The average US adult spends 2 hours 55 minutes a day on their phone.
About 90% of that time is spent in apps. So, why is market research still done online? An online customer survey in today’s smartphone world is a beach in the dead of winter: cold, quiet, and deserted.
Consumers have migrated.
They’re not waiting for a survey to hit their inbox. Right now, they’re on a smartphone in an app, and sharing feedback with companies who are willing to listen to what they have to say. Want to reach them? Follow these tips:
Tip #1: Be timely
People are busy.
Customer surveys are often irrelevant – taking place long after an event occurs. Today’s consumer expects instant results. Our surveys should be the same and sent out within 24 hours of a purchase. Let’s take an example:
Shelly goes to Walmart.
She has a grocery list. It doesn’t include diet coke. She walks out with a case anyway. If you’re Coca-Cola, you’d probably like to know what prompted her to buy a diet coke. Should this survey be sent next week?
No.
By the time next week rolls around, Shelly can’t remember when, and maybe even why, she bought the coke. By sending Shelly a customer survey within 24 hours of her purchase, she remembers her shopping trip, any ads she may have seen, and can now retrace her path to purchase.
Tip #2: Get personal
It’s happened to all of us.
You’re called by a wrong name, or see your name misspelled. It’s impersonal, and it sucks. The same can be said for sending blanket customer surveys. The average survey response rate is 33%. That’s a pretty low number, and it’s likely because we’re taking a shotgun approach: trying to talk to everyone the same way, at the same time.
Market research must evolve. We have the technology now to marry surveys and data. You can see who passed your location, what they bought, and why they didn’t choose a competitor. Use that technology to get personal with your consumers. Segment them and reach out accordingly, and you’re likely to see a big difference.
Tip #3: Make it easy
Meet consumers where they are.
If adults spend 90% of their phone time on an app, consider connecting there. You may want to look into using a mobile consumer panel to field your customer surveys. These are consumers who have opted in to share their opinion and are being paid to do so. They want to give input, and will allow you to see their online shopping and buying journeys.
As behaviors change, market research needs to adapt.
To be accurate and trustworthy, customer surveys must be fast, flexible and multi-faceted. The goal is to make it simple for consumers to provide reliable input you can use today to adjust advertising spend and ROI. See how companies like Walmart, Warner Bros. Pictures, and PepsiCo are adjusting their approach to customer surveys.
