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Getting Started with SMS Surveys in Zonka Feedback
Getting Started with SMS Surveys in Zonka Feedback

Reach out to your customers via SMS Surveys. Learn how to get start collecting feedback through SMSes using Zonka Feedback

Sonika Mehta avatar
Written by Sonika Mehta
Updated over a week ago

SMS Surveys are a quick and easy way to gather feedback and data from individuals. They can be used for a variety of purposes, such as market research, customer satisfaction surveys, and opinion polls.

SMS surveys are convenient for participants and customers as they can complete them on their own time and from any location. They also have a high response rate compared to other forms of surveys.

With Zonka Feedback, you can send SMS Surveys to your audiences and customers in all countries. In this article, we will discuss how you can get started with Zonka Feedback SMS Surveys.

In this section


How do SMS Surveys work?

In an SMS Survey, you're sending a personalized SMS to your audiences with a unique survey link which the audiences and customers can click to access the survey on their mobile browser and give feedback.

SMS surveys are a convenient and effective way to gather data and feedback from individuals. With the help of Zonka Feedback, you can create, send, and track your SMS surveys and responses easily.


SMS Sending Options β€” Choosing an SMS Gateway

You can choose from three different sending options for SMS Surveys through Zonka Feedback. These are enlisted below.

Connect your own SMS Gateway Account

You can connect your own SMS Gateway Account to Zonka Feedback. You can either use an existing SMS Gateway Account or sign up for a new one, add your API credentials to Zonka Feedback and connect your account.

When you connect your own SMS Gateway Account, the surveys are composed and set in Zonka Feedback and are sent from your SMS Gateway Account.

πŸ“– Note

We currently support Twilio and SMS Gupshup SMS Gateways. To integrate any other SMS Gateway, see Integrate your own SMS Gateway.

When to use this?

You can use this option in multiple scenarios.

  • If you already have an SMS Gateway account, you can connect it directly.

  • If you'd like to control the cost of SMSes and monitor it at all times.

Use Zonka Feedback's SMS Gateway Account

You can use Zonka Feedback's SMS Gateway Account. This does not require you to do any connection and can be used directly from your Zonka Feedback platform. You would be able to send SMSes to all countries, as well as see SMS Logs from within your platform.

When to use this?

  • If you'd like to start sending SMS Surveys without managing another SMS Gateway account.

Integrate your own SMS Gateway

If you use any other SMS Gateways besides Twilio or SMS Gupshup and would like to connect to the same, you can request for integration to your own SMS Gateway.

πŸ“– Note

  • This is available in Enterprise Plan.

  • A one-time additional cost would be charged for integrating your own SMS Gateway.


Monthly SMS Surveys Limit

The number of SMS Surveys you can send would depend on which method you choose for sending SMS Surveys.

Based on the method you're choosing to send SMSes, you would either get a number of SMS Surveys to send per month or SMS credits that can be used to send SMS Surveys. SMS Credits are like internal currency for sending SMS Surveys. Based on the country you're sending the survey to, the credits deducted would vary. Read more about SMS Credits.

Connecting your own SMS Gateway Account

Plan

Number of SMS Surveys

Survey & CX Starter

2,500 SMSes/mo

Survey & CX Professional

10,000 SMSes/mo

Survey & CX Growth

50,000 SMSes/mo

Survey & CX Enterprise

50,000 SMSes/mo

Use Zonka Feedback's SMS Gateway Account

Plan

Number of SMS Credits

Survey & CX Starter

500 credits/mo

Survey & CX Professional

1,000 credits/mo

Survey & CX Growth

2,500 credits/mo

Survey & CX Enterprise

2,500 credits/mo

Integrate your own SMS Gateway

Plan

Number of SMS Surveys

Survey & CX Enterprise

50,000 SMSes/mo

πŸ“– Note

You can add more SMS Credits or SMS sends per month in any plan on additional charge.


Ways to send SMS Surveys with Zonka Feedback

There are multiple ways to send SMS Surveys. These are as follows.

Send SMS Surveys from Zonka Feedback Platform

If you'd like to send SMS Surveys as and as required or desired, you can do so directly from the Zonka Feedback Platform.

To send SMS Surveys from the platform, follow these steps.

  1. Build and customize your survey

  2. Go to Distribute > SMS Surveys

  3. Compose your SMS Survey (the personalized, tracking survey URL would be added automatically)

  4. Add recipients β€” manually, through Contact List or by uploading a CSV

  5. Preview SMS Survey and send

Trigger SMS Surveys via Integrations

A good time to send SMS Surveys is on the occurrence of an event or activity in tools you use. Triggering SMS Surveys after an event ensures that you're able to capture customer feedback and opinion on the said event while it is still fresh in their minds.

Using Zonka Feedback, you can integrate tools you use and trigger SMS Surveys automatically.

  • Triggering SMS Surveys via Helpdesks
    Connect your helpdesks like Zendesk and Freshdesk to Zonka Feedback, and set conditions to trigger SMS Surveys. For example, automate sending SMS Surveys after a ticket has been closed or resolved.
    ​

  • Triggering SMS Surveys via CRMs
    Connect your CRMs like HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, ActiveCampaign, and set conditions or workflows to trigger SMS Surveys. For example, when a deal is closed, when a new contact is added, when a contact subscribes and so on.
    ​

  • Triggering SMS Surveys via other tools
    Connect any other tools to run workflows and conditions for sending SMS Surveys.

Trigger SMS Surveys via APIs

Using APIs you can trigger SMS Surveys to your customers. Zonka Feedback APIs are very easy to use and ideal if you want to connect your CRM, POS, HRM, Helpdesks or other tools and platforms.

If the platforms you use support an HTTP POST, they are likely to be compatible with Zonka Feedback's APIs.


Survey Throttling

Survey Throttling refers to the practice of limiting the number of surveys that a user can take within a certain time period, in order to prevent abuse or spamming. This can help to maintain the quality and accuracy of survey data and prevent users from gaming the system by taking too many surveys in a short time period. It can also help in not over-surveying the users.


For example, if you're a regular shopper and make a purchase from a website on a daily basis, it could be irritating as a customer to get a feedback request every day.

Using Survey Throttling, you can specific a period in which the customer will not receive another survey request again, even if the customer is included manually, via contact list or through a CSV import in the sending list.

To manage Survey Throttling, do as follows.

  1. Go to Settings > Account > Survey Throttling

  2. Select Time Period to turn on the Throttling for the defined period or Choose Off to turn the Throttling Off

  3. Click on 'Update'

πŸ“– Note

Survey Throttling works across Emails and SMS Surveys, i.e. if Survey Throttling is turned on for your account for 30 days, then if a customer has received an email or SMS survey in those 30 days, then he will not get another survey (email or SMS) again in that period.

πŸ“– Note

Survey Throttling is managed for the entire account and not survey-wise. That is, if the customer receives any surveys in the defined period, he will not get another survey in that period, even if it is a different survey.

πŸ“– Note

When using APIs and Integrations, you can choose to opt for 'ignore throttling' settings.


Testing the SMS Survey Platform

Test your custom SMS Surveys easily with the Zonka Feedback platform. Simply send a test SMS to yourself to experience the look and functionality without adding yourself to the contact list. This won't affect your logs and metrics.

Steps to test the SMS Survey:

  1. On the SMS Survey Customization page, click 'Send Test SMS' at the bottom right.

  2. Enter your phone number in the text box that appears and click "Send Test SMS."

πŸ“– Note

Test responses will not be saved; this is just to experience the survey flow.


Viewing SMS Survey Logs

You can track your send SMS Surveys and success rate with SMS Survey Logs. The logs tell you about deliverability and response rate.

Here's what you can track with the SMS Surveys logs.

  • Mobile number to which you have sent your survey.Β 

  • Time and date when your SMS was sent

  • Time and date when your SMS was opened

  • Time and date when the respondent has submitted his/her response.Β 

You can also view Delivery Rate, and Survey Answered Rate.


FAQs about SMS Surveys

Can the SMS Surveys be customized and personalized?

Yes, you can personalize the SMS Survey message you're sending to your customers. They can also be personalized by adding placeholders to the message.

How many characters of SMS are included in 1 message?

You can have up to 160 characters, this is inclusive of the Survey URL. More characters than those would be considered as multiple SMSes.

How many SMS is offered a free trial version?

You can send up to 10 SMSes in the free trial version.

I'm not able to receive SMSes through Zonka Feedback. What could be the reasons?

There could be multiple reasons why your SMS Survey was not received. Please check the following.

  • If you're on a free trial, check if you verified your email address through an email you would have received when you signed up.

  • Check if you included the country code with + sign and no spaces when you added the phone number.

  • Check if you have SMS credits remaining in your plan here.

If you're still unable to receive an SMS, please contact your account manager or email us at hello@zonkafeedback.com.

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