Imagine that 67% of people abandon traditional surveys before completing them, and the reason is simple: boredom. Dry questions, a monotonous pattern, and a lack of interaction make the participant feel like they are being tested rather than engaged in a conversation.
In contrast, conversational surveys completely change the experience, turning the answering process into a light and friendly conversation that makes the participant feel like they are talking to a real person, not a rigid electronic form. This approach not only collects more accurate data but also creates an enjoyable experience that encourages participation until the end.
In this article, we will explore the advantages of conversational surveys, explain how they differ from traditional ones, and outline when each type is most suitable. We will also provide practical steps to create an effective conversational survey that ensures accurate data collection and an enjoyable experience for participants.
What Are Conversational Surveys?
A conversational survey is a modern, interactive method for gathering information and feedback from participants in a way that resembles natural conversation. Instead of presenting a fixed list of questions as in traditional surveys, this type adapts to the respondent’s answers, making the experience more personalized and smoother.
The question is presented in a friendly and simple manner, so that the respondent feels like they are talking to a real person, rather than just filling out a formal form. For example, instead of the traditional question:
“On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate the quality of our product?”
It can be asked in a conversational way, such as:
“Hello! Thanks for using our product 🙌. How would you rate the product quality from 1 to 10?”
If the answer is 9: “Awesome! 🎉 What feature do you like the most about the product?”
If the answer is 5: “Thank you for your feedback. What can we improve to make the product better for you?”
In this way, the question is transformed into an interactive conversational experience that encourages the participant to engage and provide accurate insights about the product’s aspects.
Characteristics of Conversational Surveys
1. Conversation-like flow:
Questions are asked sequentially, with the order adjusted based on the participant’s responses, creating a personal and enjoyable experience for each respondent.
2. Friendly and simple style:
The language used is close to natural speech, far from rigid formality, making respondents feel comfortable and encouraging them to express themselves freely.
3. Immediate interaction with responses:
Answers are processed in real time, and subsequent questions can be adjusted based on previous responses, making the survey dynamic and intelligent.
4. Multiple access methods:
Surveys can be delivered online, via email, text messages, mobile apps, or social media, making it easier to reach participants.
From Traditional to Conversational Surveys: How to Turn a Question into an Interactive Experience
Type | Example |
Traditional Survey | “How likely are you to recommend us to a friend, from 0 to 10?” |
Conversational Survey | Welcome message: “Hi there! Thanks for being a loyal customer 🙌. Would you tell your friends about us? If yes, how enthusiastic would you be in recommending us, maybe from 1 to 10?” System response based on the answer: - If the answer is 9: “Awesome! 🎉 What do you like most about our product?” - If the answer is 5: “Thanks for sharing. What could we improve to make it a 10 for you?” |
6 Benefits of Conversational Surveys
1. Increased response rates:
The conversational style makes participants feel comfortable, especially when addressed by their name, which increases their willingness to participate. Interactive formatting and breaking the survey into small parts reduce cognitive load, making it easier to complete. Additionally, the engaging and interactive experience increases the likelihood of finishing the survey entirely.
2. More accurate, honest answers and high-quality data:
Dynamic and open-ended questions that adapt to the respondent’s answers encourage free expression and detailed opinions, providing a deeper and more precise understanding of participants’ thoughts and perspectives.
3. Enjoyable and seamless participant experience:
A conversational survey transforms answering into a personal and engaging experience, far from filling out a rigid, routine form. It also provides a smooth mobile experience, since most people access surveys via smartphones, the layout is intuitive, user-friendly, and easy to interact with.
4. Customized questions and personalized insights for each participant:
Using logic jumps and dynamic questions, the sequence and content of questions can be tailored based on each participant’s responses, addressing them by name, making the survey unique and relevant for everyone. This approach ensures collecting feedback on topics most relevant to each respondent.
5. Immediate feedback and time/effort savings:
The dynamic nature of conversational surveys allows for instant feedback, enabling companies to adjust their strategies quickly. Better participant engagement also leads to faster collection of reliable data, reducing the need for follow-up surveys.
6. Enhancing brand experience and improving user experience:
Surveys become an enjoyable part of customer interaction with the brand, rather than a burden, reflecting care for the participant. The user experience is more enjoyable and effortless compared to traditional surveys, increasing participant satisfaction and leaving a positive impression of the brand.
Comparison Between Conversational and Traditional Surveys
Feature | Traditional Surveys | Conversational Surveys |
Key Feature | Fixed list of questions, formal experience | Dialogue-like interaction, personalized experience |
Main Advantage | Formal and organized, often a long and static form | Friendly and natural, divided into small sections to reduce cognitive load |
Formatting | Formal and rigid language | Simple and natural language, close to human conversation |
Style | Often lower due to boredom or survey length | Usually higher due to interactivity and dynamism |
Completion Rates | Email, traditional web forms | Chat, text messages, social media, apps, websites |
Channels | Limited, all questions are fixed and do not change based on responses | Highly adaptable, questions can be modified based on the respondent’s answers, addressing them by name |
Customization | Task-oriented, less interactive, less engaging for participants | Engaging and conversational, enjoyable for participants, enhances brand experience |
Experience | Responses may be superficial, difficult to collect detailed information | More honest and detailed responses, helping gather deeper insights |
Data Quality | May require more follow-up to get complete answers | Faster collection of reliable data, reduces the need for additional follow-up |
Time and Effort | Higher due to follow-ups | Lower, more efficient |
6 Steps to Create an Effective Conversational Survey
To create an effective conversational survey that attracts participants and improves data quality, it is important to follow well-considered steps that balance interactive intelligence and simplicity:
1. Clearly define the goal and keep the survey short.
Start by determining exactly what you want to know, Is the goal to understand customer experience? Or measure employee satisfaction? The clearer the goal, the easier it is to craft questions. Keep it brief; usually five to seven questions are sufficient to gather valuable insights without overwhelming respondents.
2. Write questions in simple, natural language.
Speak as you would in a conversation, using a friendly tone and avoiding complex terms. A conversational survey is not a language test, but a light dialogue that encourages participants to continue until the end.
3. Personalize the experience based on responses.
Leverage dynamic questions and smart branching to make each respondent feel the conversation is directed at them personally. This increases emotional engagement with the brand and improves the quality of responses.
4. Choose the appropriate distribution channels.
Deliver the survey through channels where your audience is actually active, whether via email, website, mobile apps, or even instant messaging. Easy access significantly boosts participation rates.
5. Add visual and interactive elements.
Make the experience enjoyable by including images, emojis, or short videos. These touches make the conversation feel realistic and reduce boredom during responses.
6. Test before launch and share the impact afterward.
Try the survey on a limited sample before releasing it widely to ensure question clarity and smooth experience. After collecting results, share with participants how their feedback made an impact to increase trust and a sense of belonging.
Conversational vs. Traditional Surveys: When to Choose Each Type
When to Use a Traditional Survey:
1. To collect basic or large-scale quantitative data:
When you need standardized answers that are easy to analyze statistically, such as multiple-choice questions or rating scales.
2. For surveying a large audience:
When targeting a very large number of participants where cost and time are significant factors.
3. For formal research or benchmark reports:
If the survey is part of an official study requiring a consistent and standardized format, such as in government or healthcare contexts.
4. When questions are specific and directed:
If you are seeking predefined answers without the need for additional details or personalization for each participant.
5. For legal or compliance purposes:
When you need the exact same questions to ensure adherence to laws or regulations.
When to Use a Conversational Survey:
1. After customer interactions:
Excellent for collecting feedback immediately after customer service calls, chats, or purchases.
2. To gather continuous feedback:
Suitable for brands that want to monitor customer opinions periodically rather than with annual surveys.
3. To measure customer satisfaction (NPS or CSAT):
Short and instant questions make it easy to quickly and clearly gauge customer satisfaction.
4. For market research and product testing:
Provides participants with a less exhausting experience and increases the likelihood of honest feedback on new products or features.
5. To check employee engagement:
Helps measure morale, pulse surveys, and understand workload balance.
Whether in-person or virtual, it allows collecting participants’ impressions immediately after the event.
7. To qualify potential leads:
Can be used in marketing and sales to ask friendly questions that help identify potential customers easily.
In summary:
• Traditional surveys are ideal for large-scale quantitative data, statistical analysis, and formal studies.
• Conversational surveys excel in engagement, personalized experience, data quality, and instant feedback.
How BSure Makes Conversational Surveys More Effective
At BSure, we believe surveys are no longer just questions and answers، they are interactive experiences that show how much you value your participants while providing more accurate and easily analyzable data. Here are the top 10 features that make your conversational surveys smarter and more impactful:
1. Simple and user-friendly design
The platform interface allows anyone to create a professional conversational survey without technical expertise, thanks to drag-and-drop tools and smooth design flow.
2. Questions that adapt to answers
The system supports smart question branching, so questions change based on participants’ responses, making the conversation more realistic and personalized.
3. Wide reach across multiple channels
Surveys can be distributed via web, mobile, or messaging apps like WhatsApp, ensuring they reach the audience through their preferred channels.
Read more: SMS Feature In BSure: Integrated Surveys For Your Business.
4. A rich and interactive experience
The platform allows adding images, videos, and emojis to make interactions lively and reduce boredom during responses.
5. Instant and visual analytics
Results are displayed immediately in smart dashboards, helping teams make quick decisions based on direct insights from respondents.
6. Full branding customization
Adjust colors, fonts, and icons to match your brand identity, making surveys an extension of your visual experience.
7. Pre-launch Testing
The platform allows you to preview the survey to ensure the questions are clear and the experience is smooth, with the ability to modify it anytime to guarantee the best experience for participants.
BSure follows strict data protection standards and ensures regulatory compliance, crucial when handling customer or employee data.
9. Integration with other tools
Easily integrates with CRM systems and analytics platforms, simplifying data collection and analysis from multiple sources in one place.
10. AI-powered instant translation
Questions and answers can be automatically translated into multiple languages without losing context or tone, expanding your survey globally and facilitating communication with participants in their native language accurately.
Conclusion:
Replace rigidity with conversation, and turn every response into an opportunity for deeper understanding and stronger engagement with your audience. With conversational surveys, collecting data is not the only goal, every step of answering becomes an interactive, enjoyable experience resembling a natural conversation, where participants feel heard and valued.
Start Now with BSure, and make every survey a personalized, smart, and enjoyable experience for every participant.
