Smileys Surveys

Smileys surveys stand apart from other feedback methodologies in a key way: they convey emotion.

Because of this, Smileys surveys deliver an intuitive method for collecting feedback related to customer satisfaction that transcends language. When we view a face, we inherently connect that response with an emotion: happiness and satisfaction, or discontent and dissatisfaction.

In this section

• What is the Smileys survey flow?
• How is the Smileys score calculated?
• Who are Smileys surveys for?
• When should I send Smileys surveys?
• What are some best practices for Smileys surveys?

What is the Smileys survey flow?

Most Smileys surveys start with some variation of the question:

“How happy are you with [brand/product name]?”

Customers are then presented with a 5-point scale, ranging from an angry face to a beaming happy face.

After providing a score, customers answer an open-ended comment question to explain their responses. They’ll then respond to any Additional Questions you’ve configured before being presented with a customized Thank You page.

Sample Smileys question

Sample Smileys comment page

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How is the Smileys score calculated?

Smileys calculations are rolled up under a Happiness metric.

( Total number of “happy” responses / Total number of responses ) x 100 = Happiness

Let’s break that down piece by piece:

• Total number of “happy” responses: Any response where the score was a 4 or a 5 (happy or very happy)
• Total number of responses: Your overall response count
• “X 100”: We multiply the result from the division equation to get a whole number

The Happiness score is always rounded to the nearest whole number.

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Who are Smileys surveys for?

Smileys surveys are optimal for companies looking for a quick and intuitive survey method for gauging customer satisfaction. If traditional survey scales seem mundane or unnecessarily complex, Smileys surveys can offer a powerful alternative with their easy to understand visual scale.

The benefit of this straightforward approach to satisfaction surveys? Increased response rates! Companies struggling with low survey engagement often find Smiley surveys provide a much needed refresh to their customer feedback methods.

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When should I send Smileys surveys?

Because smiley faces are so closely tied to emotional responses, they’re a fantastic pairing with satisfaction-type questions. If you’re looking to measure happiness with a specific interaction, send your Smileys survey within 24 hours of that touchpoint. If you’re instead looking to measure overall happiness with your brand, product, or service, consider sending every 3 to 6 months.

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What are some best practices for Smileys surveys?

The intuitive nature of Smileys means that deviation from certain standards might confuse your customers, yield unhelpful data, or muddy decision-making processes around customer feedback. Luckily, following these best practices will ensure you’re getting the most out of these Smileys surveys.

Don’t contextualize the scale

All the core benefits of using a Smileys survey can be significantly hampered if the question includes a definition of the scale.

Here’s an example:

With the Intro Message focused on defining the scale, the survey immediately loses its power in enabling quick feedback, as customers now have to skim through the content first.

Keep questions satisfaction-oriented

While Smileys surveys can be used in a plethora of scenarios, they're best paired with a satisfaction-focused question. There are obvious use cases that just wouldn't fit with Smileys surveys, but by sticking to questions that could be answered with a “satisfied” or “dissatisfied” response, you’ll ensure the scale applies to the question you’re asking.

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