Survey Alerts (Trigger Emails) Improve Satisfaction

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Once upon a time, surveys were conducted quarterly or annually, and the results were used to understand the overall satisfaction level of customers in aggregate.  Online surveys have transformed this process in many ways, two of which are of special interest here:  first, web surveys are often conducted continuously rather than periodically, and second, surveys can now be used to intervene on the behalf of individual respondents.  Measuring satisfaction in aggregate is no longer sufficient, when you can intervene to improve that satisfaction on a respondent-by-respondent basis.

Since at least 2003, our survey software has enabled authors to set up email alerts or triggers based on answers to individual questions.  Indeed, it is an important part of enterprise feedback.  Here are some representative examples of the types of alerts that our users have set up:

Reactive

• Help-desk ticket satisfaction - For a follow-on survey to employees who contacted the IT help desk, if the employee indicates that the issue is not resolved, send an escalation email to a help-desk manager.
• General dissatisfaction - In a satisfaction survey, if the respondent provides a low rating, skip to a choose-all-that-apply question that asks them for the reasons for their dissatisfaction.  Follow that up with an essay question asking for more detail.  Based on the reasons chosen, look up the appropriate department (e.g., service department, billing department) to email the alert to.
• Hotel-stay satisfaction - For a web survey taken from the settop box in the hotel room, ask for satisfaction with room service, housekeeping and the front desk, and immediately email the  affected department in case of dissatisfaction.
• Major-account satisfaction - For every customer-satisfaction survey completed, as it is completed, send a copy of the results to the sales manager of the account for their review.

Proactive

• Customer-service satisfaction - The customer is satisfied and their past ticket is closed, but they have a follow-on question.  Ask them if they need additional assistance, and send an email alert to the service department if they do.
• Literature fulfillment - Allow the respondent to select from a list of additional information on the topics of the survey, and send them an email with links to that information.

With email alerts, surveys don't have to be just for measuring satisfaction: they can be for improving it as well.

What other ways have you used survey alert emails?