To put it simply, I think they are quite dull. When I ask someone their age, I do not question the integrity of their answer. If they say they are 55, there is no reason to suspect emotion or other factors equated into their answer. They are 55. Plain and simple. If I ask someone how their meal at a restaurant was, there are a number of things that will be factored into their answer, such as ambiance, service and food quality, and their mood, whether they realize it or not. There are many emotions that factor into one single answer.

When starting a survey, pinpoint what you would like to gather. A self-gratifying solicitation is going to get you nowhere and waste a lot of time. Do not waste time by being vague.

Identifying the Right Time to Survey
As much as the professional would love to read clients write about how much they love their services, it would be a waste of ink. Do not make more work for yourself. Use the resources you have at hand. If I want to determine what the clients like about our current offerings, I will use the booking system analytics instead of a survey. The analytics will tell me to the penny and percent which services are the most popular. That way, I do not have to word questions negatively (What do you like the least?). The power of deduction will point to less popular services, saving words, paper, and energy. Do not be survey happy. Save the survey for the right time.

Keeping it Short
There is no need to go beyond five questions in a survey. As a professional, you hold your time in the highest esteem, as do your clients. Do not waste time. Keep the survey short and give participants something as a token of your thanks. However, try to stay away from pens. Give them something they can use or get excited about and something that gives information. For example, a reusable shopping bag, $10 in spa credit, or even alcohol. Whatever the reward, acknowledge the time that they have generously given you, however little it may have been. Time is money.

The Point of the Survey
Improvement in business is a never-ending task. The word perfection is often used when talking about business goals. Perfection is unhealthy and genuinely unachievable, not to mention self-deprecating. Excellence, however, is achievable, attainable, and tangible. The point of a survey is to collect information from clients to help make the business better. If you do not spend quality time thinking about how you word your survey, you will get inaccurate answers, nullifying any and all information collected.

The best survey for the spa is one that is short and simple. Keep the survey at five questions or less and include questions that are beneficial to your current business goals as a professional. Nothing is more important than asking the right questions at the right time.

Antonia Schreiber is a licensed massage therapist, cosmetologist, and electrologist. Schreiber established, owns, and operates The Windham Spa. As a sought after speaker and writer, she contributes to leading education firms and magazines, is a board member and consultant for the New York State Department of Education Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee, and is a volunteer educator and mentor to high school aesthetic and cosmetology students. Schreiber is currently finishing her certification program as a holistic aromatherapist. She recently became a certified mountain bike guide with the International Mountain Bike Association in order to continue volunteering with the Adaptive Sports Foundation.