Survey campaigns let you send questions to your customers via text and collect their responses directly within the platform. Instead of sending customers to an external form, you ask questions in the natural flow of a text conversation. Responses are captured and stored against each customer's profile.
Key Features
Text-Based Question Delivery
Ask customers questions via SMS and capture their replies in real time. Questions are sent as individual messages, and responses come back as text replies — keeping the interaction natural and conversational.
Sequential Question Flow
Build multi-step surveys where each question sends after the previous one is answered. This creates a guided flow that collects structured data one piece at a time, rather than overwhelming customers with a long form.
Custom Field Mapping
Map survey responses directly to custom contact fields. When a contact replies with their birthdate, email, or preference, that data is automatically saved to their profile for future use in campaigns and segmentation.
Response Tracking
View all survey responses from the Inbox or individual contact profiles. Responses are stored in the conversation history alongside other messages, making it easy to review and follow up.
How to Set Up a Survey Campaign
Step 1: Define Your Questions
Decide what information you want to collect. The best survey questions are:
- Short — answerable in a few words or a single reply
- Specific — customers know exactly what format to use
- Purposeful — each question maps to a field or decision you need
Step 2: Set Up Custom Fields (If Needed)
If you want responses to be saved to contact profiles, create the corresponding custom fields in Contact Fields first. For example, create a "Birthday" date field or a "Preferred Contact Method" text field.
Step 3: Create the Campaign
Go to Campaigns and click Create Campaign. Select Survey as the campaign type.
Step 4: Add Your Questions
Enter each question as a message in the campaign flow. For multi-question surveys, configure the sequence so each question sends after the customer replies to the previous one.
Example question sequence:
- "Hi
{first_name}, we're updating our records. Can you reply with your birthdate? Please use MM/DD/YYYY format." - "Thanks! What's the best email address to reach you at?"
- "Last one — do you prefer to receive updates via text or email? Reply TEXT or EMAIL."
Step 5: Map Responses to Fields
Link each question's response to the appropriate customer field. When the customer replies, their answer is automatically saved to their profile.
Step 6: Choose Your Audience
Select which customer group should receive the survey, or send it to all customers.
Step 7: Schedule or Send
Review the question flow, field mappings, and audience, then send immediately or schedule for a future date.
Real-World Examples
Collecting Missing Birthdays
Hi
{first_name}, we noticed we don't have a birthdate for you in our records. Can you reply with your birthdate in this format: MM/DD/YYYY? We'll be sure to send you something special on your day!
Preference Survey
Hey
{first_name}, quick question — what types of updates would you like to receive? Reply with one: 1 — Events and programs 2 — Deals and promotions 3 — Both
Post-Event Feedback
Thanks for attending
{event_name},{first_name}! On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate the event? Reply with a number.
customer Information Update
Hi
{first_name}, we want to make sure we have your correct info on file. Can you reply with your current email address?
Maximizing Response Rates
Question Design
- One question per message. Multi-question messages confuse customers and produce inconsistent responses. Send each question as a separate step in the sequence.
- Provide format examples. When collecting dates, numbers, or structured data, include the expected format (e.g., "Reply with your birthdate in MM/DD/YYYY format") to keep responses clean.
- Offer numbered options for multiple-choice questions. "Reply 1, 2, or 3" is easier to answer than an open-ended question — and easier to process.
- Keep it to 2-3 questions. Surveys with more than 3 questions see significantly higher drop-off. If you need more data, split across separate campaigns spaced weeks apart.
Timing
- Send during business hours (10 AM - 2 PM weekdays) when customers are likely to respond quickly. Surveys sent in the evening or on weekends see lower completion rates.
- Avoid competing with other campaigns. If you sent a bulk message yesterday, wait a few days before sending a survey — customers respond best when they are not receiving multiple messages in a short window.
- Follow up on non-responses. If a customer does not answer within 48 hours, a single gentle nudge can recover completions: "Hi
{first_name}, we still have one quick question for you — just reply when you get a chance!"
Data Quality
- Map responses to custom fields so data is automatically saved to the customer's profile and available for segmentation and future campaigns.
- Review responses periodically for formatting issues. If many customers reply with free-text instead of the expected format, revise your question wording.
- Use survey data to segment. Once you have preference data, create groups based on responses — contacts who chose "Events" get event updates, contacts who chose "Deals" get promotions.
Common Questions
Can I send a multi-question survey in a single message?
The platform supports sequential questions — each question is sent as a separate message, and the next question triggers after the customer replies. For complex multi-question surveys, consider linking to an external survey tool.
Can I export survey responses?
You can view responses in individual contact records. For bulk export, check your platform's reporting features or contact your account team.
What happens if a customer does not respond?
The survey pauses for that customer. If the survey is sequential, the next question will not send until the customer replies to the current one. You can optionally send a follow-up nudge after a set period.
How are credits used?
Each question sent uses 1 credit (SMS) per customer. A 3-question survey sent to 200 customers uses 600 credits total.