I was thinking of the at the end of this year handing out a survey to parents to get feedback for the following year? Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? And Why?

It depends on the questions you ask.

I've done surveys before about class schedules and classes they would like to see in the future. I also had a comments, complaints and concerns; write in area (not many had anything of value to use)

For my 4th graders and up, I'll give them a quick survey if they had a guest or sub teacher.

I personally would not because it gives your clients the opportunity to tell you how to run your business.

In the Rec Center that I run the dance program at we uses a survey 3/4 of the way through the program asking parents to rate the following on a scale of
0 - horrible
1 - poor
2- barley aceptable
3 - aceptable
4 - good
5 - great

Questions
Instructor:
- organization
- on time
- engages the children
- knowlegd of course material

Class Material
- what you expected
- well delivered
- clear

Over all expirece
- did you enjoy this class
- would yout take it again

I have done surveys before when I have specific things that I want feedback on. Examples have been, "Would you be interested in an all-inclusive tuition option?" or "Would you like your dancer to participate in a dance trip to Disney." I would not send a survey saying things like, "How do you like your studio and your teacher?" I'm sure I would get a lot of crap that I don't want to hear and I don't want to open up the option to give me your "opinion" on things. I usually keep surveys to my company kids or kids that have been with us a certain amount of years, those are the opinions I really care about. I have had people complete surveys and then not even return the next year so I don't use them anymore.

I suggest using an online survey company like survey monkey or constant contact. You can do a small survey for free or pay just for the time you are using it to be able to get more responses.

We have got great feedback from surveys and they can be anonymous (which parents like). They have been a little hard to handle sometime but they have provided great feedback on what people's perception is (true or not) and allows for us to better serve our clients. Perception is reality. If multiple people have the same complaint I have to find a problem I have to find a elution even if I didn't think that was a problem!

I give multiple choice, rank from high to low, open ended, yes and no and space for comments to give a variety. I also require answers on some questions so that they can't just skip them.

I would not bother with a general survey. I never received useful information but if you are specific, as stated above, I think that it's a good idea.

Honestly, I see the benefits, but I'm smart enough to reflect on the past year and say hey, I need to work on this, or try this in a different way. I feel surveys are saying, hey let's b*tch and complain and put me down because you have nothing better to do. I feel like those are asking people to be negative. If there was a real issue, you'd know.

Now, if it's a survey regarding which day is most popular for which age, or something to help with scheduling, I'm all for it. Helps plan on how many classes you'll need to each style, level, age group, day and time.

I sent out a short survey last year (my first year) just to get a general feel for what people were thinking. I tried not to allow too much negativity. Only about 20 people completed the survey (out of 80) and it was mostly good. Of course, there was 1 person who complained about everything and gave away who she was in one of the written answers. Let's just say that she isn't dancing with us anymore.

I thought about doing it this year too, but I kind of just don't want to hear it. I know the big complaints anyway because my parents speak up for themselves too much. Even though I know that I need them for business, I kind of don't want people to stay if they are really unhappy. I also get irritated with people giving me "suggestions" - you know, the type that have never danced in thier lives, but call themselves experts because they have watched thier daughters' danced? (haha - my Mom still gives me suggestions).

Anyway, like said above, if you are going to do it, have specific questions where they can't go off on a tangent. If I do it again, I will probably just do for my company - and mostly about scheduling.

I was reminded this is our year to do a survey - I do every other year - and inspired to start mine. This years was MUCH better then our last one (2009 - 2010) season. I have actually got some of the best responses in the open ended questions like what do you like most about the studio and where do you think we can improve and how can we achieve that. I think everyone was fair with their answers even when they had a dislike.

We have turned ALL of the things that were an issue on our last survey into goods and excellence on this survey so I feel that it helped not only me in planning but me in showing my staff this is REALLY what the parents want.

The most interesting thing is that our preschool parents want more feedback on what they are learning and doing in class (even though we have cameras where they can watch once a month). Some are crazy and want a written weekly report (not going to happen ever) but we are going to consider putting a progress report with their class recs for fall and summer that coordinate with our syllabus. We are playing around with it still and thinking of making it optional so the parents would go onto our sign up website and request a written progress report and we will only do it for parents who are interested.

I am always looking for ways to change and improve and I welcome their opinion. You will easily see who the crazies are and we ignore them. But when we get multiple people are saying we need improvement it is something that I look into.

Thanks to everyone!

I would also not have a survey. There are many aspects to the dance studio that parents may disagree with simply because they don;t understand. They don't understand why their dancer MUST take ballet, or why their kid who has taken one class a week of 3 months can't be on the competition team, why we expect a certain dress standard, why solo's are not for everyone, why dances are spaces as they are, why kids are placed in ability classes rather than just being with their best friends, why a girls whose best friend can't just be in the advanced class with her even though she has never danced before, why we still expect them to pay for classes they don't turn up for, why their 14 year old can;t become a dance teacher and start teaching classes on her own, why we only offer their child's class on monday, Tuesday, wednesday, thursday and saturday because friday is the ONLY day they can do, why we can't just give them tickets to the recital for free, why their kid can't go down and play in the park in their dance costume before they wear it on stage, why a kid who started dancing 4 months ago, missed 12 classes and struggles with coordination can't do the dance exam, why you 4 year old can't do a cartwheel after 3 lessons of acro, why their 5 year old didn't learn to do a back handspring in their first lesson of acro, why their kid has to practice at home aren't classes enough, why we call extra saturday practices for the competition is 30 minutes a week for 5 weeks enough to perfect a dance.

A survey makes them feel like they have a say in how you run things and that they are entitled to tell you what you are doing wrong.

I used to do a survey every year in my earlier years. I have not done it for a long time. You are opening a can of worms. You know what is best for your business - don't let the kids or parents tell you.

DIdancer26 wrote:

I was reminded this is our year to do a survey - I do every other year - and inspired to start mine. This years was MUCH better then our last one (2009 - 2010) season. I have actually got some of the best responses in the open ended questions like what do you like most about the studio and where do you think we can improve and how can we achieve that. I think everyone was fair with their answers even when they had a dislike.

We have turned ALL of the things that were an issue on our last survey into goods and excellence on this survey so I feel that it helped not only me in planning but me in showing my staff this is REALLY what the parents want.

The most interesting thing is that our preschool parents want more feedback on what they are learning and doing in class (even though we have cameras where they can watch once a month). Some are crazy and want a written weekly report (not going to happen ever) but we are going to consider putting a progress report with their class recs for fall and summer that coordinate with our syllabus. We are playing around with it still and thinking of making it optional so the parents would go onto our sign up website and request a written progress report and we will only do it for parents who are interested.

I am always looking for ways to change and improve and I welcome their opinion. You will easily see who the crazies are and we ignore them. But when we get multiple people are saying we need improvement it is something that I look into.

I'm torn-- I'm on board with this approach because I think it shows the parents that you respect their opinion, and people appreciate that. I also think it says that you are open to improving your business within reason, which makes you look professional.

I think how you handle the survey has everything to do with the types of responses you'll get. If you come across as totally open-ended with each of the questions, you'll get answers telling you exactly what someone thinks you should do.

I understand that people complain, or just "don't get it," but I finally reached a point a few years ago where I looked around and went, "ok, how did I contribute to their not getting it?" If a bunch of people have the same complaint, then have I taken the steps to explain this aspect of my business so that people understand why it's important and why I head in this direction?

I found that as soon as I stepped back from taking the complaints personally and actually asked myself the question if the roles were reversed, it made me work harder to communicate.

I think we all think we communicate more than we do. Certainly there are people who refuse to be educated, and no amount of trying to communicate with those folks will make a difference, but I've just found that stepping back and trying to see the other side has really helped me improve the overall perception of my business.

Now, by that same token, I don't really want people filling out a survey, but I do take stock of the complaints and I really do evaluate whether or not I think each one has merit. If I can learn from it, I do.

good luck with whichever road you choose.

Don't need to think about it. Don't need to research it. Don't need to talk about it. The correct answer (40 years of experience here) is NO, NO, NO .... NEVER! Enough said.