Now you may be asking yourself, “Should I outsource my survey programming? What are the pros and cons? Should I use DIY survey software like Qualitrics, Survey Monkey, etc. with my in-house team?
Some of you reading this may be a market research firm or a corporate firm looking to unlock new capabilities and data collection tools that you don’t have in-house. Others may be looking to shift resources away from survey programming and are looking into outsourcing as a solution.
Whatever the case, this article will explore the benefits of outsourcing survey programming.
Save Time
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Programming an online survey can take several hours or even days: youshould ask yourself “could that time be better spent”? Seeing as in the Market Research industry, timelines are continuously shrinking and are a huge factor in overall decision making, the answer is probably yes. More time gives you more flexibility to meet the ever-changing needs of clients and stakeholders. Under a time, crunch, outsourcing the programming of your surveys can be a lifesaver. In this case, it’s a no brainer to outsource your survey programming.
Save Money
Comparing the cost of programming a survey in-house to outsourcing can be difficult as there are many factors to consider. When determining the costs of programming surveys in-house it is .png)
important to factor in the cost of labor and overhead as well as opportunity costs if programming the survey is not the best use of you or your teams’ time.
According to an article published in March 2020 on Quirks, Client-siders self-assess their departments’ DIY success by Tim Davidson, we see some interesting statistics regarding DIY surveys you want to pay attention to.
- “For the overall satisfaction study attribute, DIY would rank 10th (vs. sixth in 2017).” (Davidson)
- “For value-for-money, DIY would be in first place” (Davidson)
However, Davidson goes on to refute his earlier point, “Clearly, if the cost of labor and overhead were included in DIY research project costs, DIY would likely lose its first-place position in the value-for-money attribute.”
Looking at these statistics, we can see how market researchers are losing satisfaction with the capabilities of their DIY survey software; ultimately, reinforcing the idea that outsourcing to specialized survey programming companies may be a better solution.
Help with Overflow/Growth
Outsourcing is a great solution for those experiencing a period of growth allowing them to keep taking on new projects without taking on additional employees. Even if you are capable of programming your surveys in-house, it is important to have a 
partner company capable of taking the pressure off your team should they become too busy. While hiring additional survey programmers or staff may be useful, it can be risky if the growth is not sustained. Training new survey programmers/employees is also time-consuming and keeping a team large enough to handle busy periods can be very costly during slow periods.
Remember that being unable to accept projects is a bad look for your business. Clients will take their business elsewhere for a more reliable partner capable of fulfilling their needs. Before expanding your team make sure you are undergoing sustained growth as opposed to a random or seasonal spike.
Expand Your Capabilities
As with everything, specialists in a field create better results when compared to those with less experience. In most cases if you are programming surveys in-house you are limited to the pre-built features your survey software provides. Unfortunately, without custom programming, DIY software comes up short in its ability to keep respondents engaged through mobile-optimized interactive surveys. Outsourcing to survey programmers who are skilled in custom programming will instantly increase your capabilities. A talented programming team can bring your ideas to life, allowing you to differentiate by creating survey questions and exercises specifically for your project, your client, and your audience.
Focus on Your Strengths
What it that your company does? What are you great at? What makes you special? If the answer is not programming survey having someone else do it for you is probably a good idea. Do not spend your precious (and limited) time and resources on survey programming, use that time to focus on what you do best. This motto should be applied to both the company and the individuals within it.
Why Jibunu?
As a survey programming service provider, this is our specialty. We have worked with hundreds of companies looking to outsource their survey programming while cultivating long term relationships across the market research industry.
If you want to look more into outsourcing your survey programming, don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions, comments, or concerns. We can quote projects, discuss our capabilities, and/or look into your needs as a firm.
