Understanding Survey Types: A Comprehensive Overview

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Table of Contents

Our previous posts have discussed surveys in general and how to implement them. This article will highlight a few of the instances when they are beneficial to an organisation: Staff engagement, Stakeholders Perception and National Consultations.

Previous posts have discussed surveys in general and how to implement them. This article will highlight a few of the instances when they are beneficial to an organisation.

Staff Engagement

Many organisations provide surveys for employees at various stages during their employment for example an employee evaluation, employee satisfaction or exit interview. Obtaining feedback from the workforce on a regular basis, even annually gives the organisation a good perspective on workplace culture, performance, perception and expectation. Surveys can be conducted inhouse or with an external provider. Using an external provider can demonstrate the organisation commitment to anonymity, confidentiality and balanced reporting. Permitting identifiable surveys can often lead to less than candid response. A preferred option is limiting to team, or department level, as this offers the level of confidentiality that allows respondents to be free to discuss issues but enable the organisation to pinpoint areas for recognition or improvement.

Stakeholder Perception of an organisation or its product

Understanding your market or brand is crucial for organisations whether they are selling a product or service. Getting feedback on consumers opinions on pricing, preferences or even measuring the level of awareness can often be key to a successful or mediocre product performance. Obtaining an evaluation from other stakeholders such as clients, and suppliers will assist the organisation to pinpoint what it does well and highlight areas for improvement. The aim of feedback is constructive and therefore comments should be used to enhance the customer experience.


Surveys for this group are best used when tailored to meet the needs of the respondent, the organisation and issued appropriately. A 10 minute open ended survey is unsuitable for a product testing in a supermarket as is issuing a satisfaction survey to a new client. Timing and applicability are important.

National consultation

Are often used by government, national agencies and public bodies to obtain opinions from their stakeholders and the general public on implementation plans, policy or programme changes. This wide reaching community engagement is usually targeted to a wider representative group, for instance users of services or those directly affect by proposed changes. To promote efficiency and inclusiveness, questions are written using clear language and plain English, access tends to be via digital methods such as online surveys. Which in practical terms means the survey is open to all who decide to complete it and needs to be a consideration on the potential number of total responses.

The delicate balance for consultations is that, given their wide reach, they must last for enough time to allow sufficient numbers of the target group to respond but not too long which would delay the purpose of the consultation. The report explaining the responses, should ideally be published within 12 weeks and an appropriate time between closing the consultation and (if determined) implementing the policy or legislation given.

Smart Consult experience in market research means we are able to provide the assistance your organisation needs to obtain meaningful information and make informed decisions through surveying your staff, customers or stakeholders. Contact us today to find about the range of support we provide from survey design to data collection.

Get in Touch to Commission our Services Using any of the Following Frameworks:

  • NHS Health and Care Evaluation Services (HaCE) – NHS Leeds CCG
  • Lived Experience Service – NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I)
  • Health Systems Support Framework – NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I)
  • GP services and GP Caretaking services – NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I)
  • Research Marketplace DPS – Crown Commercial Service RM6018
  • G-Cloud – Crown Commercial Service RM1557.12
  • Data SaSiE – Office for National Statistics

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