User Reviews
The Survey System by Creative Research Systems
USER REVIEWS - All reviews
Purchased Date: May 01, 2007
President/CEO, Ethridge & Associates, L.L.C.
March 03, 2010
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Pros
I have been using The Survey System since about 1984 and have kept up with its updates since then (although I have not yet updated to the latest version 10.0). I have often reviewed other competing products and have consistently found The Survey System to have the best range of features and the easiest to use at the best price value. I have at various times used almost all of the modules/features and have found all of them to meet our needs very well and to be easy to use. As well, whenever I have had questions about how to use a particular feature, I have found The Survey System to be very friendly and responsive in answering my questions.
Cons
I have no cons for this product.
Overall
Excellent and stands head and shoulders above all competitors as a complete system for survey research at a good price value.
Purchased Date: May 01, 2009
President, Marketing Backup
February 26, 2010
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Pros
Survey System is easy enough for a novice user or sophisticated enough to meet the demands of a seasoned market researcher. In meeting their customers' needs, they have designed a module-based system that enables you to pick what meets your needs. The modules include: web-based questionnaires, PDA-based questionnaires, statistics, CATI and panel management. The software is easy to understand and simplifies designing your questionnaires. In addition to the top-notch software, they have one of the best customer support teams that I've worked with.
Cons
There are none.
Overall
Overall, I'm very satisfied with Survey System Version 10.0 and would most definitely recommend this software.
Purchased Date: January 01, 2008
Vice President, Maryland Marketing Source, Inc.
February 26, 2010
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Pros
Easy to use software where you don't have to speak a programming language to use it. Great tech support, - if you have a question or need a custom change to the software to meet a specific and unique client need Hank and the team can always accommodate you. Several of our clients want mult-methodology type projects these days. The Survey System product, just like our company capabilities, is one stop shopping. You don't need to use another piece of software to do the web survey or data entry, The Survey System does it all...saving you time and money, which is something we use day in and day out to be cost competitive.
Cons
With any product there are capabilities that are needed above and beyond the basics for some companies. However, this product continues to improve and get better throughout the years. And if you have a specific request, you can have them make a change/upgrade to the program that isnt going to cost you an arm and a leg. From the 12+ years I have been using this product I havent had many issues, I wouldnt still be using The Survey System today if I had.
Overall
Great, versatile, multi-faceted market research application! Easy to use product that allows you to do everything from data entry, CATI, Web Surveys to CAPI....even crisp, clean crosstabs for report at the end of data collection. Hank, Bill and the rest of the staff over at CRS are a pleasure to work with and always provide me with the market research software solutions I need to service my clients. I have been working with this product for over 12 years and it continues to improve year after year. Give it a try, they even have a free trial version...you won't be disappointed
Purchased Date: January 01, 1992
Managing Director, C-Search CC
February 26, 2010
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Pros
Compiled as a market research tool - excellent package - flexible
Cons
No drag and drop features
Overall
Excellent - the best PC based research package available
Purchased Date: June 01, 2000
Owner, The Insight Advantage
February 25, 2010
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Pros
Very complete reporting capabilities with easy inquiries, filters, cross-tab procedures
Ability to customize look/feel of web pages
Ability to use old surveys as templates for new ones and save standard questions (such as demographic questions, etc.) into a question library
Cons
Not as intuitive to use for programming as some other tools
Requires frequent use to make the most of its features
Overall
As a user of over 10 years, I highly recommend this tool for anyone doing regular survey work. There are many more alternative choices (mostly web-based) now than when I bought, but I have yet to find anything with the same level of reporting 'oomph' that The Survey System has.
And the tech support is incredible...very helpful/savvy people who always answer the phone and can help you figure out the simplest or most complex programming challenge. No question is too 'dumb'!
Investing in this tool when I first started my research business was the best investment I've ever made in my business.
Purchased Date: September 01, 2009
President, Metromark Market Research Inc
February 25, 2010
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Pros
We have been using the Survey System since the early 1980s, when we switched from doing analysis on a mainframe to using an IBM desktop. The Survey System is so easy that nearly anyone, without data analysis experience, can follow the menus to produce tables. The very best thing about the Survey System is that you can always call and get help -- without fail -- if you have a question about how to do something.
Cons
Although there may not be a need because of the support provided by the staff at the Survey System, there isn't, as far as I know a user group with a listsurvey through the Survey System website. That would be helpful in getting hints on innovative things to do in the analysis and in reporting findings to clients.
Overall
I've reviewed many survey analysis programs over the years and have tried a few. But I always go back to the Survey System because it is so simple and does not only surveys done by phone or mail, but also has a module for Internet surveys -- which is also simple to use.
Purchased Date: December 01, 2009
President, Penn and Associates, Inc.
February 25, 2010
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Pros
The modules overlap so you just have to learn how to use one of them and then you have enough knowledge to use and interact with the others very easily. The program provides great flexibility so you can be as creative or formal as you wish in designing your documents. We have the system on our servers and it is very fast for users to click through. It is much better now everything ends with .cgi.
Cons
GIFs and JPGs at the top of the page cannot be hyperlinks.
Overall
A full recommendation from us for Creative Research's Survey System. The software allows the user to imagine survey pages, it has instant reporting with charts. The Panel Management software allows for double opt-in and security. The statistics are easy to use - regressions and ANOVA (it doesn't do factor and cluster).
