Best practices for customer surveys - Step 9: Analyze results

Data is not insight

The amount of data generated by a customer survey can be astounding. When faced with a mountain of data, the task of distilling it into actionable insight can seem daunting. At this point, it is critical to understand that: 

“Data is not information any more than 50 tons of cement is a skyscraper.” – Clifford Stoll

Failing to heed the wisdom of this observation, many customer survey suppliers succumb to the temptation to do a “data dump” and inundate executives with a mass of data, a decision which generally leads to frustration, indecision, and devaluation of the customer research process.

On the other hand, effective analysts understand that there are different audiences with distinct levels of interest in the results and implication of the research. To accommodate each audience, it is wise to include the following components in the analysis and reporting:

1. Executive Summary: One or two pages/slides of high-level results
2. Implications: What these results mean for the company
3. Recommendations: What the company should do about the results and implications
4. Detailed Results: All of the findings including:
   - Data tables
   - Subgroup analysis
   - Analysis of Verbatim Comments

Bottom Line
Effective analysis and presentation of survey responses is a critical component of the customer survey process. Following these suggestions will increase the odds of having customer feedback produce meaningful change in the organization.