survey says...

Here’s a little market research rant.
 
“How likely are you to recommend our product/service to friends (scale of 1-10)?”
 
Ever get presented with a survey question like this? I seem to be getting a lot of them these days, from banks to breweries. And it pains me to say that the folks looking for verification from this “research” are missing the boat. With me anyway.
You see, the way I look at it, they first ought to be asking me, “Do you ever recommend products/services to friends?” Then, if the answer is yes, fine, they can continue with their “How likely are you to recommend...” rating question. But if the answer is no, move on.
Why do In say this? Simply because I virtually never recommend products or services to friends. I just figure it’s none of my business. Doesn’t mean I don’t like the particular product or service, it’s just that I’m not about to endorse it to others. So if you ask me how likely I am to recommend your product or service to my friends and family, my answer will always be 0. Now, (and I know this because I used to do a lot of research in my marketing agency days for my clients), this will skew their results unfairly. My answer will be honest and to the point, reflecting reality, but they’ll not appreciate why I’m answering negatively (especially in this A.I. algorithm world where humans don’t necessarily get to interact with data). They’ll think I dislike what they’re selling when the opposite may well be true. What a shame.
Good market research firms will appreciate the intricacy of how to phrase questions in surveys. But far too many of them don’t. At least, the ones contacting me sure don’t appreciate the subtleties.
So, if you happen to know anyone interested in learning how good their product or service is, make sure they know whether the folks they’re asking actually do advocate to  their friends. The results will speak volumes.

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