Belcanto Business Studio

The survey is a research technique that consists of a verbal or written questioning to be done to people in order to obtain certain information necessary for an investigation.

When the survey is usually verbal use the interview method, and when the survey is usually written to make use of the questionnaire instrument, which is a document with a list of questions, which are given to the people to be surveyed.

A survey can be structured, when it is composed of formal lists of questions you made them all equally, or unstructured, when they allow the interviewer to go modifying the questions based on the answers you give the respondent.

The surveys were conducted for groups of people with similar characteristics for which information is desired, for example, surveys are conducted to the target audience, customers of the company, the company staff, etc., This group of people are known as population or universe.

And not having to survey all members of the population or universe, is usually done using the technique of sampling, which is to determine, through a formula, a number of people representative of the population or universe to study; representative number of people that is known as a sample.

By obtaining a survey sample and the number of people it says, can get accurate information without having to survey the entire population or universe.

It is common in a survey that is conducted face to face with people on the street, for example, shopping centers, near the company premises, close to local competition, etc.., However, a survey also be made by telephone, by mail, or online (eg via a website or via email).

The main advantage of using the survey is that, depending on the depth of it, can get very precise data, while the disadvantage is the possibility that respondents may provide false answers, or that interviewers can use shortcuts.