Customer satisfaction survey email: How-to + templates

Gathering customer feedback is essential for any business aiming to improve customer loyalty, enhance offerings, and stay ahead of the competition. While there are numerous ways to collect feedback, from social media interactions to in-store conversations, customer satisfaction survey emails provide a direct and structured method to gather detailed insights from your customers. 

While customer satisfaction survey emails are a great place to start on your CX journey, there are a few common challenges many businesses run into, including participation and accuracy.

So, let’s explore the practical strategies for designing engaging customer satisfaction survey emails that drive results. We’ll share our best tips to boost response rates and provide ready-to-use templates to streamline the process and help you start gathering valuable feedback today.

What is a customer satisfaction survey email?

A customer satisfaction survey email is a targeted communication sent to customers to gauge their experience with a company’s products or services. They’re usually sent after an interaction that the company wants feedback on and typically include a set of questions designed to measure various aspects of the customer experience. The goal could be to collect feedback on everything from product quality to service effectiveness or overall satisfaction.

The primary goal of a customer satisfaction survey email is to collect actionable feedback that can help businesses understand what matters most to their customers, identify areas for improvement, and enhance the overall customer experience. 

Here’s an example of a simple, well-designed customer satisfaction survey email:

In the example email there’s a clear way for the customer to offer their feedback on a simple scale. The question being asked is also clear, and one that customers are familiar with. It’s a great way to collect feedback and kick off follow-up questions about their experience.

Customer satisfaction survey email templates

To streamline your process of collecting customer feedback, we've created several customizable email templates tailored to different types of surveys. Below, you'll find templates for net promoter score (NPS), customer satisfaction score (CSAT), and general customer service feedback. 

Click the links to download each template and start collecting feedback more effectively. Each email template includes a survey email subject line and text for you to copy and paste. 

NPS template

The net promoter score (NPS) survey email template is crafted to measure customer loyalty and the likelihood of recommending your business. This template includes a brief introduction, a clear NPS question, and a straightforward call to action. It’s designed to be simple yet effective in capturing customer sentiment.

CSAT template

Our customer satisfaction score (CSAT) survey email template helps you gauge overall customer satisfaction with your products or services. This template features a straightforward question about recent experiences and includes a simple, user-friendly response format.

Not sure whether to use CSAT or NPS? Check out CSAT vs NPS: Which CX metric to use

Customer service email template

This template is designed to gather feedback specifically about customer service interactions. It includes questions that help you evaluate the effectiveness of your customer support team, customer service processes, and overall satisfaction with service.

Components of an effective customer satisfaction survey email

Customer satisfaction questionnaires or surveys are crucial tools for collecting feedback, but their effectiveness largely depends on how well the survey email is crafted. Since customer satisfaction is just one type of feedback organizations can gather, the elements of a survey email may vary compared to other feedback methods. However, regardless of the type, the key components of an effective survey email remain crucial for maximizing response rates and gathering valuable insights.

Clear subject line

A clear and compelling subject line is vital to making sure your survey email successful. It helps determine whether your email stands out and is opened even through all of the clutter of an average inbox. When people receive dozens or hundreds of emails a day, you want yours to be the one they open. A well-crafted subject line should be concise and relevant, and make it clear why it’s beneficial to open your email over others. 

Overview of the purpose

Providing a brief overview of the survey’s purpose helps recipients understand the value of their feedback and the impact it will have. This section should clearly explain why their input is important and how it will be used to improve products or services. A well-articulated purpose can increase engagement by making the recipient feel their feedback is valued and will lead to tangible changes. You can also use this section to show some gratitude for your customers for taking the time to read the email and taking the time to answer the survey.

Call to action (CTA)

A strong call to action (CTA) directs recipients on what steps to take next, such as clicking a link to start the survey. The CTA should be clear, compelling, and easy to find within the email. It should make the process of participating straightforward, reducing any friction that might discourage responses.

Access to the survey

First, decide whether you will embed your survey directly in the email or if you will provide a survey link to an external platform. Short surveys can be embedded for quick responses, while longer ones should be linked to a dedicated survey page. Ensuring easy access to the survey encourages higher participation rates and a smoother user experience. Be sure that however you choose to share the survey, it’s optimized for both a mobile experience as well as a desktop experience. 

Branding and visuals

Incorporating your company name, branding, and visual elements helps maintain consistency with your organization's identity and makes the survey email more engaging. Effective use of colors, logos, and design can enhance the email’s visual appeal and reinforce brand recognition, making the email more memorable and encouraging responses.

7 best practice tips for successful customer satisfaction email surveys

In addition to utilizing the templates provided, implementing the following best practices can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your customer satisfaction email surveys. These tips will help you gather valuable feedback, drive improvements in customer satisfaction, and ultimately boost loyalty.

1. Keep it short and sweet

A concise survey email increases the likelihood of participation by respecting the recipient’s time. Aim for brevity in both the email and the survey itself to encourage completion. 

You can also consider showing a progress bar so respondents know exactly how far into the survey they are and how much longer to expect it to take to finish. 

2. Segment your audience

Tailoring your survey emails to specific segments of your audience ensures that the survey questions are relevant and engaging. By dividing your email marketing subscribers into groups based on their behavior or demographics, you can gather more targeted feedback that provides actionable insights.

3. Use personalization

Personalizing your survey emails can make recipients feel valued and more likely to participate. Use the recipient’s name and reference their previous interactions with your business to create a more engaging and relevant survey experience.

4. Incentivize respondents

Offering incentives, such as discounts or entry into a prize draw, can motivate customers to complete your survey. Ensure that the incentive is appealing and clearly communicated in the survey email to boost participation rates.

5. Mobile optimization

Since many customers check their email on mobile devices, it’s essential that your survey email is mobile-friendly. Ensure that the email layout is responsive and that the survey is easy to complete on a smartphone or tablet.

6. Close the loop

Communicate the impact of the feedback to your respondents to show that their input is valued and leads to real changes. You can do this by sharing how their feedback has been used to improve the product or service previously. This can enhance customer satisfaction and encourage future participation.

7. Analyze and act on feedback

Collecting feedback is only the beginning. Analyze the survey results to identify trends and areas for improvement, and take action based on these insights. Effective analysis and implementation of feedback will drive continuous improvements in customer satisfaction.

Why send a customer satisfaction survey email?

Leading companies like Airbnb, HubSpot, and Amazon understand the value of consistently gathering feedback through email. These industry giants leverage customer satisfaction survey emails to refine their services, enhance user experiences, and maintain their competitive edge. 

But why should your business prioritize customer satisfaction surveys via email?

Here are some compelling reasons:

• Insights into customer experience: Customer satisfaction surveys provide direct insights into how customers perceive their interactions with your brand, helping you understand their needs and preferences.
  
  
• Identify areas of improvement: By analyzing survey responses, you can pinpoint specific areas where your business can improve, whether it's in product quality, customer service, or overall experience.
  
  
• Improve customer loyalty: Gathering and acting on feedback shows customers that you value their opinions, which can strengthen loyalty and encourage repeat business.
  
  
• Drive customer retention: Addressing the issues highlighted in feedback surveys can help retain customers who might otherwise leave due to dissatisfaction.
  
  
• Enhance brand reputation: Positive changes based on customer feedback can boost your brand's reputation, making you more attractive to potential customers.
  
  
• Build customer relationships: Regularly engaging with customers through surveys fosters a stronger relationship by demonstrating your commitment to their satisfaction.
  
  
• Measure the effectiveness of initiatives: Customer feedback surveys allow you to evaluate the success of new initiatives or changes, providing a clear picture of their impact on customer satisfaction.

How can AskNicely help?

AskNicely is a user-friendly customer experience platform designed to streamline the process of collecting and analyzing feedback from your customers across various channels, including email, web, and SMS. Our platform simplifies the creation of tailored surveys, ensuring you can easily gather meaningful insights to drive your business forward.

To see just how straightforward it is to build a customized survey template, check out our guide on designing your email survey template.

Here’s how AskNicely can enhance your feedback collection process:

• Customer feedback: Our platform offers fully customizable surveys with a variety of question types, including open-ended questions, scale ratings, multiple-choice questions, and NPS queries. This flexibility allows you to capture comprehensive feedback tailored to your specific needs. These surveys can be delivered by email, as well as other channels that suit your customers.
  
  
• Team analytics: Analyzing survey feedback is a breeze with AskNicely’s intuitive interface. Easily slice and dice data by variables such as branch location and directly respond to customers through our platform. Our user-friendly UI ensures that gaining actionable insights is efficient and straightforward.
  
  
• AskNicelyTV: Elevate your customer service by gamifying feedback with AskNicelyTV. This feature provides frontline teams with real-time updates on their NPS and CSAT scores, along with actionable insights to enhance their service.