Alexis Kestler
Online surveys have become the harbinger of data-driven decision making for modern businesses. But with a deluge of survey tools out there, identifying the ideal platform is easier said than done.
In this head-to-head battle, we pit two survey juggernauts against each other – Zoho Survey and SurveyMonkey to identify which solution may work best for your specific business needs.
So let‘s get ready to rumble! 🥊
Why Online Surveys Matter More Than Ever
As a data geek, numbers speak louder than words for me. So first, let me showcase some stats that highlight why online surveys are mission critical for enterprises today:
- 63% of businesses rely on survey data for pricing decisions as per SurveyMonkey itself
- 72% of companies leverage surveys to measure brand awareness per a TrustRadius study
- Survey tools hosted on SaaS can provide a 720% ROI over 3 years as per Nucleus Research
Clearly online surveys are more than just a ‘good-to-have‘ tool. The data and insights they provide is empowering organizations across functions to serve customers better.
Now let me provide specific examples of how surveys can benefit key business units:
Marketing & CX Teams
Surveys allow marketers to qualify leads, test ad effectiveness, run brand health checks and significantly enhance CX. In fact 50% of customers expect their feedback to directly influence improvements per Salesforce!
HR & Leadership
Surveys can help measure employee engagement, culture fitment, training needs assessments and much more to retain top talent. No wonder around 30-50% of exit interviews miss the mark on why employees actually left!
Product Managers & UX Designers
Testing prototypes, gathering user feedback pre and post launch, mapping emotional customer journeys – surveys make all this possible to build products users love!
I can cite many more use cases but you get the point 😊 Online surveys are enabling data-centered decision making across domains.
Now let‘s evaluate how Zoho Survey and SurveyMonkey can cater to all these critical business needs with their tools!
Zoho Survey vs SurveyMonkey: Critical Capabilities Compared
I‘ve broken down this analysis across 6 key criteria to compare the survey superpowers:
1. Survey Building & Editor
Let‘s kick things off by comparing the core survey authoring capabilities:
| Zoho Survey | SurveyMonkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions Types | 30+ | 15+ |
| Advanced Logic | Piping, variables, skip logic | Limited logic |
| Customization | Themes, colors, fonts etc. | Some customization |
| Drag & Drop | Yes, intuitive | Yes |
Verdict: Zoho Survey has more advanced editor functionality for complex, logic-driven surveys minus needing coding skills
2. Templates & Use Cases
Zoho offers 200+ templates across categories like HR, marketing, IT support etc. while SurveyMonkey provides 250+ expert templates for education, healthcare, non-profits use cases.
Both sufficiently cover most business survey needs with pre-made, industry-relevant templates.
Verdict: Too close to call! It‘s a tie here.
3. Distribution & Accessibility
Once created, easy survey distribution capabilities are vital. So how do they compare?
Zoho enables sending surveys via web links, email campaigns, social media, SMS, offline channels etc. SurveyMonkey also supports email, link sharing, social media, mobile messaging platforms.
Additionally, SurveyMonkey provides an open API that developers can tap into to embed surveys across other platforms.
Verdict: SurveyMonkey nudges ahead given its developer-friendly API for enhanced distribution.
4. Analysis & Reporting
Now let‘s explore the data analysis and reporting prowess of both tools:
| Zoho Survey | SurveyMonkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Reports | Yes, insightful dashboards | Yes, summaries |
| Custom Reports | Adhoc reporting with filters | Flexible reporting builder |
| Benchmarking | Compare survey versions | Industry benchmarking |
| Exports | Image, PDF exports | PowerPoint, Excel exports |
Verdict: Zoho Survey provides more intuitive analytics with its dynamic dashboards while SurveyMonkey edges ahead for data exports and industry benchmarks.
5. Integrations & Workflows
The ability to connect surveys into broader workflows is table stakes now. So how do they fare?
- Zoho provides deep integration with Zoho One apps like CRM, and 300+ Zoho Flow connections.
- SurveyMonkey allows native integration to 100+ apps like Slack, HubSpot, Dropbox, Marketo etc.
Verdict: SurveyMonkey once again races forward given the breadth of its app ecosystem tapping into.
6. Support & Training Resources
And finally, the all important after-sales support and self-service learning materials:
- Zoho provides email support, documentation and an online community for help. Plus dedicated account management for enterprise users.
- SurveyMonkey offers email, chat and phone support based on plan, along with an expansive knowledge portal and community forum access.
Verdict: SurveyMonkey offers more extensive end to end support and self help options.
Let‘s visualize our core findings in one glance:
(Credits: G2 Crowd)
Recommendations: Who Wins?
Analyzing across those 6 vital performance indicators, there‘s no unanimous winner.
Zoho Survey edges ahead in core survey design, builder flexibility and insightful analytics. So works better for niche surveying needs.
But SurveyMonkey rules with its developer ecosystem, app integration capabilities and all-round support for embedding into mainstream workflows.
So here are some parting recommendations depending on your specific priorities and survey maturity level:
🔹 For basic feedback needs choose SurveyMonkey
🔹 If custom surveys are required, bet on Zoho Survey
🔹 For advanced workflows, tap SurveyMonkey Integrations
🔹 Mix and match plans if budget allows
Online surveys are clearly driving the insights economy for enterprises. I hope I was able to provide you a detailed yet balanced perspective to pick the right survey partner fitting your specific needs.
Did I miss out any critical aspects? Let me know in case you have any other questions!
