If you’re tired of wrestling with clunky survey tools, or just want to stop reinventing the wheel every time you need feedback, this guide is for you. We’ll walk step-by-step through using AskNicely templates to speed up survey creation, skip the nonsense, and actually get answers you can use.
This isn’t a sales pitch. It’s a straight-up, practical guide for people who need good surveys—fast—and don’t want to micromanage every question.
Why Bother With Templates?
Let’s be honest: most people don’t wake up excited to write surveys. It’s tedious, and if you’re doing it from scratch every time, it’s easy to make mistakes or end up with a Frankenstein’s monster of questions that don’t really work.
Templates are shortcuts. They save you time, help you stick to best practices, and can even make your data easier to compare over time. If you’re using AskNicely, templates are built in—so you might as well use them.
But not all templates are created equal. Some are genuinely useful; others are generic or full of marketing fluff. This guide will help you sort the good from the bad, set up your first template, and get your surveys out the door with less fuss.
Step 1: Understand What AskNicely Templates Actually Do
Before you dive in, it helps to know what you’re working with. In AskNicely, a template is basically a reusable set of survey questions, logic, and formatting. You can use templates to:
- Standardize surveys across teams or products
- Save time when launching new surveys
- Maintain consistent branding and tone
- Quickly update or tweak existing surveys
But don’t get too excited: templates won’t magically make people answer your surveys, and they won’t fix bad questions. They’re a tool, not a cure-all.
Pro tip: Don’t just grab the first template you see and hit send. Take a few minutes to read through it—there’s often a lot of filler you don’t need.
Step 2: Navigate to the Templates Section
This part’s straightforward, but AskNicely’s interface isn’t always as intuitive as you’d hope.
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Log in to your AskNicely dashboard.
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Find the Surveys or Templates tab.
This might be called “Templates,” “Survey Templates,” or just buried in the menu. If you’re lost, hit the search bar. -
Browse the available templates.
You’ll usually see a mix of: - Net Promoter Score (NPS) templates
- Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) templates
- Employee feedback templates
- Industry-specific options
What to ignore:
Don’t get distracted by templates labeled “Best Practice” just because they sound fancy. Some are generic and won’t fit your needs.
Step 3: Pick a Template That Actually Fits
Not all templates are worth your time. Here’s how to pick one that won’t make your respondents groan:
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Start with your goal.
Are you measuring satisfaction, loyalty, or something else entirely? If you’re not clear, none of these templates will help. -
Check the question flow.
Is it concise? Does it avoid jargon? Are there too many open-ended questions (which most people won’t bother answering)? -
Look for customization options.
Good templates let you edit questions, tweak branding, and add logic (like skipping irrelevant questions). -
Avoid template bloat.
Some templates pack in every question imaginable. More isn’t better—keep it short and focused.
Pro tip:
Send yourself a test version. If you wouldn’t finish the survey, your customers won’t either.
Step 4: Customize Without Overcomplicating
It’s tempting to “improve” a template by adding your own spin, but too much tweaking can make things worse. Here’s what to focus on:
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Edit the intro and closing statements.
Keep them clear and human. Drop the “We value your feedback” clichés. -
Change any questions that don’t fit your context.
If your team doesn’t use the term “agent,” swap it for “team member,” or whatever makes sense for your business. -
Keep the number of questions low (ideally under 5).
Long surveys get ignored. -
Make sure every question has a clear purpose.
If you don’t know what you’ll do with the answer, cut the question. -
Branding:
Add your logo and colors if you must, but don’t spend hours fiddling. Nobody fills out a survey because of your color palette.
What doesn’t work:
Don’t try to cram multiple objectives into one survey. If you need both product and support feedback, send separate surveys.
Step 5: Set Up Logic and Automation
AskNicely lets you add basic logic (like skipping questions) and automate survey delivery. This is where templates can really save you from busywork.
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Add skip logic if your template supports it. For example, if someone scores you a 9 or 10, you might skip straight to a thank-you message. If they score lower, prompt for more feedback.
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Automate sending surveys based on triggers (like after a support ticket closes or a purchase is made). Templates can be tied to these events so you don’t have to manually send surveys.
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Test the logic with different scenarios. It’s easy to create weird loops or dead ends if you’re not careful.
What to watch out for: - Over-automating. If you send surveys every time someone sneezes, people will stop answering. - Forgetting to test. Automation is great—until it fires off the wrong survey to the wrong person.
Step 6: Preview, Test, and Get Feedback
Don’t trust the preview alone. Here’s a quick checklist:
- Send a test survey to yourself and a colleague.
- Check for typos, weird formatting, or broken logic.
- Ask someone outside your team to take it. (Fresh eyes spot things you missed.)
- Time how long it takes to complete. If it’s more than 2-3 minutes, it’s probably too long.
Pro tip:
If you have a regular group of “canary testers” (people who don’t mind giving blunt feedback), use them now.
Step 7: Launch and Monitor
Once you’re happy with your survey, set it live. But don’t just walk away:
- Monitor response rates and quality of answers for the first few days.
- Look for patterns: Are people dropping out halfway? Are open-ended questions getting one-word replies?
- Be ready to tweak.
Sometimes, what looks good on paper just doesn’t work in the real world.
What doesn’t matter:
Don’t obsess over tiny response rate changes in the first week. Focus on whether you’re getting useful feedback.
Step 8: Save and Reuse Your Best Templates
Once you’ve found a template that works, save it. Over time, you’ll build up a small library of templates that actually fit your business, not just cookie-cutter options.
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Document what works and what doesn’t.
Make notes right in the template or in your team docs. Your future self will thank you. -
Share with your team.
No need for everyone to reinvent the wheel. -
Update templates as your business changes.
Don’t let them get stale—review once or twice a year.
What to Skip (or Ignore)
- Default templates nobody edited. They’re often too broad and won’t give you what you need.
- Endless demographic questions. Unless you need them, skip.
- Trendy question types. If you don’t know how you’ll use the data, don’t ask the question.
- Overly branded surveys. Nobody cares about your new logo mid-survey.
Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Templates are there to save you time, not to make things more complicated. Start simple, launch quickly, and don’t be afraid to update your template if you’re not getting the answers you need.
Remember: the best survey is the one people actually finish. Templates in AskNicely can help you get there—but only if you use them thoughtfully. Start with the basics, ignore the fluff, and iterate as you learn what works for your audience.