Seamlessly submit surveys on the go.
Bring your experience to your mobile via our app.
In this article we will share with you the best practices for programming and scripting a global B2B survey
In this article we will share with you the best practices for programming and scripting a global B2B survey. But first let’s start by defining the term ‘programming’ ‘scripting’ and ‘B2B survey’.
According to QuestionPro.com, survey programming refers to translating the survey requirements into a questionnaire such that meaningful insights can be derived out of it. Survey scripting refers to the process of asking the right questions to the respondents so that the correct data can be collected. Broadly speaking, B2B surveys are surveys targeted at professionals or businesses and are much more niche than a typical B2C survey.
There are multiple benefits of programming and scripting a survey the right way. We have outlined them here:
Short and simple surveys can be very powerful. With a simple programming software you can generate meaningful data from the respondents quickly and efficiently. For instance you can program the survey such that it is written in their own language for their convenience.
Including the right kind of questions in your B2B survey saves a lot of valuable time. Using careful analysis, you can gather a lot of data with fewer questions. This also results in significant time and cost savings.
Keeping your surveys short and less time consuming, makes the process richer for the respondents as well. Respondents are more likely to accurately answer shorter surveys.
The benefits of scripting a survey are in the same vein as survey programming. It makes the process more efficient and less time consuming. Additionally, it also allows for reliable and accurate collection of data. It streamlines and standards the entire process of data collection and research. It ensures that you get the highest quality of data possible.
Listed below are some of the best practices for programming a survey:
Put some thought into the questions before you include them into the survey. Make sure to use simple, concise and easy to understand language. Avoid irrelevant or overly personal questions. Ensure that the questions flow nicely into one another and the readability is strong.
Where none of the answer options apply to the respondent. Add a ‘none of the above’ or ‘other’ option in your global B2B survey. Make sure this option is clearly visible to the respondent. Also ensure that this option appeared after the last response. For ‘other’ options include a text box so that the respondent can give more context.
Make sure that your Global B2B survey is visually appealing to the respondent. This allows accurate responses to your questions. Also ensure that the questions have a logical flow to them. Also ensure to include interactive response designs. Intelligent design layouts can make the survey taking process more seamless and overall better for the respondent. Interactive layouts can fit the screen content based on the size of the screen, be it a laptop or a mobile phone. This way they can put more focus and thought into their responses instead of struggling to find the ‘next’ button.
If your survey appears in multiple formats for example, mobile survey web questionnaire or email questionnaire, test to see that they are formatted correctly across the modes.
Piping refers to inserting a previous answer into a later question into the survey. It enhances the flow of the global B2B survey by eliminating repetition. It requires some back and forth while programming this question. For instance the question asks the respondent to mention their favourite internal communication tools for business : Slack, Zoom, Teams or Blue Jeans. Then, it inserts the same selected option into a following text box.
A simple thank you page at the end of the survey may sometimes defeat the purpose of the research. Include a redirected link to the company or researcher’s website or a feedback form to get insights on how to improve your survey.
Consider running a pilot survey to test our global B2B survey before launching it. Ask a variety of people to answer the questions so that you have a wide variety of insights.
It is important to use a trusted, reliable and reputed survey programmer if you don’t already have this service in house in your business. Qualtrics is one such example of a service provider.
Listed below are some of the best practices for scripting a global B2B survey:
In order to keep engagement high, keep the number of words in a question as minimum as possible. When framing questions on complex matters, it is intuitive to use as many words as possible. But, consider instead adding only keywords. For instance, change ‘ Please can you tell us what you think of….’ to ‘ what do you think of….’
A lot of independent research shows that capping the survey length to seven minutes is ideal and works best to gather correct responses. A seven minute survey also eliminates the need to place high priority questions at the top when attention span is the highest. Additionally, research shows that the average attention span of a British person is only fourteen minutes. So, it makes sense to cap the length at seven minutes.
Avoid any kind of jargon while writing your survey. Also make sure to write in the same tone as you speak. This will help in clarity and ease. For instance, many people say ‘buy’ instead of ‘purchase’ So if you’re asking ‘Did you purchase product X?’ consider changing to ‘ Did you buy product X?’ Also consider reducing the number of answer options in each question. Group less likely options together in a single term. It can be particularly difficult to scroll through a long list of answer options especially on a small screen such as a mobile phone.
Using scaling helps the respondent to express and rate their sentiments. For instance, you can frame a question in the following manner:
How likely are you to buy product X?
a) Unlikely
b) neither unlikely or likely
c) slightly likely
d) very likely
e) it's certainly likely
Make sure to use consistency throughout your global B2B survey be it in tone, length or style. Answer options that stick out to the respondents eye are problematic because they can give you skewed results. For example, consider the following question:
What is your favourite food?
a) Pizza
b) Tacos
c) Curry and rice
d) Lasagna
In the above example, the option ‘Curry and rice’ catches the eye as it is longer than the other options. In such a scenario, the respondent can be misled by picking the option that stands out and thus giving incorrect results.
Sometimes it can be very obvious to respondents what you’re looking for in your global B2B survey. For example, consider the following question:
On average how much are Brand A’s products priced?
a) Less than $200
b) $200-$400
c) More than $400
In the above example, it is very obvious that the survey maker is looking for option B since it is the only one that they bothered to quantify. In this case, the respondents who don’t fall in this category might become disinterested from the survey.
Ask questions that connect and resonate with the respondents. Include images or even light humour if you deem it appropriate. Making the process fun and engaging will only incentivize the respondents to take your survey, which can otherwise be viewed as a mundane task.
Do you need help crafting the perfect survey script and program for your global B2B survey? We know that survey programming and scripting can be a daunting process. But don’t worry, we have got it covered! GrapeData uses geo-located surveys and a combination of AI and hyper-personalised targeting to obtain unique insights from individuals anywhere in the company.
We offer reliable services and have contributors from over 90 countries. Make sure to reach out to us and get the best research services. With over two hundred and fifty thousand contributors, we are sure to find the right fit for you.
In this article, we’ll explore why it is a good idea to screen respondents for global B2B surveys
We will explore the meaning of incentives and the proper way to incentivise knowledgeable B2B respondents
Bring your experience to your mobile via our app.
