is a great one! Here, you’d be able to have an overview of all answers, allowing for easy comparison. Let’s consider a company, A. It’s time for their annual customer review, and they want to quiz people on their services. So, this is how that could look: And so, this survey design would let your respondents rank each answer as they please. 3. The Image Type Question Now, this is a clear no-brainer. Here, to spruce your survey up, you can show your respondents a series of images and ask them to choose one as their answer. Let’s say you’re a company that produces hot and cold beverages. So, your products must range from soft drinks and fruit juices to hot coffees and teas. And in your survey design, you wish to find out what drinks would sell better during specific seasons. To do that, here’s how you can frame your question. Then, you can show them images of all the beverages you sell and ask them to choose one or more. Sounds fun, right? We think so! 4. Open-ended Questions Finally, we’ve got the king of all survey questions, the open-ended ones. But fair warning! These questions come at a price. Sure, they let you gather many long and thoughtful answers. However, they are also the most frustrating for your users. For one, they often need a lot of time to be answered. (You really don’t want them answering it all willy-nilly!) And second, not everyone would have something in-depth to say. So, while you must give them such a question, make sure they’re also optional! Now, here are some open-ended survey design examples: What are your thoughts on our product XYZ?How would you like us to improve?Do you have any suggestions for us?  And so on. Are You Getting Enough Survey Responses? This is a question that has plagued every company at some point in time. And if you ask us, it’s certainly a valid one. So how do you make sure you’re getting enough responses? Well, here’s how! First, you’ve got to be sure that you have the right sample size selected. This is the only way to ensure that the data you collect is statistically valid.But wait! Before you send the survey out, take it for a quick test drive. Here, you can keep an eye out for any errors in the design.When that’s done, your survey is all set to go out. But to get enough survey responses, you need to have a catchy subject line in the email.At the same time, be sure to proofread the message in the email. This way, you can save yourself from Finally, be sure to send out follow-up emails after the initial survey. This way, you can lure in at least some of the non-responders. These are all part of the survey design guidelines, so make sure to follow through. silent judgment. Survey Analysis Done Right Whoo, success! You’ve now got your responses, and it’s time to analyze them. So what should you do next? The first thing you must do is verify that the data is all good. So, this is where you’d weed out the false answers. Next, sharpen your slice and dice skills because it’s time to chop up the data! Here, you must go through each answer and group them as needed. And at the same time, you can find out things like how many users left the survey in the middle, how many were able to finish it, and so on. And lastly, to complete your survey analysis, you must use the data you have to answer the questions you had in mind. Then, put these points into a neat report and call it a day! Need Help? Ask an Expert! Now that we’ve listed out everything your survey design needs, it’s time to get to work. But if you’re still a little unsure how to proceed, don’t worry! Your next best bet is to hire a survey company to guide you through the design guidelines. And today, with companies like SurveySparrow, this is no longer a pipe dream. So, with the right expert by your side, say hello to fun , , , and more! chat surveys cool templates great analysis tools Winding Up Building an effective survey is nothing short of an art. And much like art, it’s also not an easy skill to master (but not impossible, mind you!). So, if you’re out there scrolling through countless guides like these, we understand! In fact, we’d like you to pat yourselves on the back for trying. However, this is only the first step. So next, you need to learn and grow from your feedback. Here, pay close attention to what the data says about the company, its products and your survey design. Then, you must work those into your future policies. And soon, you’ll get to spread your wings and fly! But hold on. If you’re still out there wondering where to begin, there’s no need to panic. Instead, just take a deep breath, put your work cape on, and read these survey design guidelines from the top. And then again, and again, until you can sit back and watch the magic unfold!

10 Ideas To Incentivise Surveys and How To Use Them in 2021

Today’s customers are smarter than you think. They are capable enough to research your product and make buying decisions on their own. With this in mind, you have to adopt new technologies and learn market trends. You have to understand your customers’ preferences, feelings, and attitudes. For that, you need to do market research. Market research is the core of your every successful business strategy. It’s the one and only way to get a deeper knowledge about your customers, competitors, and most importantly, your employees. And market research is the answer to all your business issues. This will help you to test new products, launch a new service, and identify potential leads. To make your research efforts more accurate, we’re sharing different market research types to make sure you have all the information. Read on to learn more about them. What is Market Research? Market research is one of the essential treasures of any business. It takes you closer to your customers by helping you understand them better. Several businesses use market research to identify their target market, improve the overall experience, and craft a strong marketing strategy that attracts new leads and retains the old ones. Why is Market Research Important? A popular electronic brand falls from grace within the business world. Everyone blamed the new CEO, business strategy, their products, and whatnot! But, the real reason behind the loss of their popularity was the lack of market research. For this reason, the brand failed to understand the new market trends, customer preferences, and advanced technologies. Well, I’m telling you the story of Nokia. Back in 2013, Nokia’s lack of market understanding and innovation was one of the many reasons behind its failure. There’s no doubt that market research is one of the most important parts of a successful business. Without conducting market research, you can’t understand your customers, identify the strengths and weaknesses of your business, or can’t create a solid marketing strategy that works effectively. As a business owner, you have to analyze what your customers want, what their expectations are. And without marketing research, you can’t understand them accurately. Yes, you’ll have a rough idea about their needs, but if you want to dig deeper and win your customers forever, then market research is vital. Here’s why market research is crucial for the good health of your business: Who will purchase my product? What do they expect from my product? Who are my ideal customers? How often will they purchase from me? I know you ask yourself these questions a lot! Because your business’s success depends on the answers to these questions. The more answers you’ll get, the better understanding you’ll get about your business. The answers will help you to know your customers better than your competitors. Conducting market research will allow you to get the full buyer’s persona or customer profile. From the customer profile, you can identify the market size. You’ll get insights on customer demographics, like their age, gender, location, Income, etc. You can use this valuable insight into different marketing, advertising, or pricing campaigns. Stay Ahead of Your Competitors Your competitors have already done their fair share of market research to stay ahead in the game. If you want to win back your customers from your competitors, market research is the ultimate solution. You can identify the key players in the market with the help of . Moreover, you can gather knowledge about competitors’ business approaches, strengths, and weaknesses. These will help you to create effective strategies with more deep knowledge about the market. You can analyze your business gaps, which will be crucial to the growth of your business. market research Test Your Product While launching a new product on the market, you can’t be sure about its success. You can never know whether your customers will connect with your product or not. That’s why testing is vital before launching your product or services in the market world. Don’t make decisions in haste, and look well before introducing your business to the potential customer. With market research, you can identify what strategy is best for your product, What resonates with your potential buyers, etc. This will save you from making any bad decisions or delivering a bad product to the market. Observe Closely to win Trust Getting closer to your customer will ensure your business’s success in the long run. You have to care about your employees deeply to get better results and improve customer experience. Also, gathering information can tell you the reason behind your customers’ behavior. For instance, suppose your customers often leave your website after visiting the service page. You can identify the reason after conducting market research. Now you know what market research is and why it’s valuable for businesses. So, let’s move on to the next point- the different types of market research. Different Types of Market Research There are mainly two types of market research that you’ll come across often- primary research and secondary research. Secondary research means third-party information within the market. In this kind of market research, the research is done by another business or organization, not by you. Some good examples of secondary market research are: Articles Books Videos Infographics White papers Secondary market research is essential to understand your industry. But, if you want to collect deep knowledge about your industry, then primary market research is more crucial. And the examples of primary market research are: Online survey Interview Focus groups Primary market research can help you collect insightful information directly from your potential customers. With this information, you can strengthen your business strategy. Online surveys and polls are great ways to conduct market research successfully. With online surveys, you can get 40% more responses than any other survey method. If you are not sure about your product’s performance or want feedback about service, always ask your customers first. Learn more about the importance of online surveys in our next point- “How to conduct market research with online surveys?” How to Conduct Market Research with Online Survey Online survey is an important part of market research. It lets you analyze your customers’ feelings about your products\services. If you want to get a clear idea about their characteristics, requirements, feedback, and expectations, market survey tools are the answer to all. The primary purpose of online market surveys are: The purpose of the customers’ feedback survey is to gain valuable customer information so that you can retain your old customers and obtain new customers quickly. Surveys will give you a clear understanding of your customers’ purchasing behavior. Whether they’ll buy a specific product from you? Will they spend a certain amount on your new product or not? What do they think about the new feature of your app? You will get answers to all these questions by using an online market survey. Another purpose of market surveys is to gain insightful data. Gathering market data is essential to make major business decisions. You can avoid business risk by making well-informed decisions and marketing strategies. The most important purpose of market surveys is to get feedback and analyze your customer satisfaction levels. This will help you to keep your customers engaged and obtain loyal customers. Different Types of market research surveys: There are multiple types of market research surveys used by companies to gain insightful data. The information collected by market surveys will help you to identify new market trends, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, employee experience, competitors’ research, etc. As we mentioned earlier, there are multiple types of market surveys used by companies. But here will talk about the top five most valuable market research surveys you can run to ensure good profits. 1. Market Segmentation Survey With online market research surveys, you can determine the market size, segment your customers. Segmented campaigns can increase revenue by . By conducting such market research, you can get key information on market growth, competitive positioning, etc. You can also use this type of survey to explore your target market and gather information about audience demographics—for example, age, family income, gender, etc. 750% 2. Purchase Process Tracking Survey How do your customers decide to make a purchase? What factors transform product awareness into sales? You’ll get these answers from conducting a purchase process tracking survey. These types of surveys will give you knowledge about market awareness, market information, inclination, etc. 3. Customer Analysis Survey Customer analysis surveys are extremely important for understanding your customers’ expectations, attitudes, and loyalty. Also, you can measure customer loyalty and engagement based on these online surveys. 4. New Product Analysis Survey If you want to launch a new feature of your product in the market, a product analysis survey will ensure success. You can measure the likelihood of the new feature or product. This market research will help you in the feature development process properly in the future. 5. Market Survey for Competitors Analysis Competitors are always vital for any organization. When you maintain healthy competition with other businesses in your industry, you create opportunities for growth. And market surveys for competitor analysis will make you realize the market view you have relative to your competitors. In addition, you can gather information about their marketing strategist, strengths, and weaknesses. You can use SurveySparrow’s online survey software to conduct market research smoothly. With SurveySparrow, you’ll get myriads of survey templates that will help you create engaging surveys based on your own requirements. Tools for conducting market research Here we’ve compiled a list of tools you can use to conduct online and offline market research surveys. These simple yet powerful features of these tools are extremely popular among several businesses all over the globe. Engaging Survey Software There’s nothing better than using engaging survey software to conduct your market research efficiently. Surveys are one of the best methods to gather information from your customers and employees about your business services and products. Having clarity about your potential customers, buyers’ persona, and solid feedback will make your marketing strategy stronger. Survey software is popular for creating personalized surveys and increasing brand awareness. With survey platforms, you can get Insights from your website, social media platforms, webinars, and emails. SurveySparrow’s survey software is a great . It allows you to create engaging forms and surveys without a hassle. These surveys are conversational and easy-to-use. Most importantly, it offers features like multiple question types, dashboard, customization, embedded surveys, recurring surveys, etc. So, if you are looking for ways to conduct hassle-free market research, SurveySparrow is definitely a great Typeform, Zoho, and SurveyMonkey alternative. Typeform alternative Chatbots for Website Chatbots are the future of market research. As per a study, by 2024, the global market chat is projected to be over $994 million. Several brands are implementing chatbots in every business task. From doing market research to tracking employee service, chatbots are almost everywhere. A chatbot for a website has the power to make your customer journey or employee journey more enjoyable. It is an automated system that’ll guide your target audience via text and voice-based conversation. Using the ability of natural language processing, AI programmed intelligence, you can gather insights deeply resembling a human employee. In addition, a chatbot will never feel tired to ask a follow-up question to your customers as your human employee. And market research is not a one-day work task! You have to make sure your research results are always up to date. That’s why you have to communicate with your target audience constantly. Chatbots are the best solution to engage with your customers without disturbing them frequently. SurveySparrow’s is exclusively made to gather Insightful market data without any programming knowledge. Here we can give you an example of . This San Francisco-based marketing and advertising company de-cluttered its data collection process using SurveySparrow’s chatbot feature. no-code feedbot Deloitte Digital The company was facing challenges while collecting market data with the traditional paper questionnaire. However, the chat-like experience and sleek UI of this chatbot helped them gather 804 survey responses out of 1200 surveyed people. That means a total of 67% completion rate. Profitable, isn’t it? 360 degree feedback software You can spend every bit of your penny on your customers to make them stay, but without your employees’ help, you’ll fail miserably every time. When we talk about market research, the first thing that pops into our minds is customers. We want to conduct market research to gather knowledge about customer preference. But, employee research always remains like a neglected treasure. The reason why your business competitors outperform you is their focus on the development and betterment of their employees. If you want to make a stellar marketing strategy, you can’t ignore your employees. In recent days, employee engagement and satisfaction have both become very popular topics. Businesses all over the globe realize the value of employees. Because, no matter which industry you belong to, people like to do business with people. And happy employees are the most real, relatable, and simple people to attract customers and keep them engaged. That’s why it’s important to use a 360-degree feedback tool like SurveySparrow. With this software, you can conduct an employee assessment to increase productivity and drive growth. From insightful review reports, customized reports to assessment tracker, you can do all at once with this tool. Let’s Wrap it Up Aall things said and done! Here we’ve broken down the importance of market research. Also, we’ve shared our take on the importance of market surveys. From getting a more focused target audience to loyal customers, online and offline surveys are great approaches to collect insights. Asking market research questions not only improves customer satisfaction but also gives you authentic information. So, have you conducted your own market research before? If yes, share your experiences in the comment below. Till then, keep surveying, and keep asking the right questions! Previously published at https://surveysparrow.com/blog/what-is-market-research/

Market Research is the Key to Your Business Success: Here’s Why

Online survey tools do brands everywhere a world of good. Don't believe that? Well, what do the best survey tools do? Fetch feedback from the target audience, help you identify what works and what doesn't, and shed light on how to improve the overall experience, right? This definition also happens to be the formula of success for most brands. I assure you it was not a fairy godmother who waved her magic wand to make this happen. It was a close and strategic watch on their customers, analyzing the patterns in their buying behavior mixed with their perception of the company that made this happen. So how did they read their customers' minds to provide just what they needed and how they needed it? They depended on cleverly designed surveys to get insights, much like any other successful company! What are Online Survey Tools? are the simple and hassle-free way to get in touch with the targeted audience and collect their valuable feedback. It gives your company insight into where you need that pat on the shoulder and where you need to step up in your game. Online Survey Tools Which are the Best Online Survey Tools and Apps of 2020? Let's compare the 10 best online survey tools of 2020 that we think can withstand the test of quality with the integrity demanded by the fast, instant world of today. We'll make sure we are providing you with just what you need without smothering you with inconvenient and pointless features. We need only the on offer, after all best features SurveySparrow Typeform SurveyMonkey Qualtrics Google Forms SurveyGizmo QuestionPro Zoho Survey Kwik Surveys Jotform A recent initiative than others in the list, lets you turn the bland surveys into pleasant conversations. It assists you in creating surveys that are extremely engaging and presents a chat-like experience with the comfort of your smartphone. SurveySparrow The friendly Conversational User Interface (CUI) resembles the respondent as a messaging app. You can either choose a template or build one from scratch. You also have options such as Display Logic, Drag and drop and many more to keep it interesting for the respondents. Reasons enough to make SurveySparrow one of the best online survey tools available. With the built-in automation of SurveySparrow, you can schedule re-surveying at regular intervals and share the results across all the channels with their respective audience. You can also comprehend the data collected much more easily, thanks to the analytic reports and insights provided by SurveySparrow. A cool online survey tool, through and through. And affordable too! You’ll have all the right reasons to love SurveySparrow. Pricing: Starts at $19 per month. Survey Tool #2 Typeform is a SaaS company that lets users create their own surveys. It runs smoothly on all devices and has a unique interface that only shows one question at a time. The Typeform editor enables you to drag-and-drop the form fields into the spots that you choose. While we are at the topic of choosing, why don't you check out these ? Typeform top Typeform alternatives Core plan', the free version of Typeform comes with features such as unlimited questions and answers, custom-designed themes, data export options as well as ready-made templates and basic reporting features for the fast-paced world. Pricing: Starts at $35 per month. Survey Tool #3 SurveyMonkey One of the well-known online survey tools around the world, provides its users with 15 diverse types of survey questions including Likert scales and open comments. has features that aides you to collect data online as well as offline through mobile devices. SurveyMonkey SurveyMonkey It also has features that would enable you to generate reports, analyze and backup survey data. However, it lacks a feature that makes it less suitable for measuring overall satisfaction or re-surveying customers after an interval. Maybe you should look up the as well? top SurveyMonkey alternatives Pricing: Starts at $31 per month. Survey Tool #4 Qualtrics A powerful Online Survey App, pushes the limitations of traditional surveys. offers around 100+ types of questions, various ready-made survey templates. Qualtrics Qualtrics They don't stop with that, they have enabled features such as logic branching, email triggers and display logic for a pleasant experience. You can also choose from over 30 different graph types and export results to CSV or SPSS in their real-time web reports. Pricing: Contact to get a quote Survey Tool #5 Google Forms The free online survey tool, , lets you put together surveys quickly and easily via their convenient drag & drop interface. You can customize the design of the surveys. Moreover, the platform also provides you with real-time response information and charts. The added bonus is that the collected data can also be synced with other Google products. Google Forms You can gather everything in something like a spreadsheet and analyze the data in Google Sheets. With data validation rules, the email addresses can be formatted correctly and people can get suitable questions for them. Google Forms serve as an excellent too especially for educational professionals. quiz maker Pricing: You can use for free. Google Forms Survey Tool #6 SurveyGizmo An easy-to-use survey tool, that is what is. It also comes with pretty good automation capabilities, such as piping answers to new questions, sending emails/notifications based on responses, and such. In addition, it provides a wide variety of question types and filtering options in order to ensure the proper questions are being asked. SurveyGizmo However, the pricing is rather steep and the reporting needs some work. Despite the unpopular pricing and glitch platform, o remains one of the best survey tools. SurveyGizm Pricing: Starts at $25 per month. Survey Tool #7 QuestionPro One of the leading online survey tools, helps you create efficient surveys, polls, and quizzes within minutes. The shareable, robust analytical reports makes it a great tool for business enterprises. Question Pro The online survey platform offers multilingual customizable surveys, multiple survey templates with more than 30 question types along with branding provisions for the users. However, the steep learning curve and slow customer support may hinder a smooth workflow. Pricing: The pricing plan starts at $15 per month. Survey Tool #8 Zoho Survey is an easy-to-use online survey and questionnaire building software. It has a rich array of features and is a highly user-friendly tool. It works seamlessly as long as your needs are basic. The tool is just not capable of handling complex requirements. Zoho Survey Zoho Survey has a range of templates, but limited customizing options. Once you outgrow the free version you have to bite the bullet and get the standard version, which is not the best there is. Furthermore, Zoho surveys haven't got the most modern user interfaces. Pricing: The pricing plan starts at $20 per month. Survey Tool #9 Kwik Surveys The free online survey tool, is quick, no surprises there! It is a very user-friendly tool and anyone can seamlessly create a survey with the least efforts. Kwik Surveys On another note, upgrades don’t come cheap with Kwik Surveys and the customizing options aren’t many. Kwik Surveys are often labeled as boring because it is way too simple than is necessary. Pricing: Starts at $12.99 per month Survey Tool #10 JotForm is one of the leading creative online form builders known by its intuitiveness and ease of use. With fairly decent analytics and integrations, combines powerful features in its online form. If you need to generate leads, distribute surveys, collect payments and more, JotForm is for you. JotForm JotForm The overall layout and design of default JotForm forms are very pleasant and easy to use. However, the customization options are very limited and the billing structure is often found to be fluctuating. Moreover, logic branching isn’t sophisticated enough to handle complex requirements. Their customer service does slack and you may never hear back from them, especially if you are a free user. Pricing: Starts at $15.83 per month Planning an Online Survey There are several crucial steps to consider when it comes to planning an . Simply throwing a survey into the web space won't be barely as effective as pointing it to a particular audience with tailored questions. When would help you with the large and difficult part of the work, you need to pitch in with what to ask. Online Survey Online Survey Apps Control the order of questions you ask and whom you put it out to so that you can avoid bored and confused customers. For example, If Pedigree, one of the giants in the pet food industry, is conducting a survey. First of all, they will have to determine that the respondent owns a pet. Generally splitting up a survey into several interlocked webpages eludes showing irrelevant questions to the respondent. Continuing with the previous example, they may have to discover first what kind of pet they have and then follow up with questions tailored to fit that. A question about cat litter won't make sense to a dog parent and would make him feel that the entire survey doesn't pertain to his requirements. Deploying Surveys with the Best Online Survey Tools! Picking the most fitting online survey software for your enterprise can be quite demanding –  considering many of these Online Survey tools tends to provide many of the same features. Though there are definitely some distinctions between what you get with a paid version and a free online survey tool version. Typically, the paid versions of online survey tools deliver added capabilities such as: Follow up Questions – paid survey apps manage to feed an option to add a follow-up question. This question is based on the response you've given to the previous question. Data Exporting – Not many Online Survey tools would let you export the data collected unless you upgrade yourself to the paid version. Customizing logo – With most of the paid versions of the online survey tools, it is possible for you to get rid of the logo of the survey app and update it with the logo of your choice Diverse question types – Though the free online survey tools offer loads of question types, including single choice, multiple-choice, drop-downs, ratings, and radio buttons. Paid versions offer more creative and unique types. Wrapping Up! Surveys are the sensory perceptions which detects the pulse and the slightest wave of emotion in the user satisfaction. Today the world is changing rapidly and everything in it is too. This makes the needs and requirements of the customers more evolved and highly proficient. When flooded with choices most customers prefer quality over price. 1st Financial Training Services conducted a survey which brought in statistics showing that 96% of unhappy customers don't complain, however, and never come back. These numbers proclaim the criticality of knowing the pulse of your audience effectively. 91% of those will just leave Everyone is trying to be unique that no one is unique anymore. It's getting tougher and tougher to stay in the mind of the customer. Be sure that you are not just thinking about what the customer needs now… because there is a high chance that it has already fled the minds of the customer. Prepare and embrace technologies that are meant for tomorrow.

10 Best Online Survey Tools And Apps You Should Be Looking For: 2020 Edition

15 Best SurveyMonkey Alternatives to Check Out for Building Better Forms

Implemented vaccine mandates, reduced office osmosis, and increased tainted the past two years. Employees have lacked structure, a sense of control, and minimized learning through complex, unsynchronized digital communication. employee quit rates Team cutbacks have put immense pressure on workers, leaving businesses in dire need to reevaluate their capabilities. To fully comprehend your organizational potential, first, you need a complete understanding of your staff. The is their physical, cultural, and technological interaction with your company. employee experience (EX) is gained from an engaged workforce through lower absenteeism and a feeling of appreciation, with 69% of employees saying they work harder if their opinions are recognized. Businesses must adapt to new working environments by reviewing employees, finding new ways to engage their team, and acknowledging their achievements. Two-fifths of productivity HR teams need a 360-degree solution that measures EX to understand and generate a productive workforce. Here’s how. What Is a 360º Approach? Scoping out a reliable picture of EX requires looking at each employee’s involvement from different perspectives. Rather than relying solely on managerial feedback of an individual, modern approaches will assess an employee’s performance in the eyes of the individual, peers, and the managers holistically. Traditional one-to-one approaches whereby employees tell HR teams whether they are happy with their experience can be untrustworthy. Self-assessment encourages employees to think about what the position requires, where they need to improve, and what would help them achieve it well, bolstering accountability. The difference in responses between managers and employees will highlight areas for growth and increase mutual understanding. In addition, peer reviews highlight managers' blind spots. Opening a channel to colleagues can underline any internal , ways of working, and present patterns that may have gone unnoticed without a formal collection of feedback. By taking an active interest in each other’s performance, companies can build a supportive, reflective, and inclusive culture where peers learn from one another and improve their overall experience. i ssues between teammates Why Personal Development Plans Improve EX You can improve your EX by acting on individual needs. According to Gallop, represent employees' understanding and ability of tasks, recognition, alignment with company values, and personal development. 12 critical motivators Feedback and reviews that examine individual task comprehension and values provide the basis for personal development plans. Managers and their teams can agree upon key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess over time. Setting progress objectives help employees increase focus, productivity, and develop skills by understanding their strengths and where they would like to grow. Appraisals can come in rewards, promotions, compensation, and employees' future with the organization. The basis for promotions are often expectations designed in the review stage. When businesses acknowledge their team meeting or exceeding their KPIs, recognizing their development through appraisals provides employees with a sense of achievement. When coworkers feel appreciated and treated equally, you improve their cultural experience, and a more inclusive team is born . HR teams must ensure a level playing field in advancement and opportunity. For example, survey analytics are fair and transparent tools to demonstrate employee performance and communicate criteria behind pay processes and promotions. where innovation can thrive How to Implement 360º Appraisals Company-Wide There is a craving for humanity in a time of hybrid working and digital processes. Verbal feedback helps gauge employees' emotions, leaving room for HR teams to cater questions bespoke to the situation. However, it can be challenging to track progress holistically without structured quarterly touchpoints and departmental KPIs. It’s essential to ask every employee, manager, and peer and record answers digitally for transparent, 360-degree appraisal processes. specific questions Conversational interfaces and less formal tones found in messaging apps create a more human touch to preserve and establish relationships with colleagues, superiors, and subordinates while enabling HR teams to capture feedback directly. They could deliver questions manually one by one and gather feedback in a safe space where teammates feel they are talking to a friend, facilitating employees’ freedom to speak openly—and providing invaluable feedback. Company-wide digital surveys enable you to ask the same questions to multiple employees at once and track EX in a structured format. Although not all questions will apply to every team or department, using display (based on the previous question) and skip logic (based on the last answer), you can present a new series of questions to each employee depending on their response. By eliminating invalid questions, you increase efficiency for your workforce and enhance the accuracy of insights. Whether you opt for in-person, written, or survey feedback tools, recognizing EX in a holistic 360-degree approach boosts self-awareness, stimulates ownership, and opens a channel of communication where ideas are shared and learned from—ultimately improving employee engagement. Improve employee productivity by investing in their opinion and growth.

Why Measure EX Through an Organizational 360º Approach?

From an epidemic, it was advancing towards becoming a pandemic. We heard a 10, then 20 and before we knew, it had already hit 1000! Quarantine was turning into a buzzword and countries were gradually going into lockdowns. COVID-19 was gripping the globe. For an early-stage startup like us, the challenge was mountainous. We couldn’t risk the lives of our employees. So, continuing to run the office during the time was out of the question. Simultaneously, all the hard work that we put to gain the trust of our customers would be at stake if we stopped functioning altogether. Now, there was one viable option in front of us; to shift to a remote working model. It meant coordinating an entire team working from home and that would be no breezy task. We knew it, very well that too. Umpteen questions stood before us. 'How to go about work collaboration?' 'How do we get notified of work status updates?' 'How do we exchange ideas?' ‘Hows’, ‘What’s’ and ‘Whys’ followed but we took the plunge whatsoever. Now, two months down the line, we still work remotely as a team. And how are we faring? Like a well-oiled machine, I would say! There’s no better way to put it! We are productive than ever now and this news is a ray of hope for all of us during such a difficult time. I will not shy away from saying that this is all a result of quick but proper planning and execution which wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of our employees. How did we Build a Robust Remote Team? We have never functioned as a remote team. We ideated a lot in-person and as mentioned earlier, the recent course of events had taken us by surprise. Yet, we didn't quit. We huddled up, jotted down the ways in which we functioned in our office and contemplated on moving it to an online version. Finally, we did shift almost all the functions to the virtual version. We know this unprecedented crisis has put many companies in a difficult situation. Remote working has not been very friendly with certain organizations and has put both employers and employees in a fix. At this juncture, we would like to share how we overcame the tests of remote team building so that it inspires and motivates displaced teams to productively work from home. The following are the initiatives that helped us be much more productive in our remote work endeavors. 1. Virtual Check-in with #daily Our office space has a biometric attendance system. All of us had become very much accustomed to scanning our finger to enter the office space. Now that was our first concern. We wanted an attendance system and also wanted to ensure that employees do not burn out from continuous work. We had to establish a check-in and check-out mechanism so that our employees could clearly demarcate their time for work and personal requirements. And indeed we did. We immediately came up with a channel, #daily in Slack. The whole team would start off their day by greeting one another and sign off the day in the same manner. Moreover, we encouraged the team to greet each other in different cultural languages, emojis, and even funny GIFs to make the day look less habitual and more interesting. Gradually, the channel became more than an attendance system, it became the virtual ground for meeting our family-like team. Rather than making it a channel for confirming the presence of employees in a mechanical fashion, we have tried to give #daily a humane touch and that has worked wonders. 2. Daily Scrum With SurveySparrow Physically, all of us are scattered, but our work is as aligned as it should be. We have automated the entire process of daily stand-ups with SurveySparrow’s own SlackBot. We had come up with this idea instantaneously as we decided to opt to work from home. Without any further ado, we sat to develop the tool and implemented it within a few days’ time. We had it integrated with the Slack channels of the respective teams and everyone was onboard. We then started receiving daily updates of each team's work status, saving us the trouble of any confusion. Needless to say, ever since then work coordination has become a cinch, thanks to our very own tool! You can try our Sparrow SlackBot too, it’s just a click away. 3. Weekly Reflections We as an organization are driven by impact rather than the volume of activities. Our belief lies in working towards solid solutions that will help us reach our organizational goals rather than flimsy activities that barely make a difference. We created a channel, #weekly, where the entire team updates the list of tasks carried out in the previous week. Weekly reflections help us analyze our work, evaluate the impact brought by each activity, and keep track of work in the pipeline. This has aided all of us in organizing and synchronizing the workflow much efficiently. When so much is done, the following week can be started off with great clarity and therefore on a good note. 4. Weekly Online Team Meeting The obvious perk of working in an office is that you work with your team in-person. Ideas are exchanged, plans are curated and executed together with the team beside you. When you work in such a zealous environment, you are sure to be inspired almost every time. But that needn't be the case when one works from home. Working all by oneself, cooped up in the four walls of the house can be exhausting both physically and emotionally. We have tried to tackle such a situation, here, at SurveySparrow. We make sure that the team members meet each other every week. We conduct a team-wise meeting weekly, via or  Zoom to brainstorm ideas, draft plans, and discuss work progression. Google Meet Meeting familiar faces and guiding each other is always a delight.  It helps dodge the work fatigue and rekindle the passion and drive for work. 5. Zoom Monthly All Hands Meet Our Monthly All Hands Meeting was something that we looked forward to at the end of every month. The meeting was a platform where business updates were reviewed, concerns of the employees were addressed and every milestone was celebrated. It helped our company become more transparent and bond with the employees better. The pandemic had posed a threat to all such meetings but we were uncompromising. We decided not to break the routine and still continue our all-hands meeting via Video Conferencing with our remote team. Zoom As a result, our employees are happier and the team spirit has bolstered up. Winding Up We were shook just like anybody but we were not ready to give up on something that we love so dearly. We set up our virtual office backed by , encouraged flexible work hours, and conducted activities to boost morale. Slack We go hand in hand as a company and have each other’s back whenever things go haywire. It has made all the difference. And that was our inspiration to chip in our contribution to this fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We developed two remote tools, Sparrow SlackBot and Surveysparrow for Microsoft, to help ourselves and our counterparts streamline work efficiently. We didn't stop there. How could we forget those communities who are working day and night to ease the difficulties brought by this pandemic? We offer free services for the next 6 months for all NGOs fighting the good fight. If you are one among them please don't hesitate to visit our self-help portal: https://surveysparrow.com/help-each-other. We are more than happy to serve you. We are facing grim times and that’s the fact. Sugar-coated words are not going to help. We need to stand by each other and take up resilient actions to mitigate the current scenario of work. And yes, I strongly believe that our unity will help us overcome this crisis. It is just a matter of time. Previously published at https://surveysparrow.com/blog/remote-team-building-during-covid-outbreak/

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