This Just In: More Useless Surveys

from the ya-think? dept

Mon, Aug 7th 2006 9:47am — Carlo Longino

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

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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 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.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2006 @ 10:19am

Re:
Still holding..... sheesh.....
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Frank, 7 Aug 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!"
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me, myself, and i, 7 Aug 2006 @ 10:38am

on a completely related not
ya know, i once ate an applie pie...
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In the name of science, 7 Aug 2006 @ 10:42am

Curious
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.
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you, yourself, and umm you, 7 Aug 2006 @ 10:44am

this just in
how could you possibly enjoy wifi over an ipod? is that legally considered sanity? oh my god, people are going crazy!
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2006 @ 10:45am

Re: Curious
"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.
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Theoden, 7 Aug 2006 @ 10:55am

RE: Curious
I agree with the article about cherry pie.

Next Survey: Do you walk to school or carry your lunch?
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Johnny Mac, 7 Aug 2006 @ 11:00am

Re:
It figures, you would...
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2006 @ 11:04am

This Just In...
Another Useless Story about useless surveys.

Slow news day?
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rabbit, 7 Aug 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
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2006 @ 11:29am

Re:
if you read the survey at all you would know how to spell "survay"
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s, 7 Aug 2006 @ 11:42am

Survey
Do you prefer internet tubes, or inner tubes?
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2006 @ 12:12pm

Re: Survey
Don't you mean innert tubes? Not to be confused with inert tubes.
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Dave, 7 Aug 2006 @ 1:05pm

Survey
99% of me likes chicken...
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2006 @ 1:23pm

Re: Re:
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....
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mikhail, 7 Aug 2006 @ 1:26pm

Re: Re: Re:
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
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Frink, 7 Aug 2006 @ 5:11pm

Re: Curious
I prefer pointless comments. What were we discussing?
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Frink, 7 Aug 2006 @ 5:13pm

Re: RE: Curious
I ride the bus and I'm on a diet.
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Frink, 7 Aug 2006 @ 5:15pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
You forgot capital letters and periods.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Aug 2006 @ 7:43am

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