The ultimate CRM survey guide: example questions and strategies 

Clear definitions, 12 expert question examples, and three proven strategies to turn customer data into action 

Accurate customer data drives smart business decisions—but keeping contact information fresh and relevant is a constant challenge. While most companies have customer relationship management (CRM) systems in place, they often lack the quality feedback needed to make these systems truly effective.

Let's turn your CRM into the powerful business tool it was meant to be.

This guide will show you how to use CRM surveys to gather the insights you need, qualify leads more effectively, and deliver experiences that drive retention and growth.

A CRM survey helps businesses collect feedback from their target audience that flows directly into their CRM system—where teams manage customer data and relationships.

In 2025, 53% of companies with CRM users report improved customer satisfaction and retention with customer relationship management tools, which is why understanding how survey data integrates into CRM software is key.

The primary purpose of CRM surveys is to connect businesses to their target audience and existing customers—fostering a deeper understanding of their needs, preferences, and pain points. This allows companies to improve marketing efforts, boost satisfaction rates, and drive revenue growth. 

It’s important to note that CRM surveys also help balance day-to-day customer relationships with a long-term customer experience management strategy. It allows you to collect the detailed, real-time feedback collected daily, while improving interactions with your business over time. 

Pro-tip: Get started quickly with our pre-built CRM survey template designed specifically for gathering actionable customer insights.

When creating CRM surveys, resist the urge to ask everything. As Divya Shroff, product marketer at SurveyMonkey, explains: "Prioritize what's most important that only the customer can provide. What's going to be actionable?"

Following this principle, CX teams should focus on questions that provide clear, actionable insights. Below are examples of proven questions organized by objective:

Start with questions that help you segment and categorize your customer base effectively. These foundational questions ensure you can analyze responses by company size, industry, and decision-making authority.

For example: 

Gauge how customers feel and uncover opportunities for improvement through direct input. These questions help you measure satisfaction while gathering specific suggestions for enhancement.

For example:

Related: See how Greyhound boosted its NPS by integrating feedback into Salesforce.

Understanding how customers use your product and their sentiment helps identify power users, spot adoption challenges, and inform the development of a company's products. These questions reveal the real-world value your solution provides. 

Here are a few to consider:

Pro-tip: Get started in minutes with our customizable Product Survey Template. 

Look ahead by understanding your customers' evolving needs and the competitive landscape. These forward-looking questions help you anticipate changes and stay ahead of shifting expectations.

For example:

Once you've gathered customer feedback, the next step is turning the intelligence you've gathered into action. Here's how to leverage survey data in your CRM system to drive decisions, improve overall customer relationships, and create measurable business impact.

Effective analysis goes beyond tracking standard metrics. "While NPS®, CSAT, and other customer experience metrics are helpful to track, they're often lagging indicators," notes Shroff.

"You want to look at feedback from interactions at different touchpoints, including non-survey data, to surface insights early on."

Here's how to implement a comprehensive approach that combines both traditional metrics and real-time data:

When prospects complete your surveys, they reveal valuable signals about their interests, challenges, and buying timelines. By feeding these data points into your lead scoring system, your sales team can identify which opportunities deserve immediate attention and which need nurturing.

Here's how to make survey data work harder in your qualification process:

Related reading: Uplevel your marketing campaigns with the SurveyMonkey Marketo integration

Every piece of survey feedback represents an opportunity to make your customer interactions more impactful. By centralizing insights in your CRM software, you can turn standard customer touchpoints into personalized experiences that demonstrate you're not just collecting feedback—you're acting on it.

Here's how to put insights into action:

Successful CRM surveys depend on thoughtful execution. Getting the timing right, personalizing the experience, and making surveys accessible can significantly boost response rates and data quality. Here's how to optimize each aspect:

When you send your CRM surveys matters as much as what you ask. Deploy them at strategic moments in the customer journey, such as during the sales process, and be mindful of frequency to maintain high response rates. 

Here are key timing guidelines:

Every survey is a chance to demonstrate that you value your customer's individual relationship with your business.

“The survey should reflect your brand—if you put thought and care into how well you know the customer, as well as how your message looks, customers will care about giving their voice,” Shroff says. CRM administrators can boost response rates through smart personalization:

An effective CRM survey strategy prioritizes convenience and accessibility for your respondents.

"Meet customers where they are," advises Shroff. "If you have global customers, consider multilingual surveys. For those on the go, leverage SMS.” 

Before implementing CRM surveys, it's important to understand bot h their benefits and weaknesses. While they can transform your customer relationship management strategy, they also require careful planning and resource allocation to be effective.

Consider the following before setting up CRM surveys.

Not all survey tools are built to handle CRM integration and customer data management. Your survey platform should not only collect responses effectively but also make it easy to turn your results into actionable data within your CRM system.

When evaluating options, prioritize these essential features:

Net Promoter, Net Promoter Score, and NPS are trademarks of Satmetrix Systems, Inc., Bain & Company, Inc., and Fred Reichheld.