co-owner survey

Started by LouH1 • 16 replies • 849 views

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LouH1 (Michigan)
Posts: 214

Posted:

I would like to survey our community to find out how the members feel about certain topics, like renting, like our pool being open 5 days instead of 7 etc. do any of you brilliant helpers have any clever ideas about how to do a survey? What is the most successful way of doing one. How should we proceed? Thanks in advance.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Anything you put in a mailbox has to have a stamp on it. So do not put these things in a mailbox without actually mailing them. Anyone can go door to door if you want. Just not sure why people aren't coming to meetings to get these opinions anyways.

Former HOA President

ND (PA)
Posts: 792

Posted:

Use an online survey tool. Many are free or relatively inexpensive. There are even tutorials that help you select the best type of question to ask, what form to collect the data for best analysis, and how to construct good survey questions.

If you have email addresses, you can send it directly to your homeowners. If you do not, you can post teh link somewhere it can be accessed, or include it in some sort of mailing that you already may have planned.

An online survey is inexpensive (if not totally free), can be sent quickly multiple times, and offers rapid compilation and analysis of data.

Mailed surveys are expensive to print/send/resend, they get lost (not returned), and you have to manually compile responses/data.

As an example of what you posted:
- You said "like our pool being open 5 days instead of 7".
- The phrasing of that question is leading the respondent to the answer that you prefer . . . that the pool should be open 7 days rather than 5.
- Instead you need to ask an open-ended question, with specific options to select, like . . . "How many days a week should our pool be open? 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7

NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

We do 2 electronic surveys every year.

1. Just prior to Annual Meeting. Around 35 questions. Mostly asking for opinions rather than facts (we already know what's going on in the community since the Board actively manages the HOA). At least 2/3 of the survey questions are the same year after year so we can compare our performance year over year. We use the survey to test whether the members are ready for certain changes we're considering or they have certain preferences. At the annual meeting, we rarely get any surprises - The survey tells us what's coming. This year, we had a 75% response rate. We present the survey results at the Annual Meeting.

2. Census and Water Conservation Credit Survey. Single water meter for entire community. We make a big deal about leak testing and installing WaterSense labeled products. There can be a $300 difference in fees per year from one house to the next depending on level of participation. Questions remain mostly the same year after year. This year, we had a 95% response rate.

Things we do that make a difference:
- Questions (and options given) should be short, clear, and crisp.
- Make sure that there are a few open ended questions where people can go on at length, but multiple choice is easiest to review in summary form.
- Clearly state the goals of the survey up front.
- Test your survey with some owners and ask if it was easy to follow. If not, make revisions. By making our surveys annual, we can see where a question was misunderstood, and revise that question for the following year.
- Be mindful of the time it takes to take the survey. Some of our owners with take 5 minutes. Others will take more than an hour.
- Be very selective on which questions are mandatory and which ones are optional. Some owners care about speed. Others care about completeness.
- Attitudes and comfort levels change over time. A one-time survey will only do so much.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ND on 03/31/2021 4:20 AM
As an example of what you posted:
- You said "like our pool being open 5 days instead of 7".
- The phrasing of that question is leading the respondent to the answer that you prefer . . . that the pool should be open 7 days rather than 5.
- Instead you need to ask an open-ended question, with specific options to select, like . . . "How many days a week should our pool be open? 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Good recommendation to follow.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

MichaelS56 (Minnesota)
Posts: 859

Posted:

Is the Board interested in what you would like to survey? Is this a Board request and you have volunteered to seek the information using a survey process?

LouH1 (Michigan)
Posts: 214

Posted:

You have been sooooo helpful. thank you very much!

LouH1 (Michigan)
Posts: 214

Posted:

You assume a lot which is not helpful. Our community is mostly elderly who can't get out to meetings easily, many, not at all. I was not born yesterday and understand the postal laws regarding use of mailboxes. "Anyone can go door to door" is insulting. Please review your inconsiderate replies BEFORE YOU post them, if you would please. Thank you.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By LouH1 on 03/30/2021 6:34 PM
I would like to survey our community to find out how the members feel about certain topics, like renting, like our pool being open 5 days instead of 7 etc. do any of you brilliant helpers have any clever ideas about how to do a survey? What is the most successful way of doing one. How should we proceed? Thanks in advance.

Mailed with stamped return mail envelope.

OR

Online

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Thank you. I did consider my considerate free advice. We all here know what everyone already knows. So we will continue not to insult your intelligence in this way... Keep trying to do what you want to do not what anyone tries to advise you to do.

Former HOA President

LouH1 (Michigan)
Posts: 214

Posted:

MelissaP1, I do think you have a point and I apologize for taking issue with something that I felt I already understood when others (asking the same questions) might not. I assumed something that was not true. In other words, you do not presume to "know" what questioners "know." I shouldn't expect you to read my mind, ofcourse. However, You assume because I am critical of your advice that I therefore, do not listen to any advice and will just continue to do what I WANT to do.

Your reply assumes what my behavior is or will be. So you are engaging in the same behavior... You are assuming something that is not accurate.

Again, I do thank you for your reply.

LouH1 (Michigan)
Posts: 214

Posted:

Such a gift most of you responders are! Thank you so much!

NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MarshallT on 04/05/2021 6:34 AM
Hi,

I would suggest using something like SurveyMonkey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/) if members' email addresses are available. The basic plan is free. Make sure to enable the anonymous response feature, and let recipients know that answers will remain anonymous. This will encourage more participation and more honest answers.

A word of caution. We tried many of the "free" versions of commercial survey software such as the one you mentioned. The problem we experienced was that rules on the "free" accounts could change from year to year depending on the company's perception of how competitive they needed to be.

Got tired of not being able to do some of the same things we could do the prior year. So now we use software where surveys are a free add-on to a product we pay for.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

NP,

Please realize that every time you quote a spammer, you are allowing the spam info to remain even if the moderator removes the spam email.

Tim

NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By TimB4 on 04/05/2021 9:00 AM
NP,

Please realize that every time you quote a spammer, you are allowing the spam info to remain even if the moderator removes the spam email.

Tim

Clear.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

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