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Unlock This CourseImagine you're starting a new business selling gaming headsets. How do you know what features gamers actually want? What price would they pay? This is where questionnaires come in - they're one of the most popular ways businesses gather information directly from potential customers.
Questionnaires are a form of primary research, meaning businesses collect fresh, original data rather than using information that already exists. They're like surveys that ask people specific questions to help businesses understand their market better.
Key Definitions:
Questionnaires help businesses understand what customers think, want and need. They're particularly useful for testing new product ideas, understanding buying habits and measuring customer satisfaction. Unlike just guessing what customers want, questionnaires provide real evidence to base business decisions on.
Not all questions are created equal! The type of questions you ask affects the kind of answers you get. There are several different types, each with their own strengths.
These questions give respondents specific options to choose from. They're quick to answer and easy to analyse because the responses can be counted and turned into statistics.
Example: "How often do you buy trainers?" Options: Never, Once a year, Twice a year, More than twice a year
Example: "Rate our customer service from 1-10" where 1 is terrible and 10 is excellent
Example: "Do you own a smartphone?" Simple yes or no answer
These questions let respondents answer in their own words. They provide detailed insights but take longer to analyse because each answer is unique.
"What improvements would you like to see in our mobile app?" or "Describe your ideal holiday destination." These questions often start with words like "What," "How," "Why," or "Describe."
Creating a good questionnaire is like building a bridge - it needs to connect your business needs with clear, answerable questions. Poor design leads to confusing results that don't help your business.
Use everyday language that your target audience understands. Avoid jargon or technical terms. For example, ask "How much would you pay for this product?" rather than "What is your price sensitivity threshold?"
Start with easy, general questions to get people comfortable, then move to more specific or personal questions. End with demographic questions (age, income) as people might find these intrusive if asked first.
Keep it short: Aim for 10-15 questions maximum. People lose interest in long surveys.
Avoid leading questions: Don't ask "Don't you think our amazing new product is fantastic?" Instead ask "What do you think of our new product?"
Test first: Try your questionnaire with a small group before sending it to everyone.
Once you've designed your questionnaire, you need to get it to your target audience. Different methods work better for different situations and budgets.
Quick, cheap and can reach lots of people. Perfect for tech-savvy audiences but might miss older demographics.
Good response rates and can clarify confusing questions, but expensive and time-consuming.
Highest quality responses and can observe body language, but very expensive and slow.
Like any research method, questionnaires have both strengths and weaknesses. Understanding these helps businesses decide when to use them.
Especially online questionnaires - you can reach thousands of people for the cost of a website subscription. Much cheaper than hiring researchers for interviews.
Netflix's Success Story: Netflix regularly uses questionnaires to understand viewing habits. They ask subscribers about favourite genres, viewing times and device preferences. This data helped them decide to invest billions in original content and develop their recommendation algorithm. Their questionnaire research revealed that 70% of viewing happens on mobile devices, leading to improved mobile apps.
Collecting responses is only half the job - you need to turn raw data into useful business insights. This process involves organising, interpreting and presenting your findings.
This involves counting and measuring responses from closed questions. You can calculate percentages, averages and create charts to spot patterns.
If 200 people completed your questionnaire about a new chocolate bar and 150 said they'd buy it, that's 75% purchase intention - a strong indicator for launching the product.
This involves reading through open-ended responses to identify common themes and insights. It takes longer but provides richer understanding of customer feelings and motivations.
The ultimate goal of questionnaire research is to help businesses make better decisions. Whether launching new products, improving services, or understanding competitors, questionnaire data should guide strategy.
Smart businesses don't just collect data - they act on it. If questionnaires reveal customers want faster delivery, invest in logistics. If they show price is the main concern, review pricing strategy or find ways to reduce costs.
McDonald's Menu Changes: McDonald's used questionnaires to discover customers wanted healthier options. This led to adding salads, fruit bags and displaying calorie information. Their research showed 60% of customers would visit more often with healthier choices available, directly influencing menu development and marketing strategy.