How are we doing?
How do you determine if you are meeting the needs of your customers? Periodically, I have created surveys for my students to evaluate my teaching and my studio programs. In the past, I have used the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) assessment tools and have also developed custom surveys. I have usually handed out hard copies of assessments and it has been a very valuable tool. This is the first year I have used an online survey, though they have been around awhile!
Survey Monkey is an excellent option for creating an online survey. Sign up is easy and available through a Google or Facebook account if you prefer. Most importantly it is free! However, one drawback is that a free account only allows a total of ten questions. I did have to scale back on questions, but a shorter survey may be more likely to get filled out. If you want more questions and more services, you can upgrade your account for a monthly fee.
One goal of a customer satisfaction survey is to gain and retain customers. A survey can also be an opportunity for growth. For example, I would like to offer theory classes in my studio. Therefore, I included a question asking clients if they would be interested in a separate theory course aside from individual private lessons. This will be helpful as I plan my schedule for next year.
As a private music instructor, I am in the business of establishing and maintaining long-term relationships with my clients and the best way to do that is to get their feedback. A survey is the perfect tool for taking inventory of your relationship with customers. I found that it clarified areas for improvement and growth as well as affirming what is already working. The online survey seemed to elicit more candid and precise comments than the paper surveys of the past. In addition, the results are much more expedient and easily categorized and charted, without much work! The hardest part was to set it up and send it out (which wasn’t too hard, just time consuming). Do you use surveys in your studio? If so, how often and do you find it helpful?
