AKSHITA | 2025-07-16 13:00:00+00:00
Most surveys stick to checkboxes, star ratings, and quick scales. They’re simple to answer and easy to measure. But if you only rely on ratings, you miss out on what customers are really thinking.
Open-ended questions give people a chance to speak in their own words. These answers often carry genuine opinions, emotions, and useful suggestions, things no rating can capture.
Let’s understand why these kinds of questions matter, how they uncover important insights, and how businesses can make the most of them.
These are questions where people write their answers freely, without options to pick from. Instead of asking, “Rate our delivery from 1-5,” you ask, “How was your delivery experience?”
A few common examples:
"What did you like most about your experience?"
"What could we improve?"
"Is there anything else you'd like to share?"
These types of questions allow customers to express their thoughts honestly, in their own way.
Say a customer gives you a 3 out of 5 rating. You know something is off, but you don’t know what. Was it a delivery delay? A broken item? Confusing instructions? Ratings give you numbers, but not reasons.
When you add a short open-ended question, it clears the picture. Even one line from a customer can help you fix the exact problem.
Example:
Rating: 4/5
Comment: “Product quality was good but packaging was torn.”
Now you know what needs attention.
Sometimes, even positive ratings can hide small complaints. A customer might rate you 5 stars but still write, “Great product, but the courier didn’t call before delivery.” This helps you improve in ways that wouldn't be visible through numbers alone.
Open-ended feedback brings out things that ratings alone will never show:
Honest Suggestions – Customers sometimes tell you what they wish your product had.
Feelings & Tone – Whether someone is excited or annoyed, it comes out in their words.
Minor But Important Issues – Like unclear return policy or delay in OTPs.
Unexpected Praise – Someone might mention a small gesture they loved.
Competitor Comparisons – Many times, customers share insights like, “XYZ brand provides this extra feature,” which can be useful to benchmark.
These things help a business grow, not just fix problems.
When people feel they’re being heard, they open up. A free-text box is like an invitation. It doesn’t force them to choose from a list, they can just write what’s on their mind.
In India especially, many people express better in Hindi or a mix of Hindi-English. An open-ended question allows them to do that. It also helps your brand understand the actual language your audience uses daily.
Customers also feel a sense of involvement when they are asked to write something. They don’t just feel like another number, they feel like a contributor to your growth. This sense of being valued makes a huge difference in customer satisfaction.
You don’t need to overthink the question. Just keep it natural. A few examples:
“Anything you’d like to share about your order?”
“Was everything smooth, or anything we can fix?”
“How was your overall experience?”
Avoid robotic lines like “Describe your level of satisfaction.” That sounds formal and cold.
Instead, make it sound like something a friend would ask.
One or two open-ended questions are enough. Don’t ask them to write long essays. Most people are happy to leave a line or two, if the question feels casual and relevant.
Also, timing matters. Don’t ask open-ended feedback too early or too late. Ask after:
An order is delivered
A service call ends
A subscription or plan is used for a few days
At this stage, customers have something real to say.
A good tip is to place the open-ended question at the end of a short rating scale. After a customer rates your service 4/5, you can follow up with: “Could you please tell us what we could have done to make it a 5?”
You don’t need to be a data expert. Just read 30–40 responses, and you’ll see patterns. Many people mention the same things:
“Courier guy didn’t call”
“Package was open”
“Loved the surprise gift”
These patterns help you know what’s working and what’s bothering people. If you get too many responses to handle, use tools that can group common words or themes. Even a simple keyword search in Excel works.
Many CRMs now have smart features that pick up recurring words or phrases, group customer moods, and flag common concerns. So even a small business can do this with ease.
A clothing brand noticed repeated comments like “fabric is see-through” in their kurtis section. They updated the product page with clearer photos and fabric info.
A food delivery platform spotted many users mentioning “cold food on arrival” in Mumbai. They changed packaging partners in that region.
An online course platform kept getting the same feedback: “Too many emails.” They reduced their email reminders and saw a drop in complaints.
A hair salon in Bangalore got consistent comments like “The stylist didn’t understand my hairstyle” — so they started offering pre-service consultations with stylists.
A fintech app received suggestions like “Please add UPI payment” repeatedly in their open feedback field. After adding it, usage spiked in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
None of these issues came from 1–5 star ratings. It was the written feedback that made the change possible.
E-commerce
What was the best part of your shopping experience?
Anything we could’ve done better?
Healthcare
Was the doctor/staff helpful and polite?
Were you comfortable during your visit?
Education (online or offline)
Did you find the course useful?
Any topic you’d like us to explain more?
Food & Hospitality
How was the food and service?
Any suggestions for the menu?
Tech Support
Was your issue resolved smoothly?
Anything else you’d like help with?
Banking/Finance Apps
Did you find the app easy to use?
What feature would you like us to add?
You can tweak these based on the business stage, like first-time orders, returning users, or complaint handling.
Keep the box optional, not forced.
Allow answers in multiple languages.
Acknowledge responses: “Thanks for sharing your feedback.”
Take action, nothing upsets a customer more than ignored feedback.
If someone shares a serious complaint, follow up.
Add a thank-you coupon or cashback after completion, it increases response rate.
Keep the tone of the survey friendly and conversational, not robotic.
Open-ended survey questions don’t need to be complicated. Just a simple, honest “What did you think?” can bring in insights you’d never get from star ratings.
They help you understand your customer, not just measure them. And in a competitive space, understanding makes all the difference.
If you’re still relying only on 1–5 scales or yes/no questions, it’s time to go a step further. Add that one open-ended line. You’ll be surprised by what it reveals.
OPEN ENDED SURVEY QUESTIONS
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