Survey fatigue
 

OK, I am now officially off the survey ramp.

When did hotels, car rental agencies, airlines and (I swear) restaurants get the idea that by virtue of their providing a product or service to us, we've agreed to become their unpaid research assistants?

If I've had an exceptional experience, or even a pretty good one, I'll post something on TripAdvisor. If I've had an especially bad one, I'll also post on TripAdvisor. Otherwise, leave me alone!!!

Just ranting here ...

You are not alone. Every time I speak with a phone agent at an airline, have a transaction at Apple, buy a product from Amazon (even detergent), I am asked to provide feedback. Now, about the only feedback I leave is when I have a positive experience via Open Table.

If I call the DM line at DL - because it is a one question only survey, I ALWAYS take the survey.

+1. The continual survey requests have become ubiquitous through on-line and other transactions. I have also opted out of them all due to over saturation. Market researchers ought to consult with actual sales personnel about the efficacy of irritating their customers before inundating us with these things.

I sometimes email them with my hourly fee quote. On at least two occasions I've had a further enquiry.

I agree with the OP. When it first started it seemed like a good way to make consumers feel like they were being listened to. It's gone way too far now.

India seems to have taken this to an extreme. On one occasion, leaving a hotel in Hyderabad, I gave a moderate rating to the frankly moderate hotel restaurant - not least for the slowness of service.

While waiting for my taxi, I was quizzed rather aggressively by the catering manager over the precise nature of my rating. He didn't recall any lapses in service. How long exactly did the order take? It was 3 nights ago and I wasn't using a stopwatch. Was it less than 10 minutes? Only 20 minutes or more is rated a 3. This went on for some time - it was clear he was being closely monitored on the survey's results.

We get this a lot from our vendors in India too. Thing is, it doesn't always translate well. I work in a company where 'satisfactory' actually means just that - we have high standards, and you should be proud of meeting them. Yet we live in a world that insists on everything above average being 'excellent' - otherwise it's a failure. So if a vendor does the job to the standards we expect, they are satisfactory. It's a good thing. Just try telling the account managers that...

Now, I tend to respond to places that pester me for a survey, if only to specifically mark them down for doing so.

A few years ago these surveys were infrequent enough that I routinely responded to them. I did so to help companies recognize where they did well and where they needed to improve.

Modern technology has made it trivially easy and cost effective for businesses to poll us after each and every transaction, hence we get hit with a constant barrage of invitations to offer feedback. Over the past year I've ignored at least 90% of these solicitations as I don't have the time to respond-- especially for gimmicky offers like "Enter for a chance to win a $100 coupon!" (Yes, and how many entries are you anticipating? 10,000? Giving me an EV of $0.01? No, thanks.)

Now I''m split about whether to simply continue ignoring the ever-increasing barrage of survey invitations or push back by taking the surveys (or attempting to contact the survey operators side-band) and express my frustration with being over-polled. The main reason I don't is that I know the way these surveys are operated it is virtually impossible to get such feedback directly to the people who make the ultimate decisions about them. Generally all a complaint will do is cause harm to some undeserving front-line employee.

So you're saying the Buck stops here?

I'll respond if I get miles or points or similar otherwise the heck with them when I get more time they have to give me something if they want my time

I was recently asked by, I think, eBay, to review a product I purchased: a toilet seat. What on earth should I say? That it doesn't have splinters?

Most of the restaurant surveys I'm asked to fill out offer a discount coupon as a reward. Only trouble is that (a) the time frame for using the coupon is absurdly short, say two weeks; and (b) it's never valid if you have any other kind of coupon as well. Make it a real reward, not a phony one you know 99% of people won't be able to use, and I may fill these out.

Well ... I always do the Kentucky Fried Chicken in SG survey, because you get a coupon/voucher for a free wing on the next visit ...

the sad thing is its money companies spend on consultants/etc

and often 'data' only ever leads to decreasing customer service

(yes, there are exceptions, they prove above has become rule)

I get breakfast at Denny's in a number of places I visit. They used to have surveys where you would get a free breakfast "at the next visit." Cheapskate that I am, I loved saving that four bucks, and my favorite waitresses would save up the survey receipts and give me three or four every time I came through, since I always rated them highly.

They changed the "prize" now to a "chance to win $1000." Just doesn't do it for me, though I'll occasionally fill one out so the waitress gets the good rating.

The funniest question on the survey was "how is the atmosphere." At a Denny's.

I figure that my time is more valuable to me than it is to them, so why should I follow their agenda and not mine?

If I receive extra-special service or extra-bad service, I write, either praising or complaining. Otherwise, I answer very few surveys. Mostly, I just ignore them.