Marketing surveys have played a pivotal role in shaping the way businesses understand and engage with their customers.
From the early days of simple feedback forms to the sophisticated tools we use today, surveys like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Voice of Customer (VoC), and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) have evolved significantly. This timeline takes you through the history of these essential survey methods, exploring their development and impact on modern marketing strategies.
Circa – A Babylonian merchant writes the first known customer complaint on a clay tablet.
– Charles Parlin conducts the first large-scale consumer surveys in the US, launching modern market research.
– Rensis Likert introduces the 5-point Likert scale to measure attitudes in surveys.
– George Gallup demonstrates the power of scientific sampling in surveys by correctly predicting the US presidential election.
– J.D. Power and Associates begins surveying auto customers, launching industry benchmarks for satisfaction.
– Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) systems start replacing paper-based phone surveys.
– The Kano Model is published, categorizing customer needs into basic, performance, and delight factors.
– The term “Voice of the Customer” is formalized by Griffin and Hauser.
October – The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) launches as the first national cross-industry benchmark.
– SurveyMonkey is founded, making online surveys accessible to anyone.
– Qualtrics is founded, expanding online survey tools into enterprise research.
December – Net Promoter Score (NPS) is introduced in Harvard Business Review’s “The One Number You Need to Grow.”
July – Customer Effort Score (CES) debuts in HBR’s “Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers.”
– Mobile surveys, SMS feedback, and in-app questionnaires become widespread as smartphones proliferate.
March – The COVID-19 pandemic accelerates the use of online surveys as in-person methods pause.