At the moment, it’s safe to say that email and Web-based surveys are the cheapest and most effective ways to get that data you crave. Sure, people still use phone telemarketers and snail mail surveys, but with the incredible number of people using the Internet across the globe, it would be foolish to overlook the ability to track people down and ask them questions via that medium.

More than anything, however, Internet and email-based surveys give your customers a chance to give thorough, well thought-out answers, and you the chance to view those answers showing up in real time.

Here are our top 10 reasons to use email and Web surveys:

1. Gather Feedback

Perhaps you’ve wondered why the product you bought in bulk is just not selling. Maybe you’re confused on why customers visit a certain page on your Website and then drop off, abandoning their shopping carts. With Web surveys, you can gather the feedback you need to find out for sure.

2. Figure out what products to carry next

Need a handle on what products will sell and what ones won’t? Send a survey asking customers what they’d like to see on your virtual shelves.

3. Streamline your order and checkout process

Which steps in the order and checkout process are unnecessary? Which steps make sense, but maybe should take place outside the order fulfillment process? Use a Web survey at checkout to re-shape and shrink the checkout process.

4. Measure customer morale

Are your customers over the moon about your next line of products or just blah? Do you need to try something new to get your customers excited about your company? Measure morale and create a future plan based on that data.

5. Gather testimonials

Are customer singing your praises? Use a survey to find out why. Once you’ve gotten the data you need, contact the most enthusiastic customers and invite them to create video or text-based testimonials.

6. Find out what peer companies are up to

Let’s face it: you can’t ask your competitor companies which products and customer service techniques are working for them. But you can ask your customers the same questions and get the answers you need to adjust your own methods.

7. Adjust your customer service contact channels

Do you need more people on the phones on the weekends? Should you invest in a live chat team? These questions matter. By crafting a customer service-based survey you can not only hire the people and rent/buy the technology you need, but stay competitive in your business sphere.

8. Price your goods

Don’t over or under-charge for your stuff – ask your customers what prices work for them and adjust your prices accordingly. Stay competitive with this information.

9. Dump unpopular products and find out why some items are slow-sellers

If you have crates of items just sitting around the warehouse not selling, there may be a specific reason why. Use a survey to poll customers on certain slow-selling products.

10. Set realistic company goals

Customer opinion is a great way to shape your company, down to what types of positions get filled to how many people you’ll need to keep customers happy and the shelves stocked with goods. Gather this data and use it to move up the ranks among your competitors.