Switch from Qualtrics to Customer Echo

Qualtrics is an enterprise experience management platform, but many mid-market and growing teams find it is not the right fit. Common reasons for switching include:

• Excessive complexity: Qualtrics was built for enterprise research teams and requires significant training to use effectively
• High costs: Qualtrics pricing often starts at $1,500+/year and scales steeply, with many essential features locked behind higher tiers
• Slow time-to-value: Implementation can take weeks or months with Qualtrics, delaying your feedback program
• Over-engineered for CX: Built as a general experience management platform, not purpose-built for customer feedback workflows
• Long contracts: Annual contracts with limited flexibility make it hard to adjust as needs change

Right-Sized for Your Needs

Customer Echo is purpose-built for customer feedback collection and analysis. You get the insights you need without paying for features you will never use, like academic research tools, employee experience modules, or brand tracking surveys.

Switching to Customer Echo means faster setup, easier daily use, and lower total cost of ownership:

Faster Time-to-Value

• Same-day setup: Go from signup to collecting feedback in hours, not weeks
• Intuitive interface: No specialized training required for your team
• Pre-built templates: Start with proven NPS, CSAT, and CES survey templates

AI-Powered Intelligence

• Automatic sentiment analysis: No manual coding or text analytics configuration needed
• Theme detection: AI identifies recurring topics across all feedback without complex setup
• Smart alerts: Get notified about negative feedback in real-time, not in weekly report cycles

Multi-Channel Collection

• QR codes: Collect feedback at physical touchpoints effortlessly
• Email and SMS surveys: Automated distribution with optimized timing
• Web widgets: Embedded feedback on your website
• Kiosk mode: Dedicated feedback stations

Transparent Pricing

• Predictable costs: Clear pricing without hidden fees or surprise overages
• All features included: No feature gating behind enterprise tiers
• Flexible plans: Scale up or down as your needs change

Follow this process to switch from Qualtrics to Customer Echo efficiently:

Step 1: Inventory Your Qualtrics Programs

• List all active survey projects and feedback programs
• Identify which are customer-facing vs. internal (employee surveys, research projects)
• Document distribution channels (email lists, embedded links, API integrations)
• Note any custom dashboards or automated reports stakeholders rely on

Step 2: Prioritize What Moves

• Focus on customer feedback programs first
• Identify which Qualtrics features you actually use vs. what you are paying for
• Determine which integrations need to be replicated

Step 3: Set Up Customer Echo

• Create your organization and configure locations
• Set up user roles and permissions
• Build your feedback surveys using Customer Echo templates as a starting point
• Configure alert rules and routing

Step 4: Migrate Data and Test

• Export historical data from Qualtrics
• Import key datasets into Customer Echo
• Run parallel surveys for a test period
• Validate that dashboards and reports match expectations

Step 5: Cut Over

• Switch active feedback collection to Customer Echo
• Update all survey distribution points
• Redirect API integrations to Customer Echo endpoints
• Notify stakeholders of the new reporting location

Qualtrics stores a significant amount of data. Here is how to handle the migration:

What to Export from Qualtrics

• Survey responses: Export as CSV or SPSS files for all active surveys
• Survey designs: Document question types, logic flows, and display conditions
• Distribution lists: Export contact directories used for email surveys
• Dashboard configurations: Screenshot or document key dashboards for recreation
• Custom metrics: Note any calculated fields or composite scores

Import Strategy

• Customer Echo supports CSV import for historical response data
• Focus on the most recent 12-24 months of data for trend continuity
• Our migration team can map Qualtrics fields to Customer Echo data structures
• Complex survey logic can be simplified in Customer Echo without losing effectiveness

What You Can Leave Behind

• Unused survey projects that have not collected responses in 6+ months
• Complex branching logic that adds friction but not value
• Over-engineered dashboards that few stakeholders actually use
• Redundant question blocks that inflate survey length

One of the biggest advantages of switching is how much easier Customer Echo is for your team:

For Qualtrics Power Users

• Customer Echo is intuitive enough that Qualtrics training is not needed
• Survey building is drag-and-drop with no coding required
• AI handles analysis that previously required manual text coding in Qualtrics

For Managers and Executives

• Dashboards are clean and focused on actionable metrics
• No more waiting for a Qualtrics admin to build reports
• Real-time data instead of batch-processed reports

For Frontline Staff

• Mobile-friendly interface for responding to feedback on the go
• Simple alert notifications with clear action items
• No Qualtrics login or training required

Onboarding Support

• Dedicated customer success manager during migration
• Live training sessions tailored to your team structure
• Migration playbook with step-by-step timelines
• Priority support for the first 90 days

After switching, take advantage of capabilities that were too complex or too expensive in Qualtrics:

Simplify Your Surveys

• Shorter surveys get higher response rates - trim the excess questions
• Use AI follow-up questions instead of long branching logic
• Focus on the metrics that matter: NPS, CSAT, or CES

Enable Real-Time Response

• Set up instant alerts for negative feedback
• Configure team routing so the right people respond immediately
• Track resolution times and close the loop with customers

Expand Feedback Channels

• Deploy QR codes at every customer touchpoint
• Add web widgets to your site for always-on feedback
• Set up automated post-interaction surveys via email and SMS

Track Your ROI

• Compare response rates to your Qualtrics baseline
• Measure time savings for survey creation and report building
• Calculate cost savings from simplified tooling
• Monitor customer satisfaction score improvements