Where is the loyalty and respect for survey takers?

[dawn_b_adams]

I think about this all the time. I just can't wrap my head around these survey panels and how they treat us survey takers. Loyalty is not rewarded at all. In fact, survey panels don't seem to want long time survey takers on their panels. They get rid of people for absolutely no reason at all, and they don't even have to tell the survey taker why. I think that stinks. Survey panels gaslight, bully, treat survey takers like crap, and use 'bots to wear people down so they don't persist when they have a legitimate complaint. When humans do reply to emails and that, it is usually snarky, disrespectful and dismissive of the survey taker's query or complaint. If regular companies did business like this, they would lose many customers and possibly go out of business. Some survey panels are downright breaking the law, actually stealing money from panelists when they kick them out with no warning and no chance to cash out on the remaining points they have. 

Now I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. I'm well aware that we survey takers are not the panelists customers. Their customers are the multimillion dollar companies who pick a survey panel to get all kinds of information so that they can do effective marketing of their products and/or services. I have no problem with that. Companies need to find out from the average Joe what they think so they can do better and stay in business. Surveys are a great way for companies to get the pulse on who is buying their products and/or services. Having said this, I still think that the way survey panels treat their survey takers is terrible, and at times, downright criminal. I believe that survey takers are independent contractors, not employees, getting a little money by signing up with survey panels and giving their honest well thought out opinions. The vast majority of survey takers are honest and caring. There are a few bad apples, and of course, the 'bots making things hard on the honest ones. That's life. 

But I have a huge problem with the lack of respect and loyalty these survey panels show to those of us who take their surveys. There are no laws on the books, whether state or federal, that clamp down on all the bad things these survey panels do. And there aren't enough of us to get someone to lobby on our behalf. There is no clout in this. I've had reactions from friends of mine who are surprised at how little money one makes doing surveys. But it's kind of nice to sit at home where I can choose if and when I want to work, and make a little money on the side. It takes awhile, but it does add up. But I'm down to basically two survey panels because I'm sick and tired of being treated like crap, having my time wasted, and getting only pennies. Prolific and Paid Viewpoint don't screen out their panelists. I feel like I'm wasting time on all the other ones. But as long as there are people who are willing to do a 30 minute survey for 10 cents and get treated like crap, these survey panels will just keep on doing what they're doing. 

I have a feeling that I'm not the only one who feels like this. I think many people have just stopped doing surveys altogether. But the survey panels don't care. Many of them are making a ton of money. How do you all feel about this? 

[peach6]

I definitely agree they will get rid of you without any good reason I know because it has happened to me sometimes  I even think if you are making a little to much you will be gone even though you have been a loyal member  I also think that sometimes they will get rid of you because of your age I guess when your older they seem to think you don't have an opinion.

[NevadaJones]

Dawn, I think you summed it up right here: "There are no laws on the books, whether state or federal, that clamp down on all the bad things these survey panels do."

I think we've all learned by now that when there are no consequences for actions, in all facets of life, those who choose to be bad guys are emboldened to do as they please.

Bad guys always gonna do bad. 

[schludermann]

I have a similar sentiment that is tempered by experience,  observation and analysis. Of the panelist and panels. You're right they don't care enough about the panelist to develop a reputation scoring system. It's easier to just replace old members with new and separate the chaff. A Reputation score could be used for frequency of opportunities and easing back of the repeat verifications. However, there are reasons for them to never trust us, farther than a flying bit. One)  it is cheaper for them to not add features for reputation, they have to pay for that, two)  accounts can be hacked, this is a distinct possibility for anyone recycling credentials that have made it to the darkweb. There are panels that have been hacked, I posted about one on SP some years ago. Check HaveIBeenPwned regularly. If any of Y'all have an acquaintance that maintains any site, ask them about how often they are probed for penetration by unknown parties. There are people and spiders (a type of bot similar to what search engines use to crawl websites), looking for vulnerabilities. 

I have experience becoming irrelevant with a panel, and getting throttled to zero or ejected. Sometimes I poke them back to hard and they eject me, gobbling all my points. I have plans for those panels. So, i'm trying something to stop form appearing staid. I reconstruct my persona every now and then, like sifting between being self employed, free lance, retired, employed in previous job. When I do this, I apply it to all my panel activity, like I"m getting into character for the next year. what products do you use, cars, entertainment, travel... Remember the panels are watch, logging and sharing your derived ID package with other panels. Probably for profit.

If you want them to notice you, you have to speak softly and whack them with a big stick. These marketing firms have a reputation that they have to preserve. That means writing succinct business worthy reviews that exposes some unseemly conduct to an organization that manages cred and to the online consumer review sites. No profanity, no threats, just do it. I tell them when I do it, where and when it went up. You should try to read their prior responses to other panelist complaints, you may see a uniform style of response and your complaint can be written to foil a canned response. Like provide ticket numbers in the review you post and followup later on. Some of this takes work, and since we are working for peanut crumbs, there's no money. So, it has to be an action of passion.  What I mean is, a passion to dig, lookup, investigate, cross link and summarize. For instance figuring out all the similar companies operating from one address and lump them together in a post for search engine to find, or figuring out they are operating from a co-working site or a mailboxes-are-us.   leave it for a potential client to find in a google search.

[melbourne_yankee]

Well as long as the survey panels have a "lot of customers" that do the  surveys to make a little extra to get by they could care less about the churn of survey takers.  They probably even encourage it if the survey taker leaves and has a positive balance left behind.  Just more profit for them.

What I find amazing is the difference in payout between the different survey companies. 

PureProfile pays 4 times as much for the same survey as Rewardia and Rewardia pays out twice as much as Freecash.

I won't do Rewardia anymore as it is just a waste of time for the rewards given.  There is another startup survey company here in magical Oz that sends out invites with rewards that usually consist of entries to win a prize if you do the  survey.  No thank you.

This attitude of survey companies sort of reminds me of the English language schools in Japan that we used to call "burn'em and churn'ems".  They would hire these inexperienced foreigners, send then out to teach on ridiculous schedules, and pay them peanuts or in some cases not pay them at all or not pay the required Japanese government pension and medical taxes.

After being "abused" or compaining the teacher would quit or be fired and the company would just hire another person.

[Sandy21]

Dawn, thank you for posting a marvelous summary of how so very many of us feel. Used and abused and taken advantage of, treated like crap and shown no respect whatsoever and so much more.  And I thank everyone else for their insights as well. I doubt we will ever have an advocate or any legal means to curb how we are treated.

I've pretty much gotten to the end of my rope and spend so much less time on surveys. Of course some of this is due to being banned or thrown out with no explanation whatsoever. I'm just tired of the  games these disgusting survey companies play and I'm sick to death of wasting my time. 

After years and years of taking surveys I've slowed down considerably. I'd much rather be on a panel where there is a guaranteed reward each month, for as long as the panel lasts.

So, yes, I've had it up to my eyeballs and one of these days, sooner rather than later, I'm gonna either take a few months off or quit altogether. I'm fed up with being beaten up and disrespected and and treated like dirt.

 

[Bal]

On 4/10/2022 at 8:58 PM, dawn_b_adams said:

I think about this all the time. I just can't wrap my head around these survey panels and how they treat us survey takers. Loyalty is not rewarded at all. In fact, survey panels don't seem to want long time survey takers on their panels. They get rid of people for absolutely no reason at all, and they don't even have to tell the survey taker why. I think that stinks. Survey panels gaslight, bully, treat survey takers like crap, and use 'bots to wear people down so they don't persist when they have a legitimate complaint. When humans do reply to emails and that, it is usually snarky, disrespectful and dismissive of the survey taker's query or complaint. If regular companies did business like this, they would lose many customers and possibly go out of business. Some survey panels are downright breaking the law, actually stealing money from panelists when they kick them out with no warning and no chance to cash out on the remaining points they have. 

Now I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. I'm well aware that we survey takers are not the panelists customers. Their customers are the multimillion dollar companies who pick a survey panel to get all kinds of information so that they can do effective marketing of their products and/or services. I have no problem with that. Companies need to find out from the average Joe what they think so they can do better and stay in business. Surveys are a great way for companies to get the pulse on who is buying their products and/or services. Having said this, I still think that the way survey panels treat their survey takers is terrible, and at times, downright criminal. I believe that survey takers are independent contractors, not employees, getting a little money by signing up with survey panels and giving their honest well thought out opinions. The vast majority of survey takers are honest and caring. There are a few bad apples, and of course, the 'bots making things hard on the honest ones. That's life. 

But I have a huge problem with the lack of respect and loyalty these survey panels show to those of us who take their surveys. There are no laws on the books, whether state or federal, that clamp down on all the bad things these survey panels do. And there aren't enough of us to get someone to lobby on our behalf. There is no clout in this. I've had reactions from friends of mine who are surprised at how little money one makes doing surveys. But it's kind of nice to sit at home where I can choose if and when I want to work, and make a little money on the side. It takes awhile, but it does add up. But I'm down to basically two survey panels because I'm sick and tired of being treated like crap, having my time wasted, and getting only pennies. Prolific and Paid Viewpoint don't screen out their panelists. I feel like I'm wasting time on all the other ones. But as long as there are people who are willing to do a 30 minute survey for 10 cents and get treated like crap, these survey panels will just keep on doing what they're doing. 

I have a feeling that I'm not the only one who feels like this. I think many people have just stopped doing surveys altogether. But the survey panels don't care. Many of them are making a ton of money. How do you all feel about this? 

Dawn, you summed up this perfectly, could not have put this better myself.

They could not care less, your point about if they were in any other business they would be gone, 99% would be out of business within a year.

These companies scam people, take money that people have earned and make up stuff to get rid of long term users, lie and cheat. They get away with it as there is nobody on our side. 

There is a company called yoursurveys (Clint own them I think) who are the worst I have come across, they do all of the above. I have had so many problems with Qmee lately, everyday I am not getting paid for surveys that I complete. I complained and the cheek of the response what basically saying that I didn't do the survey correctly, I was fumming.

I think we all do surveys to get a little extra to spend on things we like, or use them to pay bills, gives us a little breathing space, but to put time and effort into a survey (esp the long ones)  and then get nothing makes my blood boil. 

For me, I think every single survey should have a unique code, so if you have any problems they can be dealt with. I also think they should have between 3-5 quick demographic questions and if you are not screened out after these questions you should get paid for the full survey. 

[Gemini43]

Ever get the feeling that these survey companies aren't interested in what we REALLY think/buy/vote for/ etc.?  They are only interested in answers they want to hear.  They want answers they can feed to their clients!  NOT the truth.  What is the point of surveys at all then?  How can 'Whoever'  burble on saying things like "The results of this or that survey are indicating to us that .... blah blah blah'?  Survey takers know better.  It is probably that the people paying for the surveys are only being given the answers the survey companies think their clients want. No wonder the ACTUAL results of elections, etc., so often conflict with predictions made by the pollsters.

[Sandy21]

I feel that survey companies are only out to make money and they don't care one iota about being fair and giving us the points/rewards that we deserve. I don't trust any of them anymore, have quit or been unjustly thrown out (Lifepoints) of so many sites. They know we have no recourse so they pull fast ones on so many of us. Their attitude is "We don't need you, Quit if you don't want to continually be treated like garbage."

[mnleona]

I have been more careful lately which surveys I take and trying to keep watch on which ones DQ me after I start the survey or finish. This does not always work, however.

[ConnecticutMarc]

I never thought that there was any in the first place!!!!!

[mh1971]

Surprised no-one has mentioned this on the forum but Survey Network closed without warning, after not replying to any e-mails I had sent for about a month, and took all my money!

The lovely message they left on their webpage now reads 'We would like to thank you for all your loyalty through the years, but unfortunately with the current economic situation and the fact that a lot of market research clients are merging as well as paying less for all market research services we provided them, we decided to shut down the website. Thanks again for all your loyalty'

Yeah, thanks for all your loyalty and all your money...