Survey Software HQ

The February 2008 issue of Microsoft’s Technet Magazine has a feature article called “Building a Powerful Survey Infrastructure.”  Unfortunately, this shows that Microsoft’s survey solution has a long way to go.

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Traditional Media Advertising Still More Credible Worldwide Than Ads on Search Engines, Web Site Banners and Mobile Phones

New York, October 1, 2007 – Despite an ever-expanding array of advertising platforms and sources, consumers around the world still place their highest levels of trust in other consumers, according to a recent global Nielsen Internet survey.

Conducted twice-a-year among 26,486 internet users in 47 markets from Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East, Nielsen most recently surveyed consumers on their attitudes toward thirteen types of advertising – from conventional newspaper and television ads to branded web sites and consumer-generated content.

“Advertisers around the world are able to reach consumers across an increasingly diverse range of media platforms,” said David McCallum, the global managing director for Nielsen’s Customized Research Services. “Even so, the recommendation of someone else remains the most trusted sources of information when consumers decide which products and services to buy. And even though new media technologies are playing a role in ‘globalizing’ society, many purchasing decisions are still based on firmly held national and cultural attitudes. Furthermore, given that nothing travels faster than bad news - with estimates that reports of bad experiences outnumber good service reports by as many as 5:1 - the importance of responsive, high quality customer service is yet again highlighted.”

The Nielsen survey found Filipinos and Brazilians (67%) to be the most trusting overall of all forms of advertising, while trust among Danes (28%), Italians (32%), Lithuanians (34%) and Germans (35%) were the lowest in the world.

Check this out — Olympus has created the world’s smallest questionnaire on specimen slide: http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/25/olympus-creates-worlds-smallest-questionnaire-on-specimen-sli/

It doesn’t take a survey or a survey company to know that whatever Apple puts out is going to be well designed, well marketed, and desired by the masses. The iPhone is no exception. A research company conducted a survey of 19,000 people are determined that 90% of them have heard of the iPhone and 1/3 want to buy it. Maybe 1/3 is not everyone, but it’s a lot for a $600 dollar device.

Link to the PC world Article

Here’s an example of using your member list to conduct a survey and made some great press-worthy announcements.

The California Wine Club recently sent out a survey to it’s members and found that most of its members thought that screw caps were OK, but didn’t agree that screw tops were ever superior to cork bottles.

More than 50 percent of responders viewed screw caps as having the same quality, while 35 percent believed they were less quality. Only 2 percent of respondents believed screw caps were of higher quality, while 10 percent said they did not drink wines with screw caps.

Link to Press Release

Labels: survey software results

According to this article, gaming will be integrated into the culture of many companies who aim to attract younger workers who find they work harder after a little bit of fun gaming. A recent survey by WorldWinner, a subsidiary of FUN Technologies Inc., more than 80 percent of online gamers who play on and off throughout the workday said they are able to better focus on work after playing. A reported 72 percent actually rely on game breaks to help them deal with job-related stress.
Link to Article

According to a recent poll on Daily Fuel Economy Tip, nearly 80% of people believe that oil and gasoline companies have manipulated the supply of gas in order to cause prices to shoot through the roof. When asked, “Do you believe oil and gasoline companies have manipulated the supply of gas to cause prices to increase?” 79% of respondents stated yes; 16% stated no; and 5% stated that they were unsure. Flaws / Potential Bias: You couldn’t tell how many people were actually polled here, and the website appears written in anti-government fashion - not really an accurate sample of a realistic US population. Also this poll makes no mention of OPEC, one of the major reasons oil / gas prices shift up and down.

I always wonder why schools don’t place more of an emphasis on time management training and techniques. The popularity of the “Covey Institute” and blogs like Lifehacker are born based on the premise of saving people time. And according to this press release from Microsoft, guys are feeling the need for down time too (although Covey’s robotic philosophy from Seven Habits of Highly Effective People would characterize this as quadrant 4 activity and therefore a waste of time). Oh and Microsoft says that their MSN games are a great way to get in some down time during the day. Personally, I prefer the anonymous and always challenging AddictingGames.com. I just beat MadDirtBike the other day. Link to Press Release

Coffee snobs get their comeuppance in the March issue of Consumer Reports magazine. Published reports say the nonprofit organization’s taste testers ruled the coffee served by McDonald’s beat out the pricey brew served up at Starbucks. The magazine reportedly says McDonald’s Premium Roast Coffee has “no flaws,” labeling it “decent and moderately strong.” The java from Starbucks, meanwhile, was determined to be “strong, but burnt and bitter enough to make your eyes water instead of open.” The testers also ranked coffee from Burger King and privately held Dunkin’ Donuts, which claims to serve nearly a billion cups a year. Neither stood up to the competition, the magazine said. Burger King’s brew “looked like coffee but tasted more like hot water,” the report states, while Dunkin’s “was inoffensive, but it had no oomph.” McDonald’s was not only the best tasting, but was also found to be the least expensive cup, the magazine said. (Source: AP)

Includes Results for: - Most innovative people of 2006 - The Top 5 Leading Entrepreneurs of 2006 - Leading Brands or Companies of 2006 - Most fascinating websites I love this slideshare stuff: