Enterprise vs Standard Surveys

Only a few years ago, large companies used to invest heavily in what was known as “enterprise online survey software.” This was a type of survey software that was designed with every possible feature that any researcher could ask for, with a user interface that made working with the software easy. For many businesses, the choice was between enterprise survey software and a free or inexpensive software with few features, if any, and poor customization. Large companies with the right budget needed to invest in enterprise survey software if they hoped to have the tools they needed to thrive.

But in the last few years, those enterprise software options hit a wall. They essentially ran out of new features, because they already had all of the technology necessary – all of the features that researchers needed. Once they started to stagnate, other online survey software started adding those features while still offering the same low price.

The added development time gave companies that were trying to offer a more affordable product time to catch up, so that they could also offer the same great features without the high costs associated with enterprise survey software. So now that the playing field is more level, what is the difference between enterprise survey research software and non-enterprise online survey software?

ES does tend to have one advantage – on-site training. Most enterprise software companies send a sales rep on site to train potential users on how to use the product, and for many that personalized touch is helpful, as it allows users to find potential tools that may be of value to their company.

But the more user friendly these products become, the less on-site training is even necessary. Most NES training can easily take place via online tutorials, which are more convenient and can be watched and re-watched over and over again to ensure understanding. These days, the only other difference between ES and NES is cost.

With enterprise online survey software, you end up paying for: Software – Often up to $50,000 or more. Users – Some companies charge $10,000 per user. Training – That on-site training costs money. $1500 or more.

Help – You only have a few hours worth of customer support before you pay. Data – Some of these companies charge thousands for added data storage. By the time your company is done, you will have paid almost $100,000 or more for your online survey software – a price that repeats every year.

With advancements in online survey technology, there is very little advantage to spending that much money, when a traditional online survey software has the same features for a cost that is less than 1% of enterprise survey software. Find out more about affordable online survey software options by signing up for your free SurveyMethods account today.