How to Use SMS Polls to Get Valuable Customer Feedback?

September 18, 2024

How do you truly know what your customers want? Gathering customer feedback is essential for any business that wants to improve its products, services, and overall customer experience.

SMS polls offer a fast, efficient, and direct way to collect valuable insights from your audience.

By using polls, businesses can ask targeted questions, receive real-time feedback, and make data-driven decisions to enhance customer satisfaction.

In this guide, we’ll explore SMS polls, why customer feedback is crucial, and how you can effectively use polls to gather suggestions, ideas, and insights to improve your business.

What is an SMS Poll?

SMS poll is a simple method of collecting real-time customer feedback through text message questionnaires. 

By sending questions directly to a customer’s mobile phone, businesses engage their audience, understand customer preferences, and make informed decisions based on the responses. 

These polls are quick, easy to participate in, and have high response rates compared to traditional email or web surveys.

Types of SMS Polls?

There are several types of SMS polls businesses can utilize, depending on their goals and the nature of the questions being asked:

1. Single-Question Polls: These are straightforward polls where customers are asked a single question, usually with a yes/no or multiple-choice response. They are ideal for quick insights.
2. Multiple-Question Polls: Customers are presented with a series of questions in this format. This type is useful for more detailed feedback, covering multiple aspects of a product, service, or experience.
3. Open-Ended Polls: Customers are invited to respond with their text answers, allowing for more personalized feedback. This can provide deeper insights but requires more analysis.
4. Rating Polls: These ask customers to rate a product, service, or experience on a numeric or star scale, making it easy to quantify satisfaction or preferences.

Each type serves a different purpose, and by leveraging these formats effectively, businesses can gain valuable insights that drive better decision-making.

Why is Customer feedback Essential?

Customer feedback plays an imperative role in shaping business success. By gathering feedback directly, businesses gain valuable insights about their products, services, and overall customer experience.

This feedback is used to identify areas for improvement, know customer needs, and adapt to meet market demand. Companies that actively listen to their customers will foster stronger relationships and increase brand loyalty.

Moreover, data from customer feedback will drive measurable results. Studies show that businesses that focus on customer experience and incorporate feedback are 60% more profitable than those that do not. 

Engaging with customer feedback helps companies reduce churn, improve products, and tailor marketing efforts to align with customer preferences.

For e-commerce, an SMS poll is an opportunity to collect feedback, with a 45% response rate on average for SMS campaigns. 

By integrating customer feedback into decision-making, businesses innovate and maintain a customer-centric approach, ultimately leading to growth and higher satisfaction rates.

Polls Example to Collect Information

SMS polls are a tool used to gather different information, from customer satisfaction to product preferences. 

Below are several examples of how businesses can use SMS polls to collect valuable data:

1. Customer Satisfaction Poll

After a purchase or service interaction, businesses can send a simple poll to measure customer satisfaction:

• “On a scale of 1-10, how satisfied are you with your recent purchase?”

This type of poll provides immediate feedback, allowing businesses to address any concerns promptly.

2. Product Preference Poll

To understand which product features or variations customers prefer, businesses can send a poll like:

• “Which feature do you value the most in [Product Name]? A) Durability B) Design C) Price D) Ease of Use”

This helps businesses tailor future product development or marketing strategies based on actual customer preferences.

3. Feedback on New Ideas

If a business is considering launching a new product or service, they can gauge interest with an SMS poll:

• “Would you be interested in a new product that offers [Feature]? Reply YES or NO.”

This type of poll provides direct customer input before investing in new initiatives, helping reduce the risk of launching unwanted products.

4. Event or Promotion Feedback

To improve future events or promotions, businesses can ask attendees for feedback:

• “How would you rate your experience at our [Event/Promotion]? A) Excellent B) Good C) Average D) Poor”

This allows businesses to optimize future marketing efforts based on past customer experiences.

5. Demographic Information Poll

Understanding the demographics of your customer base can help in refining your target audience. 

An example poll could be:

• “What is your age group? A) 18-24 B) 25-34 C) 35-44 D) 45+”

This information can help in tailoring campaigns and products to specific age groups.

6. Abandoned Cart Recovery Poll

To understand why customers abandoned their shopping cart, businesses can send a follow-up poll:

• “What was the main reason you didn’t complete your purchase? A) Shipping Cost B) Price C) Not Ready to Buy D) Other”

The feedback from this poll can help identify barriers to conversion and enable businesses to take corrective actions to recover sales.

Polls Examples to Product Suggestions and Ideas

Below are several examples of businesses to use SMS polls to gather valuable input for product development:

1. New Product Feature Suggestions

Before investing in new features or product enhancements, businesses can ask customers for their input:

• “Which feature would you like to see added to [Product Name]? A) Faster Performance B) More Color Options C) Improved Durability D) Other”

This poll allows businesses to prioritize features that matter most to their customers and avoid unnecessary investments in less popular options.

2. Ideas for Product Upgrades

When planning a product upgrade, businesses can use SMS polls to get feedback on specific improvements:

• “We’re upgrading [Product Name]! Which improvement would you prefer? A) Longer Battery Life B) Enhanced User Interface C) Lighter Weight D) Additional Accessories”

This approach engages customers in the decision-making process, leading to product upgrades that better reflect customer expectations.

3. Crowdsourcing Innovation

Businesses can use SMS polls to crowdsource ideas for new product lines or services:

• “Help us innovate! What type of new product would you like to see next from us? A) Home Appliances B) Fitness Equipment C) Eco-Friendly Products D) Other (Reply with your suggestion)”

Crowdsourcing through polls not only fosters engagement but also provides businesses with a wealth of creative ideas directly from their target audience.

4. Seasonal Product Suggestions

When preparing seasonal promotions or product launches, businesses can poll their customers to determine which items or themes will be most popular:

• “What type of products would you like to see in our summer collection? A) Outdoor Gear B) Swimwear C) Travel Accessories D) All of the Above”

This type of feedback ensures that businesses are introducing seasonal products that resonate with their customer base, leading to higher engagement and sales.

5. Feedback on Product Concepts

If a business is considering multiple product concepts, it can poll customers to see which one generates the most interest:

• “We’re thinking about launching a new product! Which concept do you prefer? A) Smart Home Device B) Wearable Tech C) Sustainable Fashion D) Other (Reply with your idea)”

This helps businesses choose the most promising concept based on customer preferences and reduce the risk of launching products with low demand.

6. Customer Input for Product Customization

To gather suggestions on customizable product options, businesses can send a poll asking customers about their preferences:

• “What customization option would you like for [Product Name]? A) Custom Colors B) Personalized Engraving C) Packaging Options D) Other”

By offering customization based on customer feedback, businesses can create a more personalized shopping experience and boost product appeal.

SMS Polls Subject Lines for Better Open Rate

The success of an SMS poll largely depends on the effectiveness of its subject line.

Below are examples of optimized subject lines that can lead to higher open rates:

1. Direct and Engaging Subject Lines

Direct subject lines immediately capture the recipient’s attention by clearly stating the purpose of the SMS poll:

• “We Value Your Opinion! Take a Quick Poll”
• “Tell Us What You Think – 1-Question Poll!”
• “Help Us Improve – Share Your Feedback!”

These subject lines are short and direct, and emphasize the importance of customer input, encouraging immediate participation.

2. Personalized Subject Lines

Personalization has been shown to boost engagement rates. Including the customer’s name or purchase history can make the poll feel more relevant:

• “Hi [First Name], What Did You Think of Your Recent Purchase?”
• “[First Name], Share Your Thoughts on Our New Product!”

By addressing the customer personally, these subject lines make the recipient feel valued and increase the likelihood of engagement.

3. Curiosity-Driven Subject Lines

Subject lines that spark curiosity can intrigue customers, prompting them to open the message to learn more:

• “We Have a Quick Question for You…”
• “Your Opinion Can Help Us Make Big Decisions!”
• “Help Shape Our Next Big Product – Tell Us What You Think!”

These subject lines invite curiosity and motivate recipients to participate in the poll to find out more.

4. Urgency or Time-Limited Subject Lines

Creating a sense of urgency can encourage customers to respond quickly, which is key for timely feedback:

• “Limited Time Poll – Share Your Thoughts Today!”
• “Your Feedback Needed – Last Chance to Participate!”

Urgent subject lines push customers to take action immediately, increasing the response rate within a short timeframe.

5. Incentive-Based Subject Lines

Offering a reward or incentive for completing a poll can drive higher open and participation rates:

• “Take Our Poll and Get 10% Off Your Next Purchase!”
• “Complete This 1-Question Poll for a Special Offer!”

Including an incentive in the subject line not only boosts open rates but also enhances participation by giving customers an additional reason to engage.

6. Conversational Subject Lines

Making the subject line conversational and friendly can make the message feel less formal, encouraging recipients to open up and engage:

• “Got a Minute? We’d Love Your Feedback!”
• “Quick Question – Can You Help Us Out?”

These subject lines create a conversational tone that feels more personal and approachable, leading to higher engagement.

Start Sending Automated SMS Polls with Supercharged SMS

With SuperchargedSMS, you will easily set up and automate SMS polls to gather valuable customer feedback.

The platform allows you to segment your audience based on customer data from Shopify, creating personalized and targeted polls that increase engagement.

Automated SMS polls are triggered by specific customer actions, such as after a purchase or product interaction, ensuring timely feedback.

With features like reusable templates, TCPA compliance, and built-in analytics, SuperchargedSMS helps optimize polling efforts and gain actionable insights that drive better business decisions.

Install the SuperchargedSMS Shopify App and start your SMS polls.