1.2 Customer satisfaction surveys and the business cycle

Statistical analysis is a science that relies on a transformation of reality into dimensions that lend themselves to quantitative analysis. Self-administered surveys use structured questioning designed to map out perceptions and satisfaction level, using a sample of observations from a population frame, into data that can be statistically analysed. Some surveys target all customers; they are in fact a type of census. In others, a sample is drawn and only customers in the sample receive a questionnaire. In drawing a sample, several sampling schemes can be applied. They range from probability samples such as cluster, stratified, systematic or simple random sampling, to non-probability samples such as quota, convenience, judgement or snowball....