Response Rate
The percentage of customers who complete a feedback survey out of those who received it.
Formula
Response Rate = (Completed Responses / Surveys Sent) Γ 100
Example
If 200 customers complete a survey out of 1,000 who received it, your response rate is 20%.
Category
Metrics & Scoring
Full Definition
Response rate measures the percentage of people who complete your feedback survey compared to the total number who received it. A healthy response rate is crucial for obtaining statistically significant and representative feedback data.
Calculating Response Rate: Response Rate = (Completed Responses / Surveys Sent) Γ 100
Typical Response Rates by Channel: - In-app surveys: 10-30% - Email surveys: 5-15% - SMS surveys: 15-25% - QR code surveys: 5-20% (highly variable) - Post-transaction pop-ups: 20-40%
Why Response Rate Matters: Low response rates can lead to non-representative feedback (only extremes respond), insufficient data for analysis, and biased insights.
Common Use Cases
Real-World Examples
Scenario
A hotel emails 500 guests post-stay. Only 25 respond (5% rate). Most responses are either 10/10 or 2/10 β missing the middle ground.
Outcome
Hotel switches to in-room tablet surveys before checkout. Response rate jumps to 35%, giving more balanced, actionable feedback.
Scenario
A car dealership sends lengthy 20-question surveys. Response rate: 3%. They shorten it to 3 questions with optional comments.
Outcome
Response rate increases to 22%. More customers share feedback, revealing a common complaint about wait times in the service department.
Scenario
A restaurant uses table tent QR codes. Friday dinner: 2% response rate. They add "Scan to win free dessert" incentive.
Outcome
Response rate jumps to 18%. Volume of feedback allows them to identify that one server consistently gets lower ratings.