Sample Survey Questions: 30+ Examples & Best Practices

Creating effective surveys starts with asking the right sample survey questions. Whether you're measuring customer satisfaction, employee engagement, or post-event feedback, well-crafted questions drive response rates and deliver actionable insights. In fact, surveys with 5–10 targeted questions yield 40% higher completion rates than longer forms, according to SurveyMonkey's 2024 customer satisfaction research. This guide provides over 30 ready-to-use question examples across multiple categories, plus best practices to optimize your feedback collection.

Understanding survey question types

Choosing the right question type is fundamental to survey success. Different formats serve distinct purposes, and blending them strategically improves both data quality and respondent experience. Below are the three core question structures and when to deploy each.

Closed-ended questions

Closed-ended questions present predefined answer choices such as yes/no, multiple choice, or checkboxes. These questions are ideal for quantitative analysis because they produce consistent, comparable data. Use them when you need to measure satisfaction scores, track trends over time, or segment audiences. Examples include "How satisfied are you with our service?" with a 1–5 scale, or "Which features do you use most often?" with checkboxes. The primary advantage is ease of analysis; the downside is limited nuance in responses.

Open-ended questions

Open-ended questions invite respondents to answer in their own words without preset options. They uncover unexpected insights, reveal motivations, and capture rich qualitative feedback. Use them sparingly—too many can reduce completion rates—and position them after closed questions to maintain flow. Examples include "What could we improve about your experience?" or "Describe your biggest challenge with our product." According to Qualaroo's 2025 user behavior study, 45% of users prefer surveys with visual rating scales over text-only questions, so balance open fields with easier response types.

Rating scales and Likert questions

Rating scales ask respondents to rate items on a numeric or descriptive continuum, most commonly the Likert scale ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree." These scales quantify attitudes, opinions, and perceptions in a format that's both easy to answer and straightforward to analyze. Use 5-point or 7-point scales for nuance, and keep labels consistent across questions. Example: "Our customer support team resolved my issue quickly" with options from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Visual scales—star ratings, sliders, or emoji-based responses—often boost engagement, particularly in mobile surveys.

Question Type	Best Use Case	Response Rate Impact	Example
Closed-Ended	Quantitative metrics, trend tracking	High (easy to answer)	Did you find what you were looking for? (Yes/No)
Open-Ended	Qualitative insights, exploratory research	Moderate (requires effort)	What would improve your experience?
Rating Scale	Satisfaction, agreement, importance scoring	High (quick to complete)	Rate your satisfaction: 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied)

Customer satisfaction survey questions

Customer satisfaction surveys measure how well your product or service meets expectations. They guide retention strategies, identify pain points, and highlight strengths. Below are proven question examples organized by focus area.

Core CSAT examples

Customer satisfaction score (CSAT) questions directly gauge happiness with a specific interaction or overall experience. Keep them concise and place them immediately after a transaction or touchpoint. Examples include:

How satisfied are you with your recent purchase? (1–5 scale)
Did our product meet your expectations? (Yes/No/Partially)
How would you rate the quality of our service today?
Overall, how happy are you with your experience?

According to Zonka Feedback's 2024 industry survey, 85% of companies using feedback surveys report improved customer retention rates. Pairing CSAT questions with follow-up open fields—"What was the main reason for your rating?"—adds context and drives actionable improvement.

Service feedback prompts

Service-specific questions drill into the support experience, response times, and representative performance. Use these to optimize customer service operations:

How easy was it to get help from our support team? (1–5 scale)
Did our team resolve your issue on the first contact?
How knowledgeable was the representative who assisted you?
What could we do to improve our customer service?

For streamlined service surveys, customer effort score (CES) templates help measure how much work customers expend to resolve issues—a strong predictor of loyalty.

NPS integration

Net Promoter Score (NPS) questions ask respondents to rate their likelihood of recommending your company on a 0–10 scale. Scores of 9–10 are promoters, 7–8 are passives, and 0–6 are detractors. The core NPS question is: "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" Follow up with "What is the main reason for your score?" to understand drivers. NPS survey templates make it easy to deploy and analyze these scores consistently.

Employee engagement and internal surveys

Employee engagement surveys reveal team morale, identify retention risks, and inform HR strategy. Effective internal surveys combine quantitative ratings with open feedback channels, and CultureMonkey's 2025 best practices guide emphasizes confidentiality and action-driven follow-up.

Engagement metrics

Engagement questions measure connection to work, alignment with company values, and sense of purpose. Examples include:

I feel motivated to go above and beyond in my role. (Agree/Disagree scale)
I understand how my work contributes to company goals.
I would recommend this company as a great place to work.
My manager supports my professional development.

Pulse surveys—short, frequent check-ins—outperform annual surveys by 25% in participation, according to older data from Customer Thermometer. Use pulse survey templates to track engagement trends monthly or quarterly without survey fatigue.

Exit interview questions

Exit surveys capture reasons for turnover and surface systemic issues before they affect other employees. Keep them anonymous to encourage honesty:

What was the primary reason for your decision to leave?
Did you feel valued and recognized for your contributions?
How would you rate communication from leadership?
What could we have done to retain you?

Pair exit data with onboarding surveys to identify gaps across the employee lifecycle. Exit survey templates streamline this process with pre-built question sets.

Event and training feedback examples

Post-event and training surveys measure return on investment, inform future programming, and demonstrate value to stakeholders. Timing matters—send these surveys within 24 hours of the event for best recall.

Post-event questions

Event surveys assess content quality, logistics, and overall satisfaction. Examples include:

How satisfied were you with the event overall? (1–5 scale)
Which session did you find most valuable?
How likely are you to attend a future event?
What could we improve for next time?

According to older data from SurveyMonkey's post-event research, incorporating NPS questions can boost future attendance by 15%. Use post-event survey templates to standardize feedback collection across conferences, webinars, and workshops.

Training effectiveness

Training surveys evaluate knowledge transfer, instructor performance, and practical applicability:

The training met my learning objectives. (Agree/Disagree)
I can apply what I learned to my role immediately.
How knowledgeable and engaging was the instructor?
What topics should we cover in future sessions?

Spaceforms offers dedicated training evaluation templates that measure Kirkpatrick's four levels: reaction, learning, behavior, and results.

Pro Tip: Optimize survey length for better responses

Research shows surveys with 5–10 questions achieve 40% higher completion rates. Prioritize your most critical questions first, use progress indicators, and test on mobile devices. If you need more depth, consider splitting into a short initial survey followed by an optional deep-dive for engaged respondents.

Niche and specialized survey questions

Certain contexts demand tailored questions that address specific goals—diversity initiatives, product development, or marketing campaigns.

Diversity and inclusion

DEI surveys measure perceptions of equity, belonging, and psychological safety. Use anonymous collection and transparent reporting:

I feel respected and valued regardless of my background.
My team welcomes diverse perspectives and ideas.
Leadership demonstrates commitment to diversity and inclusion.
What barriers to inclusion have you observed?

Product feedback

Product surveys inform roadmaps, prioritize features, and validate concepts. Examples include:

Which feature do you use most often?
What missing functionality would make our product more valuable?
How easy is our product to use? (1–5 scale)
Would you pay more for [proposed feature]?

For comprehensive product feedback, Zonka's 90+ product survey questions guide offers templates for user testing, beta programs, and feature prioritization.

Marketing insights

Marketing surveys assess brand awareness, message effectiveness, and customer journey touchpoints:

How did you first hear about us?
Which marketing channel influenced your purchase decision?
What words come to mind when you think of our brand?
How likely are you to recommend us on social media?

Use brand perception templates to track sentiment and competitive positioning over time.

Best practices for designing survey questions

Even excellent questions fail if poorly implemented. Follow these principles to maximize response quality and survey effectiveness.

Avoiding bias

Biased questions lead respondents toward a particular answer, skewing your data. Avoid leading language like "How much do you love our amazing product?" Instead, use neutral phrasing: "How would you describe your experience with our product?" Watch for double-barreled questions that ask two things at once—"Is our product affordable and easy to use?"—and split them into separate items. Randomize answer order when possible to prevent position bias.

Optimizing length

Survey length directly impacts completion rates. Aim for 5–10 questions for transactional surveys and up to 20 for comprehensive annual studies. Use logic branching to show only relevant questions—if someone rates satisfaction low, skip feature-specific questions and jump to open feedback. Display a progress bar so respondents know how much remains. According to Contentsquare's 2025 analysis, mixing closed and open-ended formats can increase response rates by up to 30%.

Analyzing responses

Data collection is only the first step. Cross-tabulate quantitative scores by demographics or segments to identify patterns. Code open-ended responses into themes—use frequency counts to prioritize issues. Calculate NPS by subtracting detractor percentage from promoter percentage. Track metrics over time to measure the impact of changes. Share results with stakeholders and close the loop with respondents by communicating actions taken. For deeper analysis, explore Spaceforms, which offers advanced analytics, custom reporting, and integrations with CRM and marketing automation platforms.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions should a survey have?

For transactional feedback surveys (customer satisfaction, post-purchase, etc.), aim for 5–10 questions to maximize completion rates—research shows surveys in this range yield 40% higher responses than longer forms. For annual employee engagement or comprehensive market research, 15–25 questions are acceptable if well-organized and relevant. Use conditional logic to hide irrelevant questions and always prioritize quality over quantity. Test your survey on a small audience first to identify drop-off points.

What are good open-ended survey questions?

Effective open-ended questions are specific, neutral, and invite detail without leading respondents. Examples include "What was the most valuable part of your experience?" or "What one change would most improve our service?" Place them after closed questions to maintain momentum, and limit to 1–2 per survey to avoid fatigue. When analyzing responses, use text analytics or manual coding to identify recurring themes and prioritize issues by frequency and sentiment. Open-ended questions excel at uncovering unexpected insights that quantitative scales miss.

How do I measure survey effectiveness?

Survey effectiveness is measured through response rate, completion rate, and data quality. Target a response rate above 30% for internal surveys and 10–20% for external customer surveys—improve rates with personalized invitations, mobile optimization, and follow-up reminders. Track completion rate (percentage who finish vs. start) to identify question friction points. Assess data quality by monitoring straight-lining (all answers the same), missing responses, and feedback actionability. Most importantly, measure business outcomes: did survey insights lead to improvements in retention, satisfaction, or other KPIs?

What is the difference between CSAT and NPS questions?

Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) measures satisfaction with a specific interaction or transaction, typically on a 1–5 scale: "How satisfied were you with your recent purchase?" It's transactional and immediate, capturing feedback at touchpoints. Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures overall loyalty and likelihood to recommend on a 0–10 scale: "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend?" NPS is relational and forward-looking, predicting long-term customer behavior. Use CSAT to optimize individual experiences and NPS to track brand health and growth potential over time. Many organizations deploy both in a complementary measurement framework.

How should I handle negative survey feedback?

Negative feedback is a gift—it reveals problems before they escalate and shows where to focus improvement efforts. Respond promptly to individual respondents when possible, acknowledging their concerns and explaining next steps. Analyze negative responses in aggregate to identify systemic issues rather than one-off complaints. Share findings with relevant teams and create action plans with timelines and owners. Communicate changes back to survey participants to demonstrate you value their input and close the feedback loop. Track whether improvements reduce negative feedback over time, validating the effectiveness of your interventions.

Can I use the same survey questions across different audiences?

Core metrics like satisfaction and NPS can remain consistent across audiences for benchmarking, but context-specific questions should vary. For example, employee surveys need workplace-specific items (manager support, career development) that don't apply to customers. Within customer surveys, B2B and B2C respondents require different language—businesses care about ROI and integration, while consumers focus on ease and value. Adjust reading level, terminology, and examples to match your audience. However, maintaining a core set of standardized questions enables year-over-year and cross-segment comparisons, so balance consistency with customization strategically.

What's the best time to send a survey?

Timing significantly impacts response rates and data quality. Send transactional surveys (post-purchase, post-support) within 24 hours while the experience is fresh—delays reduce recall and engagement. For employee pulse surveys, avoid Mondays (too busy) and Fridays (mentally checked out); Tuesday through Thursday mornings perform best. Annual surveys should avoid holiday periods, fiscal year-end crunches, and major company events. Event surveys work best within 24–48 hours post-event, balancing immediacy with time for reflection. A/B test send times for your specific audience and use time-zone optimization when surveying global populations.