From postcards on the table at your favorite restaurant to letters after a brief hospital stay tucked in with your prescriptions, surveys represent the most effective way to secure an honest answer to: How did we do? More recently, these surveys have made their way into the workplace, providing a method of gauging employee attitudes at the office.

When it comes to learning about a company’s client base, there is rarely anything more effective than a customer satisfaction survey. For decades, these surveys have given customers a chance to voice their concerns and sing the praises of the industries with which they deal. Very few argue against the efficacy of these mini-quizzes, acknowledging the surveys as a landmark tool toward open communication with the consumer. What has come into question, however, is the best way to get solid responses to the quizzes and questions put forth.