A survey system consisting of one or more electronic poll devices for conducting real time online multiple-choice surveys and processing real time multiple-choice survey data analysis

The present invention relates to a survey system consisting of one or more electronic poll devices for conducting parallel, real-time surveys that measure the customer's satisfaction, a database system and a web application presenting the survey analysis.

A device and a method for determining personal satisfaction is disclosed in patent publication no. US 2012/0208165 A1.

The device described in said document consists of the base, four buttons, a system of transmitting the answers to the reporting system and a frame for hanging the printed paper with one question each time. The last characteristic of the device does not enable the dynamic, automatic and from a distance change of question. Furthermore, it minimizes the number of questions shown to the device at only one at each time.

Other disadvantages of this device are listed below:

a) It has no screen that can display advertising/educational/corporate messages either in the form of text, visual or as a sound file or video with the functionality of controlling sound volume each time through buttons on the device;

b) It cannot detect human presence so as to respond to it by stopping playing any communicational message and starting presenting the series of questions;

c) There does not seem to exist any further interaction by means of confirmation of the answer given by each customer;

d) The answers are temporarily saved at a memory and then the package of answers is transmitted to the reporting system via a GSM network.

The present invention relates to a survey system consisting of one or more electronic poll devices for conducting real time online multiple-choice surveys processing real time multiple-choice survey data analysis. The survey questions are being sent and presented on the screen of the electronic poll device to passing people. People express their satisfaction by pressing one of the four offered buttons. Each button is designated by a winking face. The device confirms the answer each time. The survey results are presented to the survey conductor through a web application.

The device disclosed in the present invention offers the following functionalities compared to the device described in the above patent of prior art, namely:

1 ) Questions are not printed on paper but are displayed on the screen of the poll device. Each poll device of the present invention has a screen of a computer that can display the questions;

2) Questions can change automatically and remotely, i.e. without the need of human interaction with the poll device. Through a Web Analysis Application, the Administrator can upload or delete questions from the poll devices at sharp real time. This feature gives the flexibility to the Administrator and thus to each company to have the rating from customers for different questions at different time periods. For example, testing certain questions at morning hours and different questions at later hours of the day, or certain questions at peak hours.

3) More than one question (1 -50) can be displayed each time. The series of the questions can change through the web application. There are more than one touchpoints/factors that influence the customer experience through all businesses and retailers. So, this device solves the problem of a univocal Voice from the customer without having a clear and thorough insight.

The poll device can display advertising/educational/corporate messages either in the form of text, visual or as a sound file or video with the functionality of controlling sound volume each time through selector switches on the device. The ability of displaying an advertising message through a video with sound can easily and effectively attract the notice of the customer rather than a poster. So, this device covers the high need of retailers to give "voice" to their messages.

4) The poll device can detect human presence and respond to it by stopping playing video and resuming presenting a question. So, through this interaction with the customer the poll device has the functionality of grabbing the attention of the customer and starting the question series without standby time.

5) Each poll device interacts with the user by confirming visually each answer given by a user. This feature gives the understanding to the customer that there is a certain and clear path of questions. The path of questions ends with the word Thank You.

6) Communication between the poll devices and the database system is sharp real time so no intermediate storing is needed at the device level;

7) The data communication module of the poll device is always active and the bidirectional communication with the database system is complex including video downloading.

Brief description of the figures

Figure 1

Figure 1 shows the poll device (1 ), the server storing the system's database (2) and the computers of Survey Administrators displaying the Web Analysis Application (3).

Figure 2

Figure 2 shows the components of the poll device (1 ) i.e. a computer with screen (4), a wifi communication module (5), a volume control (6), a speaker (7), a proximity sensor (8), four selector switches (9) and an electronic board (10).

Figure 3

Figure 3 shows an example of application of the present invention. Figure 4

Figure 4 shows the four selector switches (9), each of which corresponds to a certain reaction.

Figure 5

Figure 5 shows the operational steps according to which the Administrator can select a video and upload it on the Web Application, choose the frequency the video should play at poll devices (1 ) and also the wished/or not proximity sensor (8).

Figure 6

Figure 6 demonstrates a question page where the Administrator types a certain question, selects a certain cluster of poll devices (1 ) where these questions will appear or create a new cluster, manages question flow and questions across all poll devices (1 ).

Figure 7

Figure 7 shows a page for creating a new group of poll devices (1 ) called cluster. The Administrator types the name of the new cluster that is going to be created and applies the preferred filters in order to have the preferred devices selected easily and quickly.

Figure 8

Figure 8 shows a data analysis page with filters applied, level of analysis and time frame comparative to previous period if needed.

Figure 9

Figure 9 shows the page of 10 Top/Bottom - 10 Risers/Fallers by filtering questions and time frame.

The survey system consists of one or more poll devices (1 ), the server storing the system's database (2) and the computers of Survey Administrators displaying the Web Analysis Application (3). An electronic poll device (1 ) consists of a computer with screen (4), a wifi communication module (5), a volume control (6), a speaker (7), a proximity sensor (8), four selector switches (9) and an electronic board (10).

At the screen of the poll device (1 ) the first question is presented to passing people asking to express their opinion concerning a specific question. The user (at least one person) corresponds to the first question by pressing one of the four selector switches (9), each of which indicates the survey choices.

The selector switches (9) have a certain, clear position on the device with certain coloring and face showing a certain reaction (angry, uninterested, happy, and excited).

There is no specific wording following each of the selector switches (9). This is written each time on the screen giving the flexibility to the Administrator to change the meaning from e.g. not at all, moderate, much, very much to disagree, nor disagree, agree, nor agree or to I don't like it, indifferent, I like it, I like it very much. There is a certain time limit of 10 seconds for a question to be answered. Then, either the video starts playing or the question series start from the beginning.

Afterwards, the poll device (1 ) confirms the answer and continues to the second question, the third, fourth etc. through the same path of interactive steps as presented for the first question.

With the confirmation of each question the result is sent in a sharp real time manner to the server storing the system's database (2) via wifi connection.

All the poll devices, owned by the same client, send the data to the server (there is only one server) storing the system's database (2). The data is sent to the server via HTTP request. However, this way of transfer of the data can change since the method of transfer is not crucial for our system. The data is sent as text messages.

The poll device (1 ) can be used by every company, organization, museum, entertainment halls and every entity that has interaction with passers, customers etc. The poll device (1 ) is advised to be placed at a passing point for the customer and after having fulfilled the interaction and experience for example at the exit of a shop or near the cash desk so as to have his opinion on this customer journey.

If the application manager wishes to present an advertising/educational/corporate message either in the form of text, visual or as a sound file or video with the functionality of controlling sound volume each time through the volume control (6) on the device he may choose to display it after the completion of each question series or to determine an exact timing loop.

Through the Web Application and the selection "Videos" (of the Left Main Menu) the Administrator switches to a screen where he can select a video through browsing the hard disc of his PC and then upload it on the Web Application. As a second step, the Administrator can choose the frequency of playing the video where he has two options: "after each question cycle" or "after x seconds". As a third step, the Administrator can choose whether he wants to enable the proximity sensor (8) or not. Finally, he can choose "Submit" and the change is then sent to the poll devices (1 ).

If motion is detected by the poll device (1 ) while playing the video, the poll device (1 ) stops the video and resumes by showing the question series.

The proximity sensor (8) is used to detect motion in front of the poll device (1 ). Once motion is detected, the communicational video stops and shows the first question in order to prompt customers to answer to questions. The proximity sensor (8) is a way of interaction between the poll device (1 ) and the customer.

Each question on the screen is a webpage, so after each question and confirmation of the answer, the next question is a webpage. A question may not be shown if there is no internet connection/wifi. In this case the poll device (1 ) is shown as "out of order" to the administrator since no data is transferred.

The computers of Survey Administrators displaying the Web Analysis Application (3) offers to the application manager the option to create different groups of poll devices (1 ) and then he can create different questions or series of questions even per group of poll devices (1 ) at sharp real time. Furthermore, the application manager can upload and download a video at all poll devices (1 ) and set the loop of this video. In terms of result analysis, this can be fully customized by applying filters (per Question, Time, Group of Poll devices, Region) to the collected data and then save as favorite the report so as to retrieve it at any time or export or print. The data analysis can also show the 10 Top/Bottom and 10 Risers (with higher increase in scoring) /Fallers (with higher decrease in scoring) for all Poll devices (1 ) by applying filters of Question (one or more) and time. Finally, the application manager can give access to other users with controlling different level of access.

At the Question Page, the Administrator handles the questions that appear at the poll devices (1 ). He types a certain question at the field, select a certain cluster of poll devices (1 ) where these questions will appear or create another cluster, select "Submit". Then the question will appear at the list of questions, the administrator selects the question and then selects "Launch". The administrator can change the series of the question with the buttons "Move Up" or "Move Down".

At the Page Group of Poll Devices (1 ), the Administrator handles and creates group of Poll Devices (1 ). He types the Name of the Cluster that wants to create and selects which poll devices (1 ) will be a part of this Cluster through several criteria. Then he selects "Apply Filter" and the Cluster is created.

At the Data Analysis Page, the Administrator can have scoring (percentage), total number of responses and number of Low, Medium, High, Very High responses. The above results may appear per question by selecting the exact question, per group of questions by selecting certain questions, for all questions by selecting "Select AH". Then the administrator may choose the level of analysis: per device, region, certain clusters created or with selection of all devices. Then the administrator can select a certain time range (though a calendar) of the data analysis and compare to previous certain time range (through a calendar). Then all kind of analysis may be exported to an excel file. Through this data analysis, companies can have an integrated view of the voice of customer and handle it, share it, work on it at different levels so as to proceed to certain recommendations, improvements and next steps.

Through the Page of 10 Top/Bottom, 10 Risers/Fallers, the Administrator can easily and quickly have a view of the 10 Top/Bottom and the 10 Risers/Fallers devices in scoring. The administrator can have the scoring at certain question, certain group of questions or all questions and select a certain time range. Through this page the company can easily have a view of the high performers to reward or low performers to improve and educate.