7 Survey Mistakes to Avoid (If You Want Useful Results)
Surveys can be one of the fastest, most affordable ways to get customer feedback—but only if they're done right.
Unfortunately, many organizations unknowingly sabotage their own research with poor survey design, unclear objectives, or bad data collection practices. The result? Misleading insights and missed opportunities.
At Revelare Insights, we’ve reviewed hundreds of client surveys. The difference between useful insight and wasted data usually comes down to 7 avoidable mistakes.
Below, we’ve outlined the most common mistakes businesses make when designing surveys — and how to fix them.
Mistake #1: Asking Leading Questions
Leading questions bias the response by nudging the participant toward a specific answer. They contaminate your data and make results less reliable.
Example:
“How satisfied are you with our excellent customer service?”
Fix: “How would you rate your recent service experience?”
Mistake #2: No “None” or “Other” Option
Forcing respondents to choose from pre-set options limits the accuracy and completeness of your data. If their true answer isn’t listed, you lose clarity.
Fix: Always include an “Other (please specify)” option when appropriate. It improves accuracy and shows respect for edge cases.
Mistake #3: Avoid Double-Barreled Questions
A double-barreled question asks two things at once but only allows one answer. This creates ambiguity: you can’t tell which part of the question the respondent is reacting to. It makes the data impossible to interpret clearly.
For example: “How satisfied are you with our product quality and customer support?”…Do they mean quality? Support? or Both?
If the respondent is happy with quality but frustrated by support, how do they answer? You won’t know — and your data suffers.
Fix: Break it into two distinct questions.
Mistake #4: Overusing Open-Ended Questions
Open-ends provide depth, but too many can overwhelm respondents. They take longer to answer and often result in “N/A” or incomplete responses.
Fix: Use them sparingly, and only when the potential insight justifies the effort.
Mistake #5: Avoid Using Industry Jargon
If respondents don’t understand the question, their answer is meaningless. Terms like “NPS,” “CX KPIs,” or “digital transformation solutions” confuse non-experts.
Fix: Write for clarity. Use simple, conversational language that anyone can understand.
Mistake #6: Ignoring Survey Length
Long surveys lead to drop-off, rushed answers, and poor data quality.
Fix: Aim for quality over quantity. Remember to:
Respect the respondent’s time.
Prioritize essential questions.
Test your survey length before launch.
Mistake #7: Biased Rating Scales
Rating scales that skew positive (e.g., 7–10 only) create “false positives.” Your data may look good — but it's misleading.
Fix: Use consistent, balanced scales.
For example: “1 to 5 (Very dissatisfied to Very satisfied)” or “1 to 10” with clear anchors.
Consistency helps respondents stay focused and gives you more reliable data.
Want the visual version?
We turned this into a downloadable PDF — great for your team or next research meeting.
Need help designing your next survey?
Revelare Insights helps organizations design smarter surveys, recruit the right audiences, and deliver insights that actually drive action.
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