What are the pros and cons of mail questionnaires?

The Pros and Cons of mail questionnaire are as follows

PROS

Compared to other data collection techniques, relatively low cost of data collection

Ease of administration

It can be sent anoymously, hence a good way to procure constructive critisim

Good strategy for proctored surveys for captive audience

CONS

Possibility of bias due to low response rates

Quality of information may not be up to desired levels

Limited to people who have access to mails

The advantages of questionnaires

1. Practical
2. Large amounts of information can be collected from a large number of people in a short period of time and in a relatively cost effective way
3. Can be carried out by the researcher or by any number of people with limited affect to its validity and reliability
4. The results of the questionnaires can usually be quickly and easily quantified by either a researcher or through the use of a software package
5. Can be analysed more 'scientifically' and objectively than other forms of research
6. When data has been quantified, it can be used to compare and contrast other research and may be used to measure change
7. Positivists believe that quantitative data can be used to create new theories and / or test existing hypotheses

The disadvantages of questionnaires

1. Is argued to be inadequate to understand some forms of information - i.e. changes of emotions, behaviour, feelings etc.
2. Phenomenologists state that quantitative research is simply an artificial creation by the researcher, as it is asking only a limited amount of information without explanation
3. Lacks validity
4. There is no way to tell how truthful a respondent is being
5. There is no way of telling how much thought a respondent has put in
6. The respondent may be forgetful or not thinking within the full context of the situation
7. People may read differently into each question and therefore reply based on their own interpretation of the question - i.e. what is 'good' to someone may be 'poor' to someone else, therefore there is a level of subjectivity that is not acknowledged
8. There is a level of researcher imposition, meaning that when developing the questionnaire, the researcher is making their own decisions and assumptions as to what is and is not important...therefore they may be missing something that is of importance

pros are that you dont have to deal with everyone face to face , its easier to select a few, cons are : dishonesty

THE PROS OF AN ONLINE QUESTIONAIRES ARE AS FOLLOWS

THEY GIVE SPEEDY RESULT AS RESPONDANCE CAN ASSESS ALMOST THE SAME TIME AS IT IS SENT.

IT IS ALSO COST EFFECTIVE AS THOUSENDS OF QUESTIONAIRES CAN BE SENT AT THE SAME TIME.

USER RESPONSE CAN BE PRECODED ELEMINATING TRANSCRIPTION ERRORS.

THE FOLLOWING CAN BE THE CONS OF MAIL QUESTIONAIRES

DISHONESTY CAN BE EXIBITED BY THE RESPONDAND BECUOSE THERIR IS NO FACE TO FACE CONTACT BEFORE ANSWERS ARE OFFERED.

IT IS ALSO HARD TO CONVEY FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS.

RESPONDANS MAY HAVE HIDDEN AGENDA BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT SEE THEM.

MAIL MAY BE SENT TOTHE WRONG AUDIENCE.

Some marketing research companies specialize in a particular marketing research methodology, and tend to recommend that method for any or all situations. Market Street Research picks marketing research methods depending on the information needed by our clients or the decisions our clients are making. Mail surveys are an appropriate methodology for businesses and organizations to identify:

• Customer satisfaction or member satisfaction
• Improvements and changes customers would like to see
• Customer reaction to an organization’s future plans
• Time-sensitive issues, such as customer complaints or problems

Email Questionnaires takes it origin from the traditional post mail questionnaires and its very important to understand that even today its effective IF packaged well.

Pros :

1. Direct response : This is only achieved if the target audience has been reached after filtering the current data base on various parameters like Age, Sex, Location, Income Group, etc. If the traget audience has been reached, only then a direct response can be collected with a reseponse rate at 5%.

2. ROI : Yes, even today with social media, Vlog and Live Marketing campaigns, Email questionnaires still give you a higher ROI if the objective of the questionnaire is precises. 'Keep it Short and Blunt'or 'Keep it Short and Sweet'these two types of questionnaires drive maximum ROI.

3. Data Mining : Lets face some hard facts. Questionnaires were designed for DATA Collection which could be used in different ways by different companies. Even today it stays true as there are not just subjective questions by also psychological questions to determine/ predicit the future decision to be made by the person/ group. This data is not just only shared but sold as well.

Cons:

1. Content: Yes, I did metion it earlier, if the content is not engaging, the answers wont be accurate. The best exsample in the recent past is Facebook and youtube. Now before you evaluate Facebook as just another social media platform for just sharing pictures and viral videos or youtube as just entertainment platform, answer this, over the last 1o years,(2007 -2017) how many have seen a dynamic change in the user age on facebook? and in the last Five years (2012-2017) how many users use Youtube for an technology/food/vacations/language/music/price related reviews or assistance? Facebook has been engaging it uers to take part in interactive quiestionnairs and people do it thinking its fun. However, they end up sharing their preferences and answer indirect queston. Youtube on the other hand has stated a new trend of multiple single questions related to same subject asked across a period of time. Hence, if email questionnairs needs to be effective, they have to come up with creative content.

2 Incentive/ Unique subjectline: From a corporate perspective, its always good to have one official email ID and the other personal. However, some prefer them to be the same. Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, ect have now made it easy to create filters to segregate Junk, Spam, Social and even promotional emails. Unique subjectlines will help your questionnair to land in the inbox if its a promotional blast to procured data. However, if its to subscribed users who have opted in for your emails, better provide them with an incentive. It could be anything from a 10% off on a certain goods or service provided or could be addtional loyalty reward points. ShoppersStop in Mumbai did it effectively back in 2012- 2013.

I would support email Qestionnairs to be sent to frequent or loyal customers or to those set of customers to atleast reach the landing page and spend sometime on your website (promotional emailers) as they, even though have not yet made a purchase, but have shon interest which leads to a higher response rate. 

There could be many pros and many cons depending on accuracy applied to correct selection of business leads and quality of the communication adopted. Bad target profiling and bad communication style will generate few readers and few feedbacks. Good profiling and design of the questionnaires will generate high reading ratios and god feedbacks and therefore an excellent return for the company 

It is easy to track ROI for a company. It is very informative like the company often uses the sales letter to offer special deals,  espesially at the end of the letter.

It is largely unread that is why it is very important to design highly convincing mail.

Email questinonaires can be very effecive, if you have the right datbase of the clients you intend tor each, it will give you a proper viw on the subject in question, however, with an incentive, your target audience might not be motivated to take the questionnaire, and the result won't be as effective as you might want it to be.

Value added please read you depends upon the user

Ignorance as too many emails falling

A mail questionnaire is an effective tool to understand the preferences and needs of consumers of a certain product or product line. It is a common tool used to induce direct consumer engagement. However, there are pros and cons for every marketing initiative.

Pros:

1) It helps in understanding the preferences and needs of a consumer.

2) Increases awareness in the consumers' minds about a certain product.

3) It can convert create a gateway for potential buyers.

4) The organization will be able to customize their products in accordance with consumer needs.

5) It is an affordable means of communication that can deliver easily trackable results.

Cons:

1) Some consumers might consider it intrusive and it may trigger a repulsive response that will in turn hurt the organization.

2) If the questionnaire is not well structured, it might be time consuming to consumers. The consumer will lose interest in providing his/her feedback.

3) It might be perceived as a scam since today's world is flooded with such attempts.

4) If you don't target the right audience, you will not get the most accurate results.