Pros
Out of the all the survey platforms I have tried (survey monkey, wufoo, google forms etc.), Qualtrics has the most flexibility and functionality, without compromising the intuitive, user-friendly layout. Building surveys is painless, and when building more complicated surveys, I never hesitate to call the support team because of the short wait time and COMPREHENSIVE, USEFUL HELP.
Qualtrics allows our lab to create, share and score surveys EFFICIENTLY.
With the `Library, we can store surveys, blocks, and questions, which can be copied, edited or referenced in future projects. We have a personal libraries, and shared lab library.
`Scoring saves us days of data cleaning. We can score a survey multiple times for different categories we create (ex. categories like Depression Score, Hopelessness Subscale Score). We also can customize the point value of the question items. This is important when the Likert Scale does not follow 1-5, or when a question needs to be reverse coded. When we need more advanced/customizable calculations we use embedded data (ex. converting sum to word labels depending on cutoffs). With scoring features, data can be expertorted and ready for analysis with VERY MINIMAL data cleaning.
Before I explain the cons, I want to lead with saying support is always open and grateful for feedback and has even reached out to speak with me about what features I would like to be added.
Cons
Although useful, scoring is cumbersome, and confusing. 1. 'Scoring' does not automatically set the items point value based on how it is recoded (items need to be reverse coded when inputting AND scoring). 3. Scoring does not stay with a survey when added to library 4. Scoring also has glitched numerous times not allowing me to create new scoring categories. Support has yet to reach out to me about a solution (over 8mns later).
Embedded data (ED) also causes issues. 1. ED is case sensitive, so you must be very careful when inputting ED in logic or piped text. Often my logic is not working, or data is wrong, simply because I have an extra space at the end of my ED. Qualtrics should add the ability to choose ED you set from a dropdown eliminating this problem 3. ED has glitches for me not allowing me to view certain dropdown options in Survey Flow (also unexplained by Support)
Survey flow is also quite cumbersome. When working with a complex survey (a lot of logic/branches/ED) it is hard to navigate. Survey Flow should have a side bar of levels for easier management. Survey flow would also benefit from having a 'checker' for incorrect logic or ED, keeping me from having to use the trial and error method.
Other features I would like to see to the platform, 1. conditional formatting for email triggers. 2. ability to breakdown a survey report by individual 3. ability to link surveys reports together to look at data over time (ex. weekly report of anxiety symptoms).
The product is intuitive, easy to use, and the online training videos made the system easy to learn as well. Implementation went very smoothly thanks to the Qualtrics employees that worked with us on setting up single-sign on and our more complex surveys. The surveys look modern, and the questions are versatile (which makes it more fun to take surveys). In my opinion, this has led to higher response rates, overall. It's also easy to analyze the data and send out reports.
Pros
The intuitive, user-friendly interface makes building surveys a breeze. There are many different question types to choose from so it's easy to find one to fit your needs, and additional survey options (such as branching, embedded data, customized messages, email triggers, and more) make the instrument very versatile. Qualtrics is also modern looking and mobile friendly, and I have seen survey response rates increase since its inception.
I have had the pleasure of working with several Qualtrics employees during implementation and found them to be extremely helpful and professional. No matter what I ask, they deliver, and quickly too! Even when I think I have a problem they can't solve, they come up with a solution that works. I also appreciate that the product is constantly evolving and making improvements based on customer feedback.
Cons
Depending on the amount of data, the Report interface can be slow to load. Also, when exporting reports to a word document or PDF, the graphs sometimes appear blurry and can be difficult to read.
Overall I really love Qualtrics. I'd highly recommend it. It allows for great collaboration, I like that I can customize using Java or HTML, and it also applies to many types of research. The other cores are also great. I'm always excited about the newest feature rollouts and it seems they're always getting better.
Pros
I love that Qualtrics is so intuitive and has so much functionality built in. I also love that they are consistently working to improve it and roll out other useful features. I seldom find it's missing something that I need for my job.
Cons
I have hated the reporting and dashboard functionality, as well as the administration dashboard. It's not that they're terrible, but I can create better stuff for myself by downloading the raw data and manipulating it in Excel. HOWEVER, we do have major dashboard, reporting, and administration updates coming in the next month which sound very promising and like great improvements. One other negative, you can't have two people working on a project at once - it gets buggy and changes get lost. It's also difficult to have two Qualtrics pages open in your browser at once. I've managed to manipulate it to a degree, but it doesn't do super well.
We have started to use Qualtrics and its API to capture data from users and then pass that data into our other systems. We have been developing so many ways to automate processes on our campus and Qualtrics is becoming the engine that drives the automation, but also the main interface for the end user. For example, we have been using for self enrollment for certain faculty development courses. A faculty member goes to a registration page, which is actually just a Qualtrics form, fills out a little data and then clicks the Registration button. The faculty member is then automatically enrolled in the selected course in Canvas. That's just one small use case that saves a bunch of admin time.
Pros
I literally use Qualtrics for everything but surveys. We use it as a form tool, quizzing engine, LMS course enrollment, and so much more. If you want to capture any type of data from a customer and literally do anything you want with it, you need to take a good look at Qualtrics.
Cons
One feature I wish was available in Qualtrics would be the ability to use 'Switch' statements in the survey tool. It's set up so that you have to use tons of 'If' statements to set embedded data (variables) to specific data.
Another thing to consider when evaluating Qualtrics is that they have an incredible support team. From your account manager, to your success manager, to the random people you connect with within the support organization, everyone has been stellar. I know that if I have a problem or even a random question, they will make sure I'm taken care of. It's a great relationship and they really care about each of their customers on an individual level.
Pros
Where to begin? Qualtrics is truly the gold standard in survey software. They have built an exemplary product over the years and keep adding more inventive features to be a whole system solution. Unlike other softwares that are either easy and basic with limited functionality or powerful with a steep learning curve, Research Core is both easy to use at a very basic level and has the power to handle any sophisticated needs you can think of. I've yet to run into a way to survey that the software can't pull off.
Cons
The only thing I can think of is one time that I found an incomplete answer in the knowledge base, but that's me REALLY trying to think of a negative.
great survey tools obviously, but we have built some wonderful educational applications as well
Without the flexibility of Qualtrics we would never have even tried to create these apps on our own.
Pros
The broad variety of question types, the generally intuitive inteface that lets you start simply, but encourages you to explore its more poweful features. I like the ability to easily get data out in a variety of formats (SPSS, CSV, etc) and add Tableau support was a huge plus!!! The ability to customize the look and feel is very nice, and the flexible distribution options (email, anonymous links, etc) work very well for us. The ability to embed objects in the GUI Editor is awesome, we have built training, teaching modules in Qualtrics without advanced tech help just because the tools are so easy to use!!
Cons
the Table of Contents tool is limited by rules put on place for surveys. We'd like to see educational options settings that would allow more creative use of Qualtrics for educational use.
Qualtrics is much more than survey software. In fact, I use it for everything but surveys. I've begun the creation of Quick-Help support tool that is powered by Qualtrics. A user is taken down specific path based on his/her individual needs. After entering the needed information, emails are fired off to the people who can fulfill the user's request. The ability to use Qualtrics as my own kind of ticket support system is crucial to fulfilling our users' needs in a systematic and efficient way.
Pros
I love how granular you can get with every type of action you want to perform. You can use general methods for logic, or create your own with ease. Qualtrics is can be generic as you want, or as customizable as you need.
Cons
I wish Qualtrics wouldn't charge for additional question types. For example, add the form upload and signature question types, you have to pay a fee for each.
Streamlines and expedites the collection, analysis, and dissemination of large volumes of data across the organization, putting staff in closer control of their projects.
Pros
It handles all phases of the online data collection in a variety of modes, whether surveys are distributed by email, posted online, shared via social media, etc. Developers make constant improvements and welcome input from users. It includes a lot of lesser-known but very handy features that improve the experience for survey respondents and researchers alike. Although it's mainly point-and-click based, it does allow some customizations with html, css, and javascript for those who are familiar with them. The design control is user friendly; with Qualtrics it takes little effort to create visually appealing online surveys and forms! Finally, in an enterprise account like ours, the number of different options that can be enabled and disabled for users sets Qualtrics far apart from other tools I've used.
Cons
I would like to see a little more customization available for standard respondent messages, and enhanced validation between numeric fields and with calculations. Bounced email diagnostics would also be very helpful to have.
As an Outreach Clinician on a college campus I frequently have to get opinions, interests, and availability of multiple contacts in a variety of demographics and as a user I am able to share others contact databases and view ongoing projects. Using this as an RSVP function allows me to gather interest, plan events, take reservations and easily reach out to respondents who have/have not responded (but it would be easier it more contacts could be added to ONE distribution after the fact to reduce the number of them that have to be sent when there are stragglers.)
Pros
Trackability and ease of statistical evaluation when you're not a math-minded individual. There are plenty of "how-to's" and user instructions for producing high quality surveys quickly.
Cons
How the contacts work for adding more contacts to a signal distribution. Also, there is some trouble in getting the import function for .csv files for contacts.
An easy to use system that not only collects data, but allows us to also create reports - both reports that we can export, and reports that we can share via link.
Pros
This software is very easy to use. When working with people with various skill levels, it's nice to have a system that anyone can learn. We really like the variety of question types and the ability to create custom reports from the data.
Customer service is also outstanding - whenever I've had an issue, they've been able to talk me through it fairly quickly. The support reps are very well trained. The support site is also great.
I also know from past experience that Qualtrics does look at suggestions sent by users , and I appreciate that they have implemented changes to the system based on user feedback. Because of that, I always encourage people to let Qualtrics know if there's an issue or if there's a feature they'd like to see.
Cons
We're a non-profit and it's a little pricey; I wish they had smaller packages for non-profits and small organizations, or monthly options for some features (i.e. SMS messaging - we only need this a few times a year.)
We leverage the Qualtrics Research Platform to drive key decisions for the overall direction of our organization, assess the needs and well being of those associated to our organization and on and on. We truly cover the full spectrum of use with this product and it has been absolutely critical in the decision making process and in helping us drive forward in our work. Qualtrics simply has it together.
Pros
Qualtrics is well run from top to bottom. Their products are excellent, intuitive and are capable of supporting customers of all variations. Unlike so many companies that get one thing right and then drop the ball in another area, Qualtrics excels at every level. Their software is excellent, their integration support and API is excellent and their support is hands down the absolute best in the tech industry. There's really no question in my mind why they were gobbled up before they could complete their IPO.
Cons
Because I typically have to deal with low level interaction with Qualtrics (APIs etc.) my ONLY complaint is that they have a lot of undocumented features. However, their support is THE BEST and they always help me through finding those features when I need them.
Pros
The functionality of Qualtrics has dramatically improved over the past five years. There is now much more flexibility in customization, saving questions to blocks and libraries, analysis and reporting, and even appearance. There is a big range of question types and lots of options for customization for each question, and it's easy to drag-and-drop to rearrange the survey. There are some powerful analysis tools and you can easily download your data in different formats (CSV, TSV, SPSS, XML, etc.).
The user/survey-taker side is clear and has been problem-free for our needs.
Cons
Can sometimes run into issues with scrolling and saving changes to surveys when using Qualtrics on my iPad.
In this day and age, having mobile-friendly administration of data is key. This massive organization uses many data collection products/vendors, but Qualtrics is the only that I know of which works mobile administration into processes so easily
Pros
The analytics options for performing certain data manipulations in the system before exporting data makes developing reports a very quick process. I love the chat-based support function as well.
Cons
I find it odd that when removing (decrementing) cases from data sets, as I always do to remove preview data, that the time that the system takes to update numbers is rather long. I chatted with product support one day and was given a work-around (i.e., add an embedded data survey block in survey flows), but is still odd.
I am able to conduct research for customers that I used to contract for. It helps my business and keeps me up to date on a number of new methodologies. I am focusing on B2B customers now and this is a very helpful tool for both conducting surveys and analyzing the data.
Pros
Software is fairly intuitive and support group is great at answering questions quickly. Customer support has really improved over the years. You just have to call to get a person quickly. Generally very knowledgeable.
Cons
Takes some time to get familiar with the software. Online chat is slow probably due to lack of staffing. If you want help you have to call. They add new things constantly, hard to keep up, but that is actually a good thing.
Pros
Qualtrics is very robust. It has so many functionalities that I cannot think or any data collection process that it could not meet my needs. I can always collect exactly what I want.
I love creating surveys in Qualtrics. The customer support is the best I have seen. The help/resource page is extremely comprehensive and easy to follow.
I have fun building survey in Qualtrics.
I always say: "These Qualtrics people know what they are doing!"
Cons
Sometimes it takes too much html coding to achieve the perfect look you are trying to achieve - complex font and style formatting are a bit time consuming at times.
I benefit from the ease of survey design, and my research benefits from the complexity of surveys that you can design!
Pros
What I like the most about this software is that once you get a hang of the smaller quirks and settings, you are able to do incredible things in terms of survey design and distribution. The ability to design complex experiments with logic branches and switches that are triggered by the number of people that have taken the survey or even answered a specific question in a specific way is extraordinary. Even with all of this that I've mentioned, almost everything is done without the need of knowledge of javascript - something very intimidating to many.
Cons
What I like least about this software is that it has a rather shallow learning curve - that is, it takes a long time to get used to its quirks. Slowly but surely you will become comfortable, but it is only once you have taken the time to read through their guides or done enough trouble shooting yourself.
Create surveys and analyze data at a basic to advanced level.
Pros
Qualtrics allows for the creation of basic up to advanced surveys, with a robust platform that is there when you need it, but optional when you don't. I appreciate that Qualtrics has predictive tools such as suggestions for the type of question and even for the available answers. It is easy to rearrange questions and while there is a small learning curve, using tools such as "flow logic" for advanced options. Further, the tool provides options for organizing your surveys and makes it easy to deploy/close them from the site.
Cons
While the survey setup is relatively easy, downloading data can often be burdensome and time-consuming. For my work, I often want to drill down and few answers based upon a selected response, but while viewing it on the website does not take long, compiling and downloading a PDF report is something that I don't look forward to doing.
I've been using survey software for almost 10 years now. We recently switched to Qualtrics from Fluidsurveys (acquired by SurveyMonkey) and have absolutely no regrets. Building surveys is extremely easy and their library with predefined choice options & questions is a real time saver. Via their API we are able to present survey results directly to clients through our own platform. Yes, maybe Qualtrics is a bit more expensive than other SAAS solutions out there, but I haven't seen any organization delivering support as good as they do. We are a small professional services firm and at first I thought Qualtrics was (purely) focused on large enterprises. But honestly, I feel like a real valued customer.
Pros
Extremely versatile, easy to use, extensive knowledge library (university).
Cons
At first glance their workflow is different from other survey software vendors out there. But reading some articles on how to achieve advanced survey objectives, it totally makes sense.
Pros
It's flexible. It has options for online and offline surveys. Importing questions from previous surveys is seamless, editing and reordering questions is simple. There are built-in features for a wide range of question and response situations. Qualtrics overs 24-hour support and tutorials for complex programming tasks to get you the design you need. The support staff are professional, friendly, fast and knowledgeable.
Cons
Ocassionally I've run into glitches and had to delete and re-enter questions to get rid of an issue. Editing (and re-editing) wouldn't fix the issue.
I always get great service and support from the support line. They are focused, professional and help to solve any issue that I have.
Pros
I like the people the best, but the software is intuitive and easy to use. It's like and Apple product, you don't really need a manual to use it right out of the gate.
Cons
I don't like finding out that something changed when I log in. I would rather have been told ahead of time that things were changing and I should expect X Y or Z.
Pros
Features & Functionality (many options available, easy to select & use)
Printed Report (customization)
Initial Report (Dashboard look & feel)
Easy DIY Customization (look & feel, survey flow, report)
Best Customer Support Ever!! ^^
Cons
Signature & file upload (additional step require to download instead of usual downloading of raw data)
Printed Report (unable to display all rows for text entry at times)
Initial Report (not easy to customize, rooms for improvement as compare to Printed Report)
Contact list (time consuming to upload data with other languages)
Pros
The feature of Qualtrics I like the most is that the sky is the limit in terms of it's versatility. One can make a very simple, straight-forward survey or one can use sophisticated logic and make a very complex survey. This versatility allows me to use Qualtrics for any job I have.
Cons
In it's current state the Insight Platform reporting features are less-than ideal. They are making progress and things are getting a little better, but there is a long way to go. I still am not able to customize my graphs using the reporting tool like I really need to do.
Overall it's pretty seamless and I would recommend it for researchers who need to conduct surveys and polls of the general public.
Pros
I like how you can take surveys on their platform in real time and from a mobile device. Their surveys allow you to contribute feedback to shape the design of cool products/tech and other research.
Cons
Sometimes it's slow which makes completing the survey a little tedious. Also sometimes you will be half way through a survey before it finally determines you weren't a fit for the survey in the first place which can be annoying.
The Support group is amazing. No matter when I call they are kind an caring. You can hear the smiles in their voices and each one seems to really love their job. Yesterday and today Mark helped me with a particularly involved survey flow, and his suggestions and information led to the best outcome for us. And of course, the annual summits are unbelievable!
Pros
Easy to use. Engineers are open to changes and challenges, upgrades and upsets :)
Cons
The newer reporting system only allows one question per page, so reports can be very long, we sometimes have 300 questions~
I have been using Qualtrics for over two years and it has been one of the most useful tools I have ever used in regards to marketing research and business analysis. The technology is user friendly and the
Pros
The technology is user friendly and the customer service is world class. I have colleagues and individuals from other industries always asking me about this technology. I have been able to increase my productivity and the quality of work deliverable with Qualtrics. My team has been able to accomplish much more than we could have imagined in such a short amount of time.
Cons
I'm a tough customer but this is one of the few products that I couldn't find any cons. I'm impressed.