What Is a Business Survey Question? Definition, Importance & Examples

Many entrepreneurs aim to scale their businesses, often turning to expensive consultants and time-consuming PR efforts.

But what if I told you there’s a simpler, more cost-effective way?

Enter business surveys! These powerful tools allow you to gather feedback from those who matter most to your business, helping you make informed decisions and save valuable time and resources.

In this post, discover the benefits of business survey questions and how they can fast-track your business growth.

But first, here’s a quick video tutorial to get you started:

Watch: How to Create a Survey Using ProProfs Survey Maker

What Are Business Survey Questions?

Business survey questions are simply questions designed to gather feedback, opinions, or data from various stakeholders involved in a business’s operations, products, services, and/or market.

These questionnaires help you form growth strategies by analyzing meaningful insights about market trends, employees, and customer behaviors. They can cover a wide range of topics, including customer satisfaction, employee feedback, product feedback, market research, and more.

Business survey questions are pivotal in ensuring that you don’t invest time and resources in developing products or services that don’t meet your audience’s needs.

By prioritizing customer needs from the outset, your efforts are focused on creating valuable solutions tailored to their requirements.

Examples of Business Survey Questions for Your Questionnaire

Now that we have discovered what business survey questions are, let’s explore some examples of questions categorized by types that you can use in your business survey questionnaire.

Business Survey Questions for Product/Service Feedback

A product survey is the best way for businesses to learn what customers think about their products. Conducting such surveys before launching a product lets you analyze the market demands and customers’ needs. 

Similarly, asking these questions from your existing customer base will help you understand how customers are enjoying their experience and how the product can be improved further.

Sample questions to ask customers about your products and services:

• How often do you use [product name]?
• Which features of the [product name] are most valuable to you?
• How would you compare [product name] to our competitors?
• Are there any features missing on [product name]?
• What are you trying to solve by using [product name]?
• What other types of people do you think could find [product name] useful?
• How easy is it to use [product name]?
• Would you rate the product/service as “value for money”?
• How likely are you to recommend [product name]to others?
• How could we improve [product name] to better meet your needs?

Business Survey Questions for Market Research

Learning about the market and competitors is crucial for business success. The best way to do this is by asking the right market research questions. This way, you can identify opportunities to improve your business strategies, operations, and product planning.

Sample questions to ask about the target market and competitors:

• What is the first brand you think of when purchasing an XYZ product? 
• How favorable is our brand to you? 
• What aspects can we improve on our existing product? 
• Are there any other brands that offer similar services you’re currently using or planning to use?
• Which features do you like the most on [COMPETITOR’S PRODUCT]?
• What features would drive you to switch to a similar product?
• Can you think of any other brand offering what you want? 
• Could you share your views on your dream product?
• Did we solve all your support problems?
• Can we help you get started using XYZ’s product or service?
• Were you satisfied with our promptness and support?
• Would you be willing to recommend us to your friends, family, or colleagues?
• On a scale of 1-10, how do you rate your experience with us?
• Are you willing to buy from us again?

Business Survey Questions to Evaluate Customer Service

Exceptional customer service plays a vital role in maintaining and strengthening business-customer relationships. Based on the type of your business, you can get a pulse on your customer service by asking the following business questions:

• When interacting with our company recently, were you pleased with the level of support you received?
• On a scale of 1-5, how courteous or uncourteous would you say our service/support team member was?
• On a scale of 1-5, how knowledgeable or unknowledgeable would you say our service/support team member was?
• On a scale of 1-5, how effective or ineffective was the service/support team member’s communication?
• How friendly was our service member while assisting you?
• How satisfied are you with the responsiveness of our customer service team?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the professionalism of our customer service representatives?
• Did our customer service team adequately address your concerns or inquiries?
• Did our customer service team meet your expectations in resolving your issue or query?

Business Survey Questions to Measure Customer Satisfaction

These questions are all about getting to the heart of how satisfied your customers are with your products or services. They’ll give you a clear picture of what’s working well and where you might need to make some improvements to keep those smiles coming!

Sample questions to include in a customer satisfaction survey:

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with your product experience?
• How likely are you to recommend [product name] to others?
• Rate your satisfaction with our [team name] in resolving this issue for you.
• Do you feel that our support team has answered your inquiry immediately?
• Is your issue completely resolved?
• How likely are you to purchase again from us in the future?
• How likely are you to return to our website?
• In your own words, describe how you feel about [product name].
• Do you think our employees can do better?
• How can we improve your experience with [product name]?
• What made you choose [product name] over a competitor’s?
• Please share any additional comments or feedback for us.

Business Survey Questions to Calculate Customer Effort

A customer effort score survey aims at capturing the information about whether customers find it easy/useful to interact with your brand/product or not. You can leverage an online survey tool to access a wide range of ready-made survey templates and question types to effectively create a survey.

Sample business questions to include in a CES survey are:

• How easy did you find our product to navigate?
• How easy was it to find the information or service you were looking for on our website?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how much effort did you have to exert to resolve your issue with our product/service?
• To what extent do you agree with the following statement: “Our business app is really easy to use”?
• If we could do anything – what do you think we could do to make this app easier to use?
• Did you encounter any obstacles or difficulties while navigating our website or using our product/service?
• How likely are you to recommend our company to others based on your recent interaction?
• Overall, how satisfied are you with the level of effort required to complete your recent transaction with us?

Business Survey Questions to Retain Customers

Retaining customers is crucial for every business as acquiring new customers could cost up to 5 times more than retaining the existing ones. 

The longer customers stay with you, the more loyal they tend to become to your brand. Customer loyalty is the basis of repeat business. Thus, businesses can leverage customer retention surveys that help them measure how loyal their customers are towards their brand. 

Example questions to ask customers about brand loyalty:

• Does the product help you achieve your business goals? 
• If you could change one thing about [this product], what would it be? 
• How would you rate your experience with [this product]? 
• How well does [this product] meet your needs? 
• How likely are you to recommend [this product/brand] to your family and friends?
• How satisfied are you with the overall value you receive from using our product/service?
• Have you encountered any challenges or limitations when using our product/service? If so, please specify.
• How likely are you to continue using our product/service in the future?
• How responsive and helpful do you find our customer support team when addressing your concerns or issues?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to renew your subscription or purchase from us again?

Business Survey Questions to Uncover Customer Issues

The questions in this survey help pinpoint any concerns or challenges your customers might be facing. By asking the right questions, you can uncover issues and address them promptly, ensuring a positive customer experience.

Sample questions you can ask to discover any challenges your customers may be facing:

• Have you encountered any difficulties or frustrations while using our product/service?
• What improvements would you like to see in our product/service?
• How likely are you to recommend our company to others based on your recent experience?
• Did our product/service meet your expectations? Why or why not?
• Have you experienced any technical issues or glitches while using our product/service?
• How satisfied are you with the level of customer support you received?
• Are there any features or functionalities missing from our product/service that you would find beneficial?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to continue using our product/service in the future?
• Can you share any specific instances where our product/service did not meet your needs?
• What can we do to improve your experience with our product/service?

Business Survey Questions to Collect Employee Feedback

Employees are an invaluable part of a business’s journey, and it’s incredibly important to find out their satisfaction levels with their workplace. Employee feedback questions can provide valuable information about workplace satisfaction, communication, and areas for improvement.

By listening to your employees and addressing their feedback, you can create a positive work environment, boost morale, and increase productivity.

Example questions to ask employees about their overall feedback:

• How satisfied are you with your current role within the company?
• Do you feel that your ideas and opinions are valued by your team and management?
• How would you rate the communication channels within the company?
• Are you satisfied with the training and development opportunities provided by the company?
• Do you feel motivated and engaged in your work?
• How supported do you feel by your immediate supervisor or manager?
• Are there any obstacles or challenges hindering your productivity at work?
• How satisfied are you with the work-life balance offered by the company?
• What changes or improvements would you like to see in the workplace environment?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our company as a great place to work?

Business Survey Questions to Create a Customer Success Story

The questions in this survey are tailored to capture success stories from your customers. These stories can be powerful tools for marketing and building brand credibility.

By showcasing real-life examples of how your product or service has benefited customers, you can attract new customers, build trust, and strengthen your brand reputation.

Questions you can ask to create a customer success story:

• Can you share a specific experience where our product/service helped you achieve a significant goal or overcome a challenge?
• How has our product/service positively impacted your business or life?
• What specific features or aspects of our product/service do you find most valuable?
• Can you provide an example of how our product/service has saved you time or money?
• How likely are you to recommend our product/service to others based on your experience?
• Can you share any measurable results or improvements you’ve seen since using our product/service?
• What initially attracted you to our product/service, and how has it met your expectations?
• Would you be willing to share your success story with others through a case study or testimonial?
• Is there anything else you’d like to add about your experience with our product/service?

 Business Survey Examples to Capture Lead Data

Lead data survey questions aim to capture valuable lead data from potential customers through queries on their needs, preferences, and purchase intent. This data can help you tailor your marketing efforts, nurture leads effectively, and ultimately increase conversions and sales.

Example questions to include in a lead data capture survey:

• What prompted you to visit our website or engage with our brand?
• Which products or services are you most interested in learning more about?
• How soon do you plan to make a purchase or decision regarding [specific product or service]?
• What factors are most important to you when choosing a [product/service] provider?
• Have you previously used similar products/services from another provider? If so, please specify.
• What challenges or pain points are you currently experiencing that [specific product or service] could address?
• Are you the decision-maker for purchasing [specific product or service] within your organization?
• How did you hear about our company or discover our products/services?
• Would you be interested in receiving more information or updates about our products/services via email?
• Can you provide any additional comments or feedback about your needs or preferences?

 Business Survey Questions for Brand Awareness

For businesses to be successful, it is important to keep an eye on how their target audience perceives their brand. A good brand awareness survey includes questions that help to gauge the audiences’ overall brand perception and sentiments. 

Sample business questions you can use are:

• When you think of [brand name], what comes to your mind?
• How likely are you to recommend [brand name] to your friends?
• Do you enjoy using products offered by [brand name]?
• How would you describe your latest experience with [brand name]?
• Why do you buy from [brand name]?
• What unique value does our product offer?
• What kind of brand appeals to you the most?
• On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate our brand in terms of customer experience?
• How well are you familiar with the products from [brand name]?
• When was the first time you heard about [brand name]?
• How often do you come in contact with [brand name]?
• When was the last time you used a product from [brand name]?

 Business Survey Questions for Competitive Analysis

Competitive analysis questions gather insights about your competitors and the broader market landscape. By asking questions about competitor awareness, strengths, weaknesses, and market trends, you can gain valuable intelligence to inform your strategic decision-making. 

Understanding your competitors can help you identify areas for differentiation, anticipate market changes, and stay ahead of the competition.

Example questions to include in this survey:

• How aware are you of our competitors in the market?
• Which competitors do you consider to be our main rivals?
• How would you rate our brand compared to our competitors in terms of quality?
• What do you perceive as our main strengths compared to our competitors?
• In what areas do you believe our competitors outperform us?
• Have you ever considered switching to a competitor’s product/service? If so, why?
• What factors influence your decision when choosing between our brand and our competitors?
• How do you typically research or compare different options before making a purchase decision?
• What do you think our competitors do better than us in terms of marketing or customer service?
• Are there any emerging competitors in the market that you think we should be aware of?

 Business Survey Questions to Measure Customer Loyalty

Gauging customer loyalty is a big part of expanding as a business, and Net Promoter Score surveys have been made just for that! These surveys basically consist of two parts: a rating question and a follow-up open-ended question to know the reason behind the given rating. 

Based on the scores, NPS calculation is done and the respondents are categorized into Promoters (scores 9-10), Passives (scores 7-8), and Detractors scores (0- 6).

Rating question: 

“On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our [business/ product/service] to a friend or colleague?”

Depending upon the context, you can include the name of a brand, product, or service in the classic NPS question to collect relevant responses. 

Open-ended questions: 

“What is the primary reason for your score?”

After asking your customers to rate you, you can personalize the standard follow-up question based on their response (positive, neutral, or negative), such as:

• What was missing or disappointing in your experience with our [business/ product/service]?
• How can we improve your experience?
• Which features are the most valuable for your business?
• What do you like the most/least about [business/ product/service]?
• How does our product meet your business needs?
• What business problems are you trying to solve with our product?
• Why did you opt for our [business/ product/service] over our competition?

How to Create a Business Survey with ProProfs Survey Maker?

It’s incredibly easy to create a business survey with ProProfs Survey Maker. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the steps:

Step 1: After creating an account/logging in, go to your ProProfs Survey Maker Dashboard, click + Create a Survey.

Step 2: Click on the + Create from Scratch button to get started. You can also choose to click on the Create button, as shown.

Step 3: You’ll arrive in the editor where you can add several elements to your survey like questions, themes, branding, logo, and so on. Click More >> Popular Settings where you can choose the number of questions per page in a survey. You can also select the order of questions and answers that you want to display to each respondent.

Step 4: Add questions by selecting the question type from the dropdown menu. Click Preview to see how the survey will appear to the viewer.

Once you’ve created the survey and are happy about the way it looks, click Done. 

Congratulations, your survey is ready to use!

Or, if you want a quick survey without any effort on your part at all, simply click Generate with ProProfs AI.

You can define the survey topic (100 characters max), provide a supporting description (200 characters max), and choose the question type and quantity from dropdown menus.

Scale Your Business with the Right Business Survey Questions 

By all appearances, collecting feedback is the most vital aspect of making intelligent and informed decisions about your company’s products and services. Knowing your customers’ concerns will help you resolve them at the earliest. 

This way, you can ensure that your audience has an engaging experience each time they interact with your business. After all, no matter how big you are, you still need to improve.

Therefore, creating business surveys with the right set of business survey questions lays the foundation to steer your business toward success.  Regardless of business size, online survey tools such as ProProfs Survey Maker can help you create and share business surveys with the right audience.

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