Top 20 Survey Tools to Help You Gain Insights and Improve Your Business

What is a survey tool, and how does it work?

A survey tool is a software program or platform designed to help businesses and organizations collect data through surveys, questionnaires, and feedback forms. These tools typically provide a variety of survey templates and question types, as well as data analysis and reporting features to help businesses make data-driven decisions.

To use a survey tool, a business or organization would typically create a survey or questionnaire within the tool, either from scratch or by customizing a pre-existing template. The survey is then distributed to the target audience, either through email invitations, social media, or other channels. Respondents then complete the survey either online or offline, and their responses are collected and stored within the tool.

Once the survey responses have been collected, the survey tool will typically provide various tools and features for analyzing and reporting on the data collected. This may include the ability to generate charts, graphs, and tables to visualize the data, as well as tools for filtering and segmenting the data based on different demographics or other factors.

Overall, survey tools are designed to help businesses and organizations collect valuable data from their customers, employees, or other stakeholders, and to use that data to make informed decisions and improve their overall performance.

What features should I look for when selecting a survey tool?

When selecting a survey tool, there are several features to consider depending on your business needs. Here are some key features to look for:

1. Question types: Offer a variety of question types such as multiple-choice, open-ended, ranking, and Likert scale questions to create a well-rounded survey.
2. Customization options: Allow you to customize the survey to fit your brand's style, including color schemes, logos, and branding elements.
3. Distribution channels: The survey tool should allow you to distribute your survey via multiple channels like email, social media, or website embedding.
4. Data analysis and reporting: Provide features that allow you to analyze and interpret the data collected from the survey such as charts, graphs, and filters.
5. Survey logic: Allow for survey logic such as branching, skip logic, and piping to create more personalized survey experiences.
6. Collaboration: Allow multiple users to collaborate on surveys, share data and insights, and work on the survey simultaneously.
7. Data security: Robust data security measures such as encryption, access controls, and backups to ensure data privacy and security.
8. Customer support: Offer customer support through multiple channels like email, phone, or chat to assist users with any issues or questions that may arise.
9. Integrations: Offer integrations with other tools like CRM software, marketing automation software, or data visualization tools to streamline workflows and enhance data analysis.

By considering these features, you can find survey software that fits your business needs and helps you collect valuable data to drive informed decision-making.

What are the benefits of using survey apps for my business?

There are several benefits to using survey tools for your business. Here are some of the main advantages:

1. Improved customer insights: Surveys can help you gather valuable feedback from your customers, allowing you to better understand their needs and preferences. This, in turn, can help you improve your products or services to better meet those needs.
2. Data-driven decision-making: Survey tools allow you to collect and analyze data, enabling you to make informed decisions based on actual customer feedback and preferences.
3. Cost-effective: Survey tools are often more cost-effective than traditional market research methods like focus groups or phone surveys.
4. Increased customer loyalty: By soliciting feedback from your customers, you can show that you value their opinions and are committed to meeting their needs. This can help build customer loyalty and trust.
5. Enhanced employee engagement: Surveys can also be used to gather feedback from your employees, helping you identify areas for improvement and increase employee engagement.
6. Time-saving: Survey tools automate the data collection process, saving you time and resources that can be allocated to other business activities.
7. Easy to use: Most survey tools are user-friendly and require no technical expertise, allowing you to quickly and easily create and distribute surveys.

By using survey tools to gather customer and employee feedback, businesses can gain valuable insights that can help them make data-driven decisions, improve customer loyalty, and enhance employee engagement.

How much do these survey tools typically cost, and are there any free options available?

The cost of survey tools can vary widely depending on the features and functionality of the tool, as well as the number of surveys and responses required. Some survey tools are available for free, while others can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars per month. Here are some common pricing models for survey tools:

• Free: Some survey tools offer a basic plan for free, with limited features and a maximum number of surveys and responses.
• Subscription-based: Many survey tools offer subscription-based pricing, where users pay a monthly or yearly fee for access to a set number of surveys and responses, as well as additional features and functionality.
• Pay-per-response: Some survey tools charge per response, allowing users to pay only for the number of completed surveys they receive.
• Enterprise-level: For larger organizations with more complex needs, some survey tools offer customized pricing based on specific requirements and features.

When evaluating survey providers, it is important to consider both the cost and the features offered to ensure that you are getting the best value for your business needs. Additionally, many survey providers offer free trials or demos, allowing you to test the tool before committing to a paid subscription.

What are some best practices for designing and administering effective surveys?

Designing and administering effective surveys is critical to gathering accurate and meaningful data that can inform your business decisions. Here are some best practices to keep in mind when designing and administering surveys with survey tools:

1. Define your objectives: Before creating your survey, define your research objectives and the questions you want to answer. This will help you design questions that are relevant to your research goals and ensure that your data is meaningful and actionable.
2. Keep it concise: Try to keep your survey as concise as possible. Long surveys can lead to respondent fatigue and result in incomplete or inaccurate responses. Focus on the most important questions that will provide you with the data you need.
3. Use clear language: Use clear and concise language in your survey questions to avoid confusion or misunderstanding. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may not be understood by all respondents.
4. Use a mix of question types: Use a variety of question types, such as multiple choice, open-ended, and rating scales, to gather different types of data and reduce respondent bias.
5. Test your survey: Before administering your survey, test it with a small sample of respondents to ensure that the questions are clear and that the survey is functioning properly.
6. Provide incentives: Providing incentives, such as discounts or gifts, can increase response rates and improve the quality of the data collected.
7. Analyze the results: Once you have collected your data, analyze it using the tools provided by your survey software. Look for patterns and trends that can help you make data-driven decisions.

By following these best practices, you can design and administer surveys that provide accurate and meaningful data to inform your business decisions.

What are the latest trends and innovations in survey and data collection methods?

The survey software industry is constantly evolving, and new trends and innovations are emerging all the time. Here are some of the latest trends and innovations:

1. Mobile optimization: With more people accessing the internet and surveys on their mobile devices, survey tools are increasingly focusing on mobile optimization to ensure a seamless user experience across devices.
2. Artificial intelligence and machine learning: Survey tools are beginning to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate and improve data analysis, survey design, and respondent targeting.
3. Integrations with other business tools: Survey tools are increasingly integrating with other business tools, such as CRM and marketing automation platforms, to streamline data collection and analysis and improve overall business efficiency.
4. Gamification: To increase engagement and response rates, survey tools are beginning to incorporate game-like elements, such as point systems and rewards, into surveys.
5. Interactive surveys: Interactive surveys that use animations, videos, and other multimedia elements to engage respondents and gather more detailed and nuanced data are becoming more popular.
6. Real-time feedback: Real-time feedback mechanisms, such as chatbots and push notifications, are being integrated into survey tools to provide instant feedback to respondents and improve response rates.
7. Social media and online communities: Survey tools are increasingly leveraging social media and online communities to reach and engage specific groups of respondents and gather more targeted data.
8. Voice and video surveys: With the rise of voice assistants and video conferencing tools, survey tools are beginning to incorporate voice and video surveys to gather more detailed and nuanced data from respondents.

By staying up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations in survey tools and data collection methods, businesses can improve their data collection and analysis and gain more accurate and meaningful insights into their customers, employees, and overall business performance.

How can survey platforms be integrated with other business tools and systems, such as CRM or marketing automation platforms, to improve data accuracy and streamline workflows?

Integrating survey with other business tools and systems can help improve data accuracy and streamline workflows by automating data collection, reducing manual data entry errors, and providing a more comprehensive view of customer and employee data across different systems. Here are some ways survey tools can be integrated with other business tools and systems:

1. CRM integration: By integrating survey tools with a CRM system, survey responses can be automatically added to customer profiles, providing a more comprehensive view of customer data. This can help sales and marketing teams better understand customer preferences, pain points, and behaviors, and tailor their messaging and outreach accordingly.
2. Marketing automation integration: Survey tools can be integrated with marketing automation platforms, allowing businesses to trigger automated campaigns based on survey responses. For example, if a customer indicates that they are interested in a particular product or service, an automated email campaign can be triggered to provide more information and encourage a purchase.
3. Data analytics integration: Survey tools can be integrated with data analytics platforms to provide a more comprehensive view of customer and employee data. By combining survey responses with other data sources, such as transactional data or website analytics, businesses can gain a deeper understanding of customer behavior and preferences, and identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
4. HR systems integration: Survey tools can be integrated with HR systems, allowing businesses to gather employee feedback and performance data in one centralized location. This can help HR teams identify areas for improvement and track employee satisfaction and engagement over time.

By integrating survey platforms with other business tools and systems, businesses can improve data accuracy, streamline workflows, and gain a more comprehensive view of customer and employee data. This can help businesses make more informed decisions, improve customer satisfaction and retention, and ultimately drive growth and profitability.