This Just In: More Useless Surveys

from the ya-think? dept

Something about the summer has brought out a flurry of useless studies that either "discover" something obvious, misuse statistics, or come to pointless conclusions. This week looks to be no different: already we've found out that apparently 80% of Americans prefer WiFi to iPods, while also, people don't like being put on hold when they call customer service lines. As far as people's supposed love of WiFi, it's completely unclear how that information is of any value. The Wi-Fi Alliance, which backed the survey, says WiFi "is demonstrating increased momentum as an integral part of leisure and work activities", but all it really points out is that group's ability to craft pointless surveys intended to make its product somehow look better. The survey on customer service came from a well-known consulting firm. If they're the so-called experts getting hired by companies to tell them how to improve things, and are only now just realizing people don't like waiting on hold, it's little wonder customer service is typically so poor.

21 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 10:01am

    are you serious, you guys dont like being put on hold?????
    I love it, I get time to listen to the hold music, and get a few things done. Some times I tell the person to put me back on hold so I can finish listening to the song.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Re:

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 10:19am

    Still holding..... sheesh.....

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  
    identicon
    Frank, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 10:24am

    This just in: people prefer something to another, completely unrelated, thing.

    "why martha that apple pie is delicious, but I do prefer me some football!"

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    on a completely related not

    identicon
    me, myself, and i, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 10:38am

    ya know, i once ate an applie pie...

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Curious

    identicon
    In the name of science, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 10:42am

    I'm just curious- as a survey of Techdirt readers...

    Do you agree with this article about useless surveys- or do you prefer Cherry Pie.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    this just in

    identicon
    you, yourself, and umm you, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 10:44am

    how could you possibly enjoy wifi over an ipod? is that legally considered sanity? oh my god, people are going crazy!

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    Re: Curious

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 10:45am

    "Do you agree with this article about useless surveys- or do you prefer Cherry Pie."

    Fords! Definitely Fords! Yes, I defintely prefer a shiny new Ford. Or maybe firefox... yes, that is nice too.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  

    RE: Curious

    identicon
    Theoden, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 10:55am

    I agree with the article about cherry pie.

    Next Survey: Do you walk to school or carry your lunch?

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  

    Re:

    identicon
    Johnny Mac, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 11:00am

    It figures, you would...

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  10.  

    This Just In...

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 11:04am

    Another Useless Story about useless surveys.

    Slow news day?

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  11.  
    identicon
    rabbit, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 11:09am

    if anyone took the survay the thing was about if people prefered ipod to wifi apple is trying to put wifi in the ipod so u can dl music off of your wifi network long time reader of techdirt but duh take the survay and read the whole article i mean wow

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  12.  

    Re:

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 11:29am

    if you read the survey at all you would know how to spell "survay"

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  13.  

    Survey

    identicon
    s, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 11:42am

    Do you prefer internet tubes, or inner tubes?

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  14.  

    Re: Survey

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 12:12pm

    Don't you mean innert tubes? Not to be confused with inert tubes.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  15.  

    Survey

    identicon
    Dave, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 1:05pm

    99% of me likes chicken...

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  16.  

    Re: Re:

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 1:23pm

    and the other 347 grammatical / spelling errors in the comment...

    jeez people, there's a DIFFERENCE between just typing quickly, typing slang, and just not know how to communicate....

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  17.  

    Re: Re: Re:

    identicon
    mikhail, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 1:26pm

    ing...

    that would be know...ing

    yes, my friends, it's the stereotypical "let's bash someone else's comment and make the same mistake in our own" occurrence

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  18.  

    Re: Curious

    identicon
    Frink, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 5:11pm

    I prefer pointless comments. What were we discussing?

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  19.  

    Re: RE: Curious

    identicon
    Frink, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 5:13pm

    I ride the bus and I'm on a diet.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  20.  

    Re: Re: Re: Re:

    identicon
    Frink, Aug 7th, 2006 @ 5:15pm

    You forgot capital letters and periods.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  21.  

    Re: Survey

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 8th, 2006 @ 7:43am

    depends if im going swimming or im going to watch a video of someone swimming on youtube

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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