Imagine that you want to know what your customers really think about your product or service. What would you do? Would you give them options to choose from or would you let them speak freely? While closed questions allow you to get answers that are quick and easy to compare, open-ended questions reveal much more.

Meme of the distracted boyfriend where a male figure labeled 'COMPANY' looks at a female figure labeled 'FREE FIELD', while ignoring her companion labeled 'CLOSED QUESTIONS'. The meme suggests that companies prefer open-ended (open-ended) answers over closed questions in surveys.

Reja et al. (2003) compared both types of questions in web surveys and the results were revealing: open-ended questions offer more varied and genuine answers. While closed options limit customers to what we suggest to them, open-ended questions invite them to share what really worries them, what they consider valuable, or what they feel could improve.

Why is this important for your company?

Because open answers, while requiring more effort to analyze them, capture the essence of what truly matters to your customers. They may not mention the “quality of service” option in a closed question, but in an open one they could describe an experience that reflects exactly that, with nuances that you would never have grasped otherwise.

Plus, when you give space for open expression, your customers feel more heard. They know that they are not limited to checking boxes, and that builds trust. At woku, we understand that these types of opinions are key to continuously improving your product or service, which is why we help you to process this valuable information automatically and efficiently.

What can you do with this information?

Harness the power of open-ended questions to better understand your customers and make smarter decisions. Our artificial intelligence analysis system not only organizes your answers, but it also provides you with clear and useful reports so you can act quickly. In the end, the wealth of feedback from your customers can be the impetus you need to take your company to the next level.

References

Reja, U., Manfreda, L.L., Hlebec, V., & Vehovar, V. (2003). Open-ended vs. close-ended questions in web questionnaires. Developments in applied statistics (pp. 159-177).