Do you always respond to after-purchase or after-service surveys?
October 16, 2024 5:00 AM Subscribe
Am I being a healthier manager of my digital world by ruthlessly deleting unsolicited messages or am I hurting the career track of some workers by refusing to answer survey questions about their performance?
For quite some time now, whenever I have a medical appointment or make an online purchase, or pay a utility bill, it is followed by requests for a survey. Rate our service. What could have made it better, did everything meet your expectations?. . . . I know part of this is driven by the extremely low-cost of communicating via text or e-mail.
On the one hand, I appreciate that they are asking and that I have an avenue to communicate. On the other hand, it seems like I would have little time left if I sought to answer each and every one of these requests. I am currently overwhelmed by the volume of requests. So unless an experience was particularly fraught with difficulty I end up deleting the vast majority of them.
Perhaps companies recognize this and assume if they don’t get many responses that things are going along OK and that is just fine.
In my value system, it feels like I have, say, chosen to order item B and have paid the required funds. They have fulfilled their part by sending me item B. Now they are asking me for more of my time and attention and clogging up my inboxes which I did not calculate into the original choice.
I understand this is what businesses do. This is a part of connecting with the customer, paying attention to feedback, attracting repeat customers and so forth. Why does it feel like more of an intrusion than a needful part of a working transaction?
For quite some time now, whenever I have a medical appointment or make an online purchase, or pay a utility bill, it is followed by requests for a survey. Rate our service. What could have made it better, did everything meet your expectations?. . . . I know part of this is driven by the extremely low-cost of communicating via text or e-mail.
On the one hand, I appreciate that they are asking and that I have an avenue to communicate. On the other hand, it seems like I would have little time left if I sought to answer each and every one of these requests. I am currently overwhelmed by the volume of requests. So unless an experience was particularly fraught with difficulty I end up deleting the vast majority of them.
Perhaps companies recognize this and assume if they don’t get many responses that things are going along OK and that is just fine.
In my value system, it feels like I have, say, chosen to order item B and have paid the required funds. They have fulfilled their part by sending me item B. Now they are asking me for more of my time and attention and clogging up my inboxes which I did not calculate into the original choice.
I understand this is what businesses do. This is a part of connecting with the customer, paying attention to feedback, attracting repeat customers and so forth. Why does it feel like more of an intrusion than a needful part of a working transaction?
Survey response rates, even for meaningful stuff, generally are very low. I'm guessing that the "how'd we do" type surveys get exceedingly low engagement rates. I don't think you need to feel like you're affecting individuals by ignoring those.
I do not respond to these unless occasionally if an individual working there went above and beyond on my behalf (ie I want to return the favor), or I have something specific to complain about.
As a rule, I will not respond negatively or even neutrally to them if the question could appear on an individual worker's performance report.
posted by ambulanceambiance at 5:19 AM on October 16, 2024 [3 favorites]
I do not respond to these unless occasionally if an individual working there went above and beyond on my behalf (ie I want to return the favor), or I have something specific to complain about.
As a rule, I will not respond negatively or even neutrally to them if the question could appear on an individual worker's performance report.
posted by ambulanceambiance at 5:19 AM on October 16, 2024 [3 favorites]
I don't do surveys unless there's bank for me. If I have a service complaint I'll write something specific and send it to someone who can react.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:20 AM on October 16, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:20 AM on October 16, 2024 [1 favorite]
I always respond when asked to review the response to an issue by an actual human customer service agent, since I assume these (often numerical) ratings have impact on their continued employment.
posted by blue suede stockings at 5:20 AM on October 16, 2024 [16 favorites]
posted by blue suede stockings at 5:20 AM on October 16, 2024 [16 favorites]
Yes, when there's one specific human being rated, I respond "A+++ BEST EVER"-style because I've been the one evaluated based on those and it is unfortunately important to have over-the-top positive metrics to balance the chronic complainers and misdirected ragers. General "rate our facility!" stuff, especially if it goes to public social media instead of an internal survey, gets ignored unless properly incentivized.
posted by teremala at 5:29 AM on October 16, 2024 [4 favorites]
posted by teremala at 5:29 AM on October 16, 2024 [4 favorites]
I've studied surveys such as these a little. One reason companies do surveys is that it has been found that some customers have a better opinion about companies who ask for a response. As written here, response level is so low that the actual responses aren't useful.
posted by tmdonahue at 5:35 AM on October 16, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by tmdonahue at 5:35 AM on October 16, 2024 [2 favorites]
Put me in camp 'that actual human being I intereacted with was the best!' -- even if they were only passably acceptable -- and otherwise delete. I don't negatively review CSRs unless they are actively hostile. I don't respond to 'how could our website be better?' unless something was absolutely atrociously hard to find and I want to complain.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:09 AM on October 16, 2024 [5 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 6:09 AM on October 16, 2024 [5 favorites]
I no longer respond to surveys, they are pointless and don't generate useful data.
Anything less than a 10 (or whatever the max rating is) generally counts the same as a zero as far as i can tell anymore.
Is your mediocre hotel breakfast just fine and only rate an 8, well now i get bombarded with profuse apologies and requests to call the manager about why it's not a 10? You are a 2-3 star hotel, not ultra luxe. If it wowed me, id rather you spend less and lower the room rate.
Rate if you want, its generally just an invitation to be pestered into correcting your rating into an inflated max rating. They aren't going to fix any negative experiences you had, just your rating of them.
posted by TheAdamist at 6:12 AM on October 16, 2024 [1 favorite]
Anything less than a 10 (or whatever the max rating is) generally counts the same as a zero as far as i can tell anymore.
Is your mediocre hotel breakfast just fine and only rate an 8, well now i get bombarded with profuse apologies and requests to call the manager about why it's not a 10? You are a 2-3 star hotel, not ultra luxe. If it wowed me, id rather you spend less and lower the room rate.
Rate if you want, its generally just an invitation to be pestered into correcting your rating into an inflated max rating. They aren't going to fix any negative experiences you had, just your rating of them.
posted by TheAdamist at 6:12 AM on October 16, 2024 [1 favorite]
Same as many folks above, I only respond when being asked to rate how a human person did their job, and I always give them the highest rating possible. Otherwise I ignore them. Your time is precious and you can never get it back. Don't waste it on this bullshit.
posted by number9dream at 6:19 AM on October 16, 2024
posted by number9dream at 6:19 AM on October 16, 2024
Someone suggested rating everything all-fives, on the grounds that we cannot give an honest rating. My view is different: since I cannot rate honestly, I rate nothing. Or, as Wittgenstein said: Of that which we cannot speak, we must remain silent.
posted by novalis_dt at 6:26 AM on October 16, 2024 [5 favorites]
posted by novalis_dt at 6:26 AM on October 16, 2024 [5 favorites]
I always respond at the blood bank when I've given platelets, to say how awesome everyone is. (I feel bad because I take so many cookies.)
And I reply after shopping at the Attleboro, Mass., Target because the place is a dump now and I want their metrics to tank.
Most of the rest of them I ignore, unless someone was especially helpful or prompt.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:29 AM on October 16, 2024 [2 favorites]
And I reply after shopping at the Attleboro, Mass., Target because the place is a dump now and I want their metrics to tank.
Most of the rest of them I ignore, unless someone was especially helpful or prompt.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:29 AM on October 16, 2024 [2 favorites]
tmdonahue: I've studied surveys such as these a little.
Go on.....
posted by wenestvedt at 6:30 AM on October 16, 2024
Go on.....
posted by wenestvedt at 6:30 AM on October 16, 2024
I generally ignore them but sometimes take 2 seconds to tap "5 stars," especially if it's clear that the response will be linked to an individual who did at least a decent job.
I very occasionally take time to submit constructive criticism. Last year, I went to a restaurant where the staff were quite welcoming and the food was generally good, but two dishes were really awful. I politely emailed telling them that and got an appreciative response.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 6:36 AM on October 16, 2024
I very occasionally take time to submit constructive criticism. Last year, I went to a restaurant where the staff were quite welcoming and the food was generally good, but two dishes were really awful. I politely emailed telling them that and got an appreciative response.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 6:36 AM on October 16, 2024
+1 ignore unless connected to an actual person.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 7:03 AM on October 16, 2024
posted by Winnie the Proust at 7:03 AM on October 16, 2024
I ignore surveys unless
a) they are asking me to rate a staff member, and the staff member was genuinely unhelpful and terrible - I have no qualms about rating someone 0 out of 5 if at the end of a 45 minute phone call my problem has still not been fixed (especially if the staff member lied to me that the problem had been fixed when it had not been fixed);
or b) if they are paying a reasonable $ amount for the survey
or c) if it's something I really care about
eg I was happy to do a survey for free recently for a business run by a disabled woman who is trying to build the perfect shower chair to sell to other disabled people.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 7:09 AM on October 16, 2024 [2 favorites]
a) they are asking me to rate a staff member, and the staff member was genuinely unhelpful and terrible - I have no qualms about rating someone 0 out of 5 if at the end of a 45 minute phone call my problem has still not been fixed (especially if the staff member lied to me that the problem had been fixed when it had not been fixed);
or b) if they are paying a reasonable $ amount for the survey
or c) if it's something I really care about
eg I was happy to do a survey for free recently for a business run by a disabled woman who is trying to build the perfect shower chair to sell to other disabled people.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 7:09 AM on October 16, 2024 [2 favorites]
The way capitalism is supposed to work is that I give you money, and you give me a product or service. It's not that I give you money and you give me a product or service, and then I have fill out a survey.
Somewhere along the way, they've added that last part. As a general rule, I just delete the surveys. It's not my job to spend time and mental energy to rate a company. I've already fulfilled my end of the bargain.
posted by Leontine at 7:51 AM on October 16, 2024 [2 favorites]
Somewhere along the way, they've added that last part. As a general rule, I just delete the surveys. It's not my job to spend time and mental energy to rate a company. I've already fulfilled my end of the bargain.
posted by Leontine at 7:51 AM on October 16, 2024 [2 favorites]
I kinda hate surveys now, specifically because "if it's not 5 stars, it's a zero" and then the employee gets shit for it. People now beg you to give the highest of rankings because anything else hurts them.
I only fill them out (a) if I'm bored/in the mood, (b) if things were genuinely great. If the service was bad or mediocre, I skip it, for the reasons above. You can't give a bad/mediocre review without unleashing hell upon yourself by the service provider, so why bother.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:44 AM on October 16, 2024
I only fill them out (a) if I'm bored/in the mood, (b) if things were genuinely great. If the service was bad or mediocre, I skip it, for the reasons above. You can't give a bad/mediocre review without unleashing hell upon yourself by the service provider, so why bother.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:44 AM on October 16, 2024
I consider it a nice thing to do for people caught in even worse capitalist hells than I have to deal with on a daily basis, so I do rate individual people five stars or 10s for anything resembling mediocre or better service (and I just refrain from rating if the service was terrible, unless it was actively hostile). I figure it's not these individuals' fault their companies force this on customers, and it's a small thing I feel like I can do to help make their days suck less.
posted by lapis at 11:18 AM on October 16, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by lapis at 11:18 AM on October 16, 2024 [3 favorites]
Unless I dealt with a real human who did a good job no.
Most surveys seem written for a predetermined outcome, like often questions are phrased as if only two answers are possible when there's obviously at least five. Annoying.
posted by unearthed at 11:18 AM on October 16, 2024
Most surveys seem written for a predetermined outcome, like often questions are phrased as if only two answers are possible when there's obviously at least five. Annoying.
posted by unearthed at 11:18 AM on October 16, 2024
I do, but my field is Service Design and most of my jobs have been inside a Customer Experience function for a company. I see this from the other side and I know the impact that feedback CAN have, so I always try to do it.
posted by ersatzkat at 2:53 PM on October 16, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by ersatzkat at 2:53 PM on October 16, 2024 [1 favorite]
I rate on Lyft and Airbnb and I inflate my ratings because I’m afraid that if I don’t do both of those things I won’t be able to use the service anymore, and I don’t drive, which means I rely on both more than the average user does. I really dislike this aspect of the modern economy.
I told my doctor’s office to stop sending me post visit surveys, and they actually did. Their surveys are nuts too, like four pages of scantron, no lie.
posted by eirias at 5:58 PM on October 16, 2024 [1 favorite]
I told my doctor’s office to stop sending me post visit surveys, and they actually did. Their surveys are nuts too, like four pages of scantron, no lie.
posted by eirias at 5:58 PM on October 16, 2024 [1 favorite]
I review those surveys and if they are for a specific helpdesk person, please rate them either all 5 and name them or SKIP. If you had a lousy call, email directly to the manager to say you need a followup call. Unless they were racist/sexist/straight out evil, don't hassle them. If you have an issue with the system/product - email directly and make sure to thank the helpdesk person (even if they were just mediocre!) and blame the system/product. Do not use service ratings to complain about the system/product, you are directly hurting the helpdesk staff who are at the absolute bottom of the pole, with zero impact on the company.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 8:47 PM on October 16, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 8:47 PM on October 16, 2024 [3 favorites]
So the consensus is that any rating but the top rating is effectively a zero. That may be hard on an employee, but is also acting in bad faith wih the reviewer. Reason enough to not play the game.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:07 AM on October 17, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by SemiSalt at 5:07 AM on October 17, 2024 [1 favorite]
My metric is “would I be super bummed if I learned this business / branch / employee no longer works here”.
Ex. my local fedex branch is just down the road from my work, but in a fraught area with a lot of social problems. However, the employees are THE BEST, always go above and beyond for my printing needs, and if that branch went away I would literally consider quitting my job because the next best printing option is so much more a pain in the butt for dumb reasons that don’t matter here.
They beg me to do surveys and I ALWAYS do them because I don’t want to quit my job.
Otherwise, I ignore surveys even when I have bad interactions and never rate below 5 stars to the company ever, it’s absolutely not worth my free labor and it just punishes random people who rarely have decision making power.
If I do feel strongly that something about a business or branch is a danger to myself or others I will post a 1 star review on Google OR contact management directly.
posted by seemoorglass at 6:06 AM on October 17, 2024 [1 favorite]
Ex. my local fedex branch is just down the road from my work, but in a fraught area with a lot of social problems. However, the employees are THE BEST, always go above and beyond for my printing needs, and if that branch went away I would literally consider quitting my job because the next best printing option is so much more a pain in the butt for dumb reasons that don’t matter here.
They beg me to do surveys and I ALWAYS do them because I don’t want to quit my job.
Otherwise, I ignore surveys even when I have bad interactions and never rate below 5 stars to the company ever, it’s absolutely not worth my free labor and it just punishes random people who rarely have decision making power.
If I do feel strongly that something about a business or branch is a danger to myself or others I will post a 1 star review on Google OR contact management directly.
posted by seemoorglass at 6:06 AM on October 17, 2024 [1 favorite]
I work in a supermarket, and it's pounded into our heads on a regular basis that they want X amount of positive survey results, and what our current percentage is. I don't work up front, but the cashiers are told that they MUST suggest the survey to EACH customer. The customers, I'm sure, are annoyed by the whole thing. I do know that when I've interacted with a person, and they tell me about a survey, I tend to answer the survey as I'm sure other companies are hounding their employees as well.
posted by annieb at 12:26 PM on October 17, 2024
posted by annieb at 12:26 PM on October 17, 2024
I don't do them anymore because they fill me with rage and I have politics to fill me with rage already, so no thanks.
The other day I got one via text asking me to rate *the budtender at the weed store that I had just visited in person* and I was furious. So I sent them an email instead and said, "your employee was amazing, he was great, I have no complaints about him but I DO have a complaint about the dehumanizing practice of asking customers to rate your employees. That is your job, not mine."
I haven't heard a word back and doubt I will but at least I don't feel guilty about not giving the nice weed store guy a good rating.
posted by mygothlaundry at 12:51 PM on October 17, 2024 [3 favorites]
The other day I got one via text asking me to rate *the budtender at the weed store that I had just visited in person* and I was furious. So I sent them an email instead and said, "your employee was amazing, he was great, I have no complaints about him but I DO have a complaint about the dehumanizing practice of asking customers to rate your employees. That is your job, not mine."
I haven't heard a word back and doubt I will but at least I don't feel guilty about not giving the nice weed store guy a good rating.
posted by mygothlaundry at 12:51 PM on October 17, 2024 [3 favorites]
zero stars to seemorglass
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:57 PM on October 17, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:57 PM on October 17, 2024 [1 favorite]
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The only utility a post service survey has is if you've received abominable service on something that is continuing to cause a problem and you've been unable to secure support for, in which case you can give a low score, tank their NPS rating, and get a nearly immediate reach out from someone with a title like "experience manager" who might actually escalate the issue you're having to someone competent to help. (But mostly they will just look at you like this 🥺👉👈 and say sowwy pweas give us a 10 next time.)
posted by phunniemee at 5:13 AM on October 16, 2024 [7 favorites]