Measuring satisfaction of visitors and users: how to do it effectively
Why measure user satisfaction?
Satisfied users return and recommend your venue to others. Dissatisfied users leave quietly, and tell their story to others. By actively measuring, you can flag problems before they develop into complaints or departures.
For funders, demonstrated user satisfaction is also a plus: it shows that your venue is genuinely valued by the community.
Who should you ask for feedback?
Identify several groups:
- Regular tenants: they use the space on a regular basis and have extensive experience
- Occasional tenants: their first impression is valuable
- Activity attendees: they evaluate both the programme and the venue
- Volunteers: they work in the organisation and see daily what is going on
You can't survey everyone at once. Choose one or two groups per year and rotate.
Simple survey
A five-question survey with a scale from 1 to 5 plus one open question ("What would you like to improve?") is more than enough for most organisations. Use free tools such as Google Forms or SurveyMonkey. Send the link after an activity or by email to tenants.
Direct feedback after use
At the exit, place a simple paper questionnaire or a tablet with a smiley button (three smileys: happy, neutral, unhappy). This takes visitors ten seconds and still gives you an indication of the overall mood. Analyse it monthly.
What should you do with the results?
Feedback that goes nowhere undermines future participation. Communicate what you have done with the input: "You indicated that the parking situation is difficult; we have now added extra bike racks." That shows that you listen. Mention it in the annual report and the board meeting.
Benchmark across the years
Ask the same core questions each time so you can compare results year on year. An increase from 3.8 to 4.2 on average for the question "How would you rate the cleanliness of the spaces?" shows that the cleaning has improved, and that gives the board and the volunteers a concrete compliment.