2012 is a year full of transitions. Here at Zoomerang, we’re evolving into SurveyMonkeys. But the changes aren’t just happening here. All around the world, technology is changing the way we do business, organizations are quickly becoming social, and the world seems smaller and more complicated all the time. Clearly, some flexibility and restructuring is in order if you (and we) are going to handle all these transitions gracefully and successfully.
It can seem overwhelming, but these transitions can actually be great catalysts for much needed change and growth. With just a little bit of planning, you can make 2012 your best year yet. Here are some ways you can use online surveys to help you manage the changes effectively.
1. Planning Survey
Whether you’re a business, non-profit, freelancer, or other organization, chances are that in 2012 you’re trying to do as much as possible with limited resources. That means you’re going to want to lay out a careful roadmap of what you’d like to accomplish this year. Whether you’re dealing with customers, constituents, or managers, it makes sense to find out what results they’re looking for, before committing to your plans.
Send out a simple survey to find out the vision of the stakeholders in your organization. Ask about their goals, the biggest obstacles they see, and how they will measure success this year. The more closely you can align your vision with the vision of your stakeholders, the more likely it is you’ll agree achieve a level of success you both feel good about.
2. Product Feedback
If you’re launching a new product in 2012, or if you’re evaluating what you already have on the market so you can make your next release better than ever, use a product feedback survey to guide the process. SurveyMonkey has a great template you can use, or you can make your own. Ask what your customers like about your products, what changes they’d like to see, and what problems they’re currently using it to solve. Then ask the same about your competitors’ products. Once you know what people like and would improve about your products, and the others on the market, you’ll be in a good place to create a roadmap for success.
3. Employee Satisfaction
It doesn’t seem like rocket science that a productive workplace stems from happy employees. SurveyMonkey got the memo, which is why they supply us with a healthy dose of snacks, sunlight, and a game room (I’m not bragging, I swear). But employee satisfaction surveys don’t just ask about employee’s general happiness and well-being. They get at how well the employee understands the vision of the company and the brand. It asks how motivated, and how taken care of, they feel by it. The answers to these questions are directly correlated with the quality of work the employee is doing, and are really important to the success of the company. Both SurveyMonkey and Zoomerang offer awesome, free Employee Satisfaction templates, so it’s easy to get started today!
4. Customer Satisfaction
Last, but definitely not least, is the all-important Customer Satisfaction Survey. If a productive workplace depends on a happy employee, than a successful business depends on a satisfied customer. When you’re running a company, it can be next to impossible to know how smoothly things are running on the ground…unless you ask! This is another area where we have done tons of research, so both SurveyMonkey and Zoomerang have a number of Customer Satisfaction templates you can use, or you can make your own. Ask your customers what you’re doing well, what you can improve, and how likely they are to recommend you. Give them the space to give you feedback on your employees, your products, service, or brand, and how well you’re meeting their needs and measuring up against the competition. They’ll appreciate that you took the time to ask, and appreciate the improved service you provide even more.
Despite the transitions (or even because of them), 2012 is going to be a great year. We want to help you get better information, so you can make better decisions for your business, organization, and personal life. Happy survey-making!
Subscribe by 
Follow us on 
Fan us on 
