What's Your Opinion Worth ??

[Bluerauder]

I bought a 2006 Freestyle Limited for the wife back in mid-January 2006. We are very happy with the F/S in all respects and I talk it up quite positively to family and friends.

This past week, I received an 8-page survey from J.D. Power and Associates. That's 8 pages of very detailed questions on just about every feature on the car -- interior, exterior, performance, styling, options ... you get the picture.

Included in the mailing was a letter from Mr. Powers, III and a "gift" of $1.00. A whole dollar ..... in cold hard cash. :rolleyes:

I would have filled the survey out for "free" if there was just a little acknowledgement that they were asking for a bit of my time and energy to do their work for them. But I think that the inclusion of a $1.00 bill is an absolute insult to both my time and the value of my opinion.

If you think the marketing folks are "clueless" about their customer base ... the survey companies are a rung or two below that.

That's just one customers opinion. What do you think??

[metroplex]

I filled out 3 or 4 of those surveys for the 2003 E-250. I gave them my honest opinion.

[Zack]

You are $1.00 richer for doing nothing. And you dont even have to fill out the survey.
Id be happy.

[duhtroll]

Studies have shown that including a $1 in each survey has doubled response rate. Lots of researchers (who are not worried about academic bias anyway) have done this in marketing surveys.

It's not gauging your time - merely a small incentive. The $1 is really so they get more feedback.

[chuckled]

I thought that the buck put J.D. a step above the researchers who call me on the phone or just assume that I would be honored to provide them feedback gratis. A buck is not much but my grandson enjoyed putting it in his pocked. I rated my blue MM all 9s and 10s. It is now three years old and I would trade but there is nothing out there that compares so I am going to hang on for a while.

[dwasson]

Opinions are the raw material that JD Power uses to create the surveys they sell to the automakers. Like if you made bread, you would buy wheat and other incredients, process them, and try to sell the bread for enough to cover your costs and make a profit.

$1 seems like a low price for the primary ingredient of their product.

[SergntMac]

I give my opinion up everyday here, for .02C each.

Ummm...49 posts to go, whew!

[Bluerauder]

Studies have shown that including a $1 in each survey has doubled response rate.
And how much did they pay the folks that participated in those studies?? :rolleyes: Sad that so many people can be bought for a measly dollar. :o

[duhtroll]

Again, it's not about being "bought for a dollar."

The dollar is an incentive. Keep it, and fill out the survey, or not. The marketing folks figured out years ago that sending a survey and a dollar gets far more responses than just sending a survey. Its done all the time. Like if you've ever done nielsens for TV watching in your home. They send you the packet and several singles - an incentive for your survey responses. The people that are on the fence between filling it out and not are more likely to respond with the dollar than without.

The studies are on people just like you. They will notice that more people respond when given a dollar. That's all the "payment" there is.

Look, don't fill out the survey if you don't want to. The dollar is not supposed to pay you for your time. If it were payment they would say "fill out this survey and THEN we'll send you a dollar," in which case that would be pretty stupid. It's simply a thanks for being a customer and "hey-here's a dollar, can we have your opinion?"

Saying no is fine. Of course if you don't like the idea, send the dollar back with the survey.


And how much did they pay the folks that participated in those studies?? :rolleyes: Sad that so many people can be bought for a measly dollar. :o

[KillJoy]

:popcorn:

KillJoy

[rocknrod]

Are you going to keep the dollar?

[Blue03]

I get them one or two times a year at work. At least the ones that make it to my desk. I think they feel you might hang on to the survey a little longer, maybe fill it out and not throw it directly into the trash. Damn if it doesn't work on me. At least I open em up. I'd hate to be tossing a crisp new bill in the trash. Pathetic isn't it?:rolleyes:

[Bradley G]

I have recieved at least five JD surveys in 2 1/2 years, since I purchaced the Marauder.
I have filled out each one, I am greatfull they consider my opinion to be worth at least five bucks.
And to prove it, I got change for your :twocents: :P

[seans]

I would write your replies on the dollar bill and mail it back to them.
Did it come with a postage paid envelope?

[Bradley G]

Yep, Postage paid, pre-adressed and a brand spankin' new dollar bill.
Mail the dollar back?, What does that get ya?
Thier are a hunderd questions....=$1.00.
I guess that makes my opinion worth less than two cents.
I would write your replies on the dollar bill and mail it back to them.
Did it come with a postage paid envelope?

[Bluerauder]

Got another JD Power survey in the mail this week. This time it was on the new 2012 Taurus SHO. Another 8 pages and about 100 questions. I kept the dollar and sent in my feedback. It took about 45 minutes to honestly complete the answers. Boy do they get a deal, just barely at the minimum wage rate for my time back in 1966. H3LL they didn't even inflate the dollar from 2006. :rolleyes:


Personally I think that JD Powers is pizzing away a lot of dollar bills. I can't believe that people can be guilted into filling out a survey for just a buck.

[Hotrauder]

Charlie, I have a little different take on the survey. I filled it out and invested the dollar in a bottle of good single malt. :) I understand that my opinion and probably yours and the rest may not be worth a buck. However, the auto manufacturers work hard to get good quality ratings in an effort to sell more cars. The ratings force them to improve to compete and that makes the surveys worth the time to complete and reward me as a consumer again down the road. Of course, that may be wishful thinking based on the build quality of my MKT. Drivers door, front bumper cover and rear bumper cover all had to be adjusted or replaced by the dealer due to improper installation. I am picky but I think Lincoln has the same booze and bongs for lunch clowns on the line. The performance and technology of the vehicle however is first class and I love it now that it has been "fixed." Dennis

[PonyUP]

Personally, I think the dollar is a waste. It's been my experience that only two kinds of people fill out a survey
1) those extremely happy and want to note a great experience
2) those pissed off and want to note a bad experience

To me the dollar won't make a difference one way or the other. I work in the hospitality industry managing 2 and 1/2 states, we incentivize our people on survey scores and that has been my experience

On the other hand, the more you advertise surveys and talk about them, the more responses you get regardless of money


Pony seal of Approval

[88LTDCV351]

Does the Wall Street Journal still send out those one dollar bills when its time for you to renew?

[Mr. Man]

The dollar is for postage and the pittance of gas to get you to the Post Office. If you don't want it give it to me at Carlisle. I like money.:)

[vkirkend]

And how much did they pay the folks that participated in those studies?? :rolleyes: Sad that so many people can be bought for a measly dollar. :o

Not only am I cheap, I'm easy too...:)

[Bluerauder]

I received another survey on the 2012 Taurus SHO on Friday afternoon from the RDA Group - Global Market Research and Consulting. This one was an "on line" survey through a password protected site. Pretty detailed survey. So much easier than the old style "fill in the oval" survey from JD Power. Probably results in an instantaneous recording of your input directly into the survey database rather than through a vintage mark-sense reader technology that is at least 50 years old. JD Power oughta get with the program.

RDA Group didn't give me a dollar for my effort. However, my entry will qualify me for a drawing on 53 VISA gift cards (1 for $3,500.00; 2 for $1,500.00; and 50 for $250.00).

IMHO the RDA Group gets a 10 and JD Power gets a 1 on surveys. ;)

[Pat]

Not only am I cheap, I'm easy too...:)

Now that's a concept I can get a handle on.