Phone Surveys vs Digital Surveys: Five Reasons Human Research Still Matters

9 Feb

Digital and automated surveys now dominate most customer feedback strategies. They are quick to deploy, easy to scale and relatively low cost. However, many organisations are discovering that convenience often comes at the expense of data quality.

Response rates are falling, feedback is increasingly polarised, and large sections of the customer base remain unheard. In this context, phone surveys are not outdated — they are increasingly strategic.

Here are five reasons phone surveys still deserve a place in modern customer feedback programmes.

1. Phone surveys reach customers digital methods miss

Not all customers are online, confident with digital tools, or able to engage easily with written surveys.

Phone surveys are essential for reaching:

Older customers
People with disabilities or access needs
Customers without reliable internet access

Excluding these groups does not just create an ethical issue — it introduces bias into your data and weakens decision-making. For regulated sectors, it can also undermine compliance and accountability.

2. They capture the “silent majority”

Digital surveys tend to attract responses from customers at the extremes — those who are very dissatisfied or exceptionally happy.

Phone surveys are far more effective at capturing the views of the “in-betweeners”: the majority of customers whose experiences are broadly satisfactory but nuanced. This group provides the most reliable insight into how services are actually performing day to day.

Without them, feedback data is often skewed and misleading.

3. They deliver richer, more accurate insight

Human-led research allows for clarification and probing. Skilled researchers can:

Explore vague or unclear responses
Confirm understanding
Uncover root causes rather than symptoms

This produces more nuanced, accurate and actionable insight than fixed-response digital surveys alone. Recorded calls also provide an audit trail and the ability to revisit complex issues.

4. They create a better customer experience

Many customers prefer speaking to a real person — particularly when giving feedback on important or personal services.

Phone surveys:

Feel more conversational
Build trust
Leave customers feeling listened to

In an increasingly automated world, human contact can significantly improve perceptions of your organisation.

5. They offer flexibility digital tools cannot

Phone-based research allows organisations to:

Adjust focus in real time
Target under-represented groups
Respond quickly to emerging issues

This flexibility is invaluable when service priorities or customer demographics change.

Conclusion

Phone surveys should not replace digital methods — but they are a powerful complement. Used strategically, they improve representativeness, data quality and customer trust.

In a world of automation, human research remains one of the most reliable ways to truly understand your customers.