Customer satisfaction survey template
A short SMS and WhatsApp version and a fuller phone or online version, with satisfaction, loyalty and complaint-handling questions.
Customer service teams, banks, telecoms, retailers, schools, clinics and NGOs that want to know how people rate a service and what to fix first.
- Word document
- Editable, no password
- Includes consent script and analysis guide
What is inside
- Part A, a very short SMS and WhatsApp version with opt-out wording.
- Part B, a fuller version covering overall satisfaction, drivers, loyalty and complaints.
- A recommend score question and instructions for working out the net promoter score.
- A consent script, a pre-field checklist and an analysis and reporting guide.
How long it takes
| Mode | Interview length | Questions to keep |
|---|---|---|
| SMS or WhatsApp | Under 2 minutes | 3 to 5 (use Part A) |
| Phone | 8 to 12 minutes | 15 to 22 |
| Face to face | 12 to 20 minutes | 20 to 30 |
| Online | 5 to 8 minutes | 12 to 18 |
How to use it
- Pick the moment. Ask soon after the customer's last contact, while they remember it. Say who you are in the first message, and allow people to stop at any time.
- Start with Part A. If you only send one thing, send the short version. A few questions by SMS or WhatsApp will usually get more replies than one long survey.
- Use Part B to find the cause. Overall satisfaction tells you how people feel. The driver questions on quality, price, delivery, staff, support and complaints tell you what to change.
- Read the score with its margin. A net promoter score from a small sample can move a lot by chance. Report the number of responses and the margin of error beside the score, and compare groups only when the samples are large enough.
- Close the loop. Tell customers what you changed. It lifts later response rates and shows the survey was not a formality.
Sample questions
A few of the questions as they appear in the template. Items in square brackets are for you to fill.
- Have you used or bought [PRODUCT OR SERVICE] from [COMPANY] in the last [12] months?
- Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with [PRODUCT OR SERVICE] from [COMPANY]?
- What is the main reason for the score you gave?
- How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the price you pay for [PRODUCT OR SERVICE], in [LOCAL CURRENCY], compared with what you get?
- How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the delivery or the way the service is provided?
- How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the way [COMPANY] handles complaints?
- Which of these matters most to you when you deal with [COMPANY]?
- What, if anything, made it hard to get what you needed?
Check your sample size first
Before you field, work out how many completed interviews you need with the sample size calculator and check the precision with the margin of error calculator.
Country versions
Pick your country to get a copy with the currency, languages, regions, mobile money providers and data protection law already filled in.
Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda.
Frequently asked questions
Which version should I send by SMS?
Part A only. Send one question per message, accept digit replies, and keep each message short. Part B is for phone interviews and online forms.
How do I work out the net promoter score?
Ask the recommend question on a scale from 0 to 10. The score is the percentage who answer 9 or 10 minus the percentage who answer 0 to 6. The template shows a worked example.
How many responses do I need?
Enough that the margin of error is small compared with the differences you care about. Use the sample size and margin of error calculators on this site to check before you launch.
Can I survey customers I already have on a list?
Yes, if you have a lawful reason and told them how their details would be used. Check the data protection law in your country and always include an opt-out.
Is it free?
Yes. Leave your name and email and we send you the file.