I got another survey the other day.  It seems like businesses are always sending out surveys.

I have a couple of thoughts on the subject.

The first is — do a good job for your customers and you won’t need to send out surveys.  But that may be a touch crass, so if surveys are a necessary part of 21st century business, then here’s my second thought.

Send me survey I can give you honest answers.   Set up the questions with responses that will work.

It seems that most companies really want to guide my answers and force me to make a choice.  You know what I mean – they don’t give a choice that says “I don’t care either way.”  Here’s an instructive example …

Question:  How do you feel about apathy? (choose one below)

a. I’m very much for apathy
b. I’m somewhat for apathy
c. I’m somewhat against apathy
d. I’m very much against apathy

See what I mean — they deliberately force me to take a stand on apathy.  And they feel cool about this – that they have guided me to make a choice — to take a stand (I’ve actually heard and seen the people that do this).

I honestly don’t care either way on apathy.  So there should really be a choice between b and c, like b.1.? (I’m not sure how the math works with letter choices so go with me on this) that says …

b.1. I’m neither for nor against apathy

Then they would get a really accurate answer from me and their survey would help guide them.

There are many things I am neither for nor against.  Take shaving creme for example.  I have no burning opinions on the subject.  What ever is the cheapest and doesn’t cause my face to fall off is fine.  See what I mean.

And the older I get, the more I realize how much I don’t know, so I have even less burning opinions.  As Mark Twain said, “It’s not what you don’t know that will get you, its what you think you know for sure.”

People can believe what they want as far as I’m concerned as long as they are tolerant of others.

So that’s my unequivocal opinion on surveys and apathy.  What are your thoughts?

How do you feel about surveys and apathy (choose one below).

a. I’m very much for surveys and apathy
b. I’m somewhat for surveys and apathy
c. I’m somewhat against surveys and apathy
d. I’m very much against surveys and apathy

Ha – you thought I was going to do it, didn’t you … drum roll please … and the all important …

b.1. I’m neither for nor against surveys and apathy

Like I said, the answer is usually b.1.  Feel free to click this post’s title and comment below.

Have a nice day – J. Daniel