Why a high completion rate is important in survey research

Getting a high response rate in a survey is important. But just as important — and often overlooked — is how many respondents actually complete the survey they started. This is called the completion rate, and for organizations to make sound decisions based on surveys, tenants must not only answer the first question but complete the entire survey.

At AktivBo we know how crucial this is to be able to break down results by property, individual tenant, or area. With over 30 years of experience in tenant surveys in the real estate industry, we have developed methods that not only attract more respondents — we have the industry's highest response rates — but also make it easy and meaningful to complete the survey. The result is a completion rate of 89% in our survey that measures overall customer satisfaction — CustomerScoreCard™.

What is completion rate and why is it important?

Completion rate shows the proportion of those who start a survey and actually answer all questions and submit their responses. Unlike the traditional response rate, which shows how many tenants opened the survey and began answering, completion rate shows how many stayed engaged until the end.

A high completion rate means:

• More reliable data: you avoid large dropouts and interpretation challenges.

• Better comparability between different properties or geographic areas.

• Increased transparency in decision-making — fewer "voices" are lost.

• Stronger trust from tenants, who feel their time is respected.

In the real estate sector, many decisions about safety, service, and maintenance are made based on survey results. Therefore, it is critical that the data be as complete as possible, otherwise you risk making wrong decisions or overlooking important needs, which can become costly for the property owner in the long run.

How does AktivBo achieve an 89% completion rate?

Through our proven methodology, we design surveys that tenants are motivated to complete. Key factors behind our high completion rate:

• Clear structure: questions are logically ordered and easy to navigate.

• Relevant content: we focus on tenants' daily lives and experiences, not technical details they can't influence.

• Personal invitations and reminders: our outreach is tailored to the audience and quality-checked.

• Mobile-friendly experience: more tenants respond via SMS, tenant portals, or apps — a seamless mobile experience is critical.

Trust, transparency, and communication: tenants see that their feedback drives real improvements, which increases their motivation to finish.

What this means for property owners and managers

With a high completion rate, you have a more reliable basis for decision-making. You can confidently use the results to:

• Break down results reliably by region, property, or individual tenant.

• Prioritize the right actions in property management.

• Track your organization's progress and impact.

At the same time, tenants' sense of involvement grows — strengthening relationships and building trust.

Ready to get more from your tenant surveys?

Contact us for a conversation about how AktivBo can support your improvement efforts — from data collection to concrete action.