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Ensuring Honesty in Surveys: How to Do That

It is not surprising that many people lie when answering surveys. Even when you do it online, some still lie all because they do not want to take it seriously or they just want to troll the company that is sending them the survey. If you want people to take your survey seriously and be honest with their responses, you might want to take the following steps.

Promise anonymity

One common reason customers would rather not answer your survey or lie about their identity is that they do not want you to know who they are. If they find out that the survey they are answering would reveal their identity, it is likely that they would end up telling a lie or two so as not to offend anyone. Promise anonymity to your respondents so that they will feel more comfortable telling the truth.

Build a positive environment

Some people feel that surveys are a way to speak against the large companies that are supposedly overpricing their products to make a profit on their customers. It is the reason these people use this avenue to vent their frustrations instead of providing productive criticism of brands. What you can do is let them know that you genuinely want their opinions because by knowing how they feel about your company, you will be able to implement changes that can benefit them.

Create a positive environment for your customers so that they will be more eager to help you out by answering your surveys honestly. Let your online surveys maker know what to put in your questionnaires so that you will get the most honest and productive replies from your customers.

Thank them

Customers want to be valued. They do not like feeling as if they are just another person who got sold something. Your customers patronize your brand because they like your products, so it is more advantageous to you if you show gratitude by thanking them for not only buying your items but also taking the time to answer your surveys. Be sure to be genuine with your thank-you note so as not to make them feel that you are just goading them to respond to your questionnaires.

Make it short

Man answering survey in his tablet

Aside from people telling lies on surveys, another negative aspect of these tools is that a lot of people do not want to answer them. One of the most common reasons is that they do not have the time or energy to answer a long questionnaire. So, make your survey short and straight to the point. This way, when your customers see it, they will find it easy to answer. In fact, make sure your online surveys are a multiple-choice type and make it optional to fill out the comment section below.

Surveys have a history of enticing people to tell lies or not even enticing people to answer them. But with this guide, hopefully, you will be able to motivate more of your customers to be honest with their responses.

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