15 Customer Satisfaction Survey Questions Recommended by Business People

Trustmary teamTrustmary team
Last edited: February 5th, 2024
nps questions

Although sending out satisfaction surveys helps you learn about your target market, understand that not every customer will feel inclined to respond. Most even ignore survey requests altogether. 

Unfortunately, insufficient sample sizes compromise the reliability of survey results. To gain accurate insights into your ideal buyer persona, you must collect first-hand information from loyal patrons and disgruntled shoppers alike.

If you’re struggling with your response rates, consider revising your satisfaction survey. You might be asking too many questions. We understand the importance of maximizing each feedback, but lengthy surveys come off as annoying—even satisfied customers won’t answer them.  

Avoid overwhelming your respondents. To help trim down your questionnaire, we’ll discuss 15 undemanding yet actional satisfaction survey questions.

1. Where did you hear about [insert company name]?

Ask how new customers usually discover your company. List down all the marketing platforms you use (i.e., billboard ads, social media, Google Adsense), then assess which ones produce good results. Doing so shows the most effective ways to boost brand reach.

Kyle Zien, the director of Growth Marketing at Felix, emphasizes that this strategy will ultimately help businesses get a better return on their ad spend. He says, “To check whether your PR efforts are working, find out which mediums best appeal to your prospects. Let’s say you run ads on both Facebook and Instagram. If most sales come from Facebook, you’d do well to focus on it instead of the latter.”

2. How satisfied are you with your overall experience with [insert company name]?

Customer satisfaction is subjective. You can’t blindly assume that your customers share the exact preferences, even if they belong to one demographic. Otherwise, your products and services will appear inauthentic.

Although experience varies from person to person, you can measure customer satisfaction by quantifying the factors that affect it. Break down the pre-purchase, consumption, and post-purchase stages. Once you spot your recurring issues and standout features, you’ll be able to provide a more personalized, gratifying overall customer experience.

3. Out of five stars, what would you rate [insert product here]?

Gather authentic reviews from as many customers as possible. Statistics show that 93% of modern consumers refer to online reviews before making purchases—you’d do well to showcase your positive testimonials. Use tools like Trustmary that collate website reviews automatically.

Accommodate negative reviews as well. While you likely can’t feature them on your landing page, they’ll still give you valuable insights into your strengths and weaknesses. See which areas of your business process you must improve.

4. Do you think our prices justify the product/service you received?

Cost efficiency heavily affects any consumer’s buying decision. Although you don’t have to set the cheapest rates on the market, your services and products should justify your pricing plan. People don’t mind paying extra for quality.

Maximilian Wühr, the CGO at FINN, emphasizes the importance of providing value—especially as a brand that offers premium services. He says, “We don’t skimp on quality. Instead of competing with cheap, low-end competitors, we ensure that customers get the best value for their money. Customer satisfaction is our priority.”

5. Did you encounter any issues transacting with us at [insert company name]?

Embrace constructive criticism. Proactively ask your customers about any concerns or issues that they encounter so that you can resolve them right away. Don’t let problems go unaddressed. Otherwise, disgruntled customers will bring their complaints to third-party platforms (i.e., social media, review sites, and blogs).

Note: For major slip-ups, offer compensation. Giving unsatisfied customers a discount, freebie, or refund will help you save face and possibly retain their loyalty.

6. What can our team at [insert company name] do better moving forward?

If your research and development team is stuck on how to improve business processes, gather insights from satisfaction surveys. Directly ask customers what they expect from your brand. Many brands hit a plateau because they focus all their efforts on the same business areas, which may not even appeal to customers.

Pro Tip: You could hire beta testers through your surveys. Accurately gauge how well new products and services will perform before doing a full-scale launch. Otherwise, you’ll risk losing money on a poor-selling offer.

7. Was our customer service team efficient in addressing your queries?

Negative reviews are inevitable. Although reading them might feel discouraging, you shouldn’t ignore them altogether. On the contrary, quickly respond to complaints. Streamline your procedures for handling customer issues so that you can adjust your business processes accordingly.

Shawn Plummer, the CEO of The Annuity Expert, also shares that customers deserve to voice concerns. He says, “Give disgruntled individuals a designated complaints platform. You can’t wholly avoid negative reviews, but proactively resolving them makes you look honest and professional.”

8. What made you choose [insert company name] over competitors?

Although understanding your weaknesses lets you streamline business processes, obsessing over your errors impedes growth. Study your strengths. Double down on your competitive edge by highlighting your brand’s unique features and benefits.

Ben Michael, a practicing lawyer and the founder of Michael & Associates, emphasizes that studying your strengths will help you thrive in competitive, saturated industries. He says, “See what you do better than your competitors. Ask customers what they liked about your products and services, then incorporate them into your marketing efforts. Make sure that prospects know your worth.”

9. Do you think [insert product or service here] will help you [insert personal/work goal here]?

Instead of chasing customers with flashy marketing, provide products and services that address their needs. Problem-solving is crucial for generating sales. Businesses that offer unique, innovative solutions can even monopolize markets if they successfully take control of market shares.

Jake Hill, the founder of DebtHammer, also reminds business owners that focusing on earning profits rather than solving problems hurts branding. He says, “Check if your brand still aligns with your long-term vision. Many business owners lose sight of their initial goals once they start making money, thus causing them to sacrifice quality for high profits. Doing so will quickly turn away customers.”

10. What can we do to turn you into a loyal customer?

No matter how many prospects your marketing efforts produce, your business won’t thrive if it has subpar customer retention rates. Retaining clients is more cost-efficient than acquiring new ones. A recent survey by Invesp shows that businesses spend 5% more on ads to attract new customers.

Don’t overcomplicate customer retention. Before investing in rewards programs, directly ask your respondents what it would take to turn them into loyal patrons. Otherwise, you’ll waste money on unappealing incentives.

11. Would you be willing to discuss relevant upgrades to your [insert product/service plan here]?

You can effectively increase each customer’s lifetime value (CLV) through upselling. Encourage them to upgrade or repeat their purchases. You can try various follow-ups, from subtle ones like sending promotional newsletters to more aggressive methods like scheduling consultation calls. 

Just remember to adjust your approach based on your customer. Bothering non-buying prospects too often will push them away, while overlooking buying signals will lead to a missed sale.

12. How likely are you to visit us at [insert company name] again?

To prevent sending unsolicited promos to your prospects, get their permission first. Ask what they think of your brand. If they have no complaints, you can focus on converting them from a one-time customer into a loyal patron.

Of course, make it worth their time to revisit you. Set up loyalty rewards programs wherein repeat customers get exclusive discounts and freebies. Ensure that the incentives increase with more visits. They don’t necessarily have to be more expensive, but at least feature offers your customers will find appealing.

13. Can we contact you for some follow-up questions regarding [insert company name] after-sales service?

Promotional newsletters encourage repeat purchases, but bombarding prospects with discounts and freebies is spammy. Your promos will eventually lose value. In the worst case, email service providers might automatically direct your messages to spam folders.

To keep your customers engaged, incorporate follow-up surveys into your email marketing campaigns. Routinely ask for their opinion. Give them the option to unsubscribe from your newsletter, or else they’ll get annoyed.

14. As a way of thanking you, can we send you a free [ebook, PDF, video, or anything of value]?

Even if answering your questionnaire only takes five minutes, respondents might still find them a hassle. Most will ignore your survey request. Just the idea of visiting an outbound link or grabbing a pen to fill out a random survey already turns them off.

So if someone makes time for your survey, show your appreciation. Morgan Taylor, the co-Founder of Jolly SEO, encourages business owners to create a rewards program exclusive for survey respondents. He says, “Offer your survey respondents differing rewards. For instance, if your customers already get discounts from referrals, offer free digital products in exchange for answering surveys.”

15. Would you recommend [insert company name] to a friend?

Don’t underestimate word-of-mouth advertising. It’s an effective marketing strategy to bring organic traffic to your website, eCommerce shop, or brick-and-mortar store. Consumers are more likely to support brands recommended by someone they trust.

Mark Pierce, the CEO of Colorado LLC Attorney, recommends following up on this question with referrals. He says, “You need referrals to thrive in highly competitive industries. Execute appealing loyalty rewards programs that will encourage loyal patrons to talk about your business positively. Referrals have exponentially higher conversion rates than cold leads.”

When you use Trustmary’s NPS survey template, you can automatically ask for testimonials from the customers who gave you a high score on the scale.

Improve the Accuracy of Your Customer Satisfaction Surveys

Sending out customer satisfaction surveys plays a crucial role in market research. If executed properly, polling will give you first-hand insights into various customers who have already purchased from your brand. You’ll learn your strengths, weaknesses, and areas of improvement.

Just make sure to avoid customer burnout. Even if your questions accurately assess brand experience, they won’t produce reliable results without an adequate sample size. Your respondents must answer your surveys thoughtfully.  

To avoid annoying your customers, keep your questionnaires brief and relevant. Only ask for the essentials. You could even divide the above questions into two or three short surveys so that they won’t take more than a few minutes to complete.

Also, don’t overlook your layout. Customers will be more likely to respond if you use a minimalist, visually appealing survey template.

Concluding Words

As you can see, there are many angles from which you can approach a customer satisfaction survey. Choosing the right questions is essential, as you want to collect relevant information from your customers and still keep the survey brief.

If you are looking for a solution for collecting feedback, check out Trustmary. It allows you to automate the process of collecting feedback and turning positive comments into your most powerful marketing asset.

Frequently Asked Questions

What questions should you ask in a customer satisfaction survey?

Ask your customers straightforward questions about your products and services. Focus on open-ended queries that will encourage respondents to go into detail about their buying experience.

How do you ask customers to fill out a satisfaction survey?

Customers likely won’t answer satisfaction surveys without the proper incentive. You could offer low-cost freebies, discounts, loyalty programs, and rewards in exchange for their cooperation.

How many questions should be on a customer satisfaction survey?

Your satisfaction survey should only have max. 15 questions that take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Bombarding respondents with too many queries will simply discourage them.


Trustmary team
Trustmary team


Trustmary

Trustmary is the most effective way to convert more sales by improving digital trust.