SMS surveys

SMS surveys FAQs.

• How many questions can I ask in a text survey?

  There’s no hard limit to how many questions you can ask in a text survey, but keeping it short and simple is the best way to get better results.

  We recommend asking around 5 to 6 questions (inclusive of an introduction text). This number strikes a good balance — it’s enough to collect useful feedback without making it feel like a chore for your customers. We find short surveys are always more likely to be completed in full.

  Here are a few helpful tips:

  One question per text – Sending one clear question at a time helps avoid confusion and makes it easy for people to reply.

  Need to ask more – If your survey is longer, you can send a link to an online form where people can answer more questions on their phone.

  Keep it short and friendly – Short, clear questions are easier to answer. Personal touches, like using the customer’s name, can also boost responses.

  Timing matters – Sending your survey at the right time (for example, not too early in the morning or too late at night) can help improve your response rate. Also, sending the survey whilst the relevant service is still fresh in their minds is key to optimising participation./span>

  In short — while you can technically ask as many questions as you want, the sweet spot for text surveys is usually up to 6 questions or the best customer experience.

• Can text message surveys be personalised?

  Personalising your SMS surveys is a great way to make your messages more engaging and relevant to each recipient.

  How can I personalise my SMS surveys?

  Our SMS survey platform provides the tools needed to customise your messages:

  Use the recipient’s name – Including the person’s name can make the message feel more personal and increase engagement.​

  Include custom details – You can add specific information like appointment times, locations, or other relevant details to tailor the message to the individual.​

  Segment your audience – Group your contacts based on factors like location, purchase history, or interests to send more targeted messages.​​

  Add personalised links – Insert short links that lead to surveys or forms customised for each recipient, enhancing the user experience.​

  Why personalise your SMS surveys?

  Personalised messages show that you value your customers and understand their needs. This approach can lead to higher response rates and more meaningful feedback.​

  By taking advantage of our system features, you can create SMS surveys that resonate with your audience and provide valuable insights for your business.​​

• Are SMS surveys GDPR compliant?

  Yes — any SMS surveys sent through our system must fully comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as outlined in our terms and conditions. When we help you build your survey using our workflow builder, we’ll always check that you have the correct permissions in place before your survey is sent out.

  Here’s how we make sure your SMS surveys stay GDPR compliant:

  Get clear consent – If your message includes offers, incentives, or promotions, it’s considered marketing — and you must have clear permission from the person to contact them this way. Consent must be freely given, fully informed, and properly recorded. You’ll also need to offer a way for people to opt out if they choose./span>

  Make opting out easy – very message should include a simple way for people to unsubscribe — for example, replying ‘STOP’. If someone opts out, their request should be processed quickly and their choice respected.

  Be open and transparent – Your business name should be clear in every message, and your content should always be honest, relevant, and easy to understand.

  Keep personal data secure – We’We take data security seriously. Any personal information will be handled carefully, stored safely, and only accessed by authorised team members.

  By following these simple steps, you can run SMS surveys that are both effective and fully GDPR compliant — while showing your customers that their privacy and trust matter to you.

• Can I send an SMS survey to international mobile numbers?

  Absolutely — you can send SMS surveys to international mobile numbers using our platform.

  Before you get started, it’s important to know that every country has its own rules for sending SMS messages. There are also different guidelines depending on whether your message is purely for notifications or includes marketing content.

  If your SMS survey contains offers, incentives, or promotions, it will be classed as SMS marketing — and just like in the UK, you’ll need permission from the people you’re contacting and must follow the local rules. But don’t worry — we’ll help you understand everything you need to know. Just let us know which countries you want to send to, and we’ll guide you through the process to make sure your campaign is fully compliant.

  When sending international messages, the cost is based on the rates set by each country’s mobile networks. Messages are priced per credit, and some destinations will cost more than others. Also, if your message is longer than 160 characters, it will use more than one credit — so keeping messages clear and to the point can help you manage costs.

  The monthly rental for an international reply number, which is required to capture replies to the survey, is also dependent upon the country you opt to send your surveys to. However the cost of these are not too dissimilar to the UK pricing of £15 ex VAT per month. Full confirmation of the reply number charge will be provided at the same time you are supplied the unit credit cost for your chosen country.

  If you’d like to know more about sending international SMS surveys, just get in touch — our friendly team will be happy to help!

• Why do you send an introduction text before the start of the SMS survey?

  We send an introduction text before the survey to help build trust with your customers.

  If you’ve used SMS to communicate with them before, you’ve probably sent messages using your company or product name as the Sender ID. An introduction text acts as a clear and friendly reminder that the message is genuinely from you.

  This initial message invites your customer to take part in the survey and confirms the mobile number that will be used to collect their replies. Letting them know who’s asking and what to expect helps reassure them and encourages more people to take part — which means better response rates and higher quality answers. It also helps reduce the chances of people dropping out halfway through the survey.

  This is a simple but effective feature we’ve developed at Faretext. While it does use one extra message, the increase in engagement and survey completions more than makes up for the small extra cost.

• Can I use the work-flow builder myself, or do you have to build the process?
• What kind of reporting can I expect to receive?
• Can we run more than one, or a different SMS survey at the same time?
• Does a customer who doesn’t initially complete the SMS survey, get a reminder to participate?
• Are SMS survey questions always yes/no answers, or can it allow ratings/scores?