In-depth insights and information are valuable for all businesses looking to take advantage of the market. Still, gathering and organising this data can be challenging without the proper equipment or software.
Released in mid-2016 as a part of the Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Office 365 or M365) productivity suite, Microsoft Forms is a powerful data collection tool that quickly grew to become the secret weapon for many organisations’ information gathering and feedback strategies.
An in-depth look into Microsoft Forms
 Microsoft Forms is an information gathering tool that enables users to collect, organise, and analyse data in various formats. With data viewable through its “Responses tab”, the software can be used to create a survey, quiz, or poll that provides unparalleled insights into your business’s operations and the impact they have on your customers or stakeholders.
Usable through a web browser or mobile device (and accessible via a QR code if necessary) Forms can be used for the following situations:
- Gauging customer satisfaction regarding a new product or service.
- Gauging stakeholder satisfaction.
- Creating a survey or quiz for internal organisational use, such as employee feedback, skills assessments, etc.
 From selecting question types and data analysis methods, to even choosing the templates that best appeal to your audience, Forms is a versatile piece of software that pulls back the curtain on your company’s relationship with its customers and employees to help form links between your business’s operations and objectives.
It also easily integrates with the rest of the M365 suite (especially Excel and Microsoft Teams) for seamless data transfers. This is crucial for minimising the risk of data loss slowing your organisation’s processes down.
What are the benefits of using Microsoft Forms?
Microsoft 365 is a powerful solution to boosting workplace efficiency and productivity. Each of its applications – most notably Microsoft Forms – prioritises organisational longevity and positive customer experiences.
As soon as you and your employees open Forms, you gain several benefits that go towards reworking and optimising your company’s pre-existing data collection and management strategies.
These benefits are:
Secure and reliable feedback processes
Digital security is a fundamental component of the modern workplace. People’s information, whether it belongs to customers, stakeholders, you, or your staff, must be kept secure to reduce the chances of data theft.
Microsoft Forms’ security protocols are the same solutions leveraged by Microsoft 365. Individual questionnaires and responses are encrypted when stored in the M365 platform and when moving through internal systems, ensuring that all of Microsoft’s office forms and external surveys are protected from cyber threats.
Privacy and honest responses
Depending on the purpose of the survey or poll, people will feel more confident in sharing their honest opinions if there are no repercussions. Data subject anonymity is essential when collecting high-quality data, and your organisation will only be able to grow if the information you base your decisions upon is authentic.
Microsoft Forms’ privacy protocols cover security (such as data subject requests) and respondent wellbeing. Forms allows users to make their surveys anonymous by unticking the “Record name” option in the program’s settings. This feature offers recipients more incentive to share their views, ultimately providing your organisation with more valuable data.
Customisable publications
Any correspondence you share with a customer or stakeholder should be specific and reflect your brand. From choosing to leverage simple functions (such as multiple choice) for gathering information from your team to selecting more form settings for a truly eye-catching survey, questionnaires created in Forms are fully customisable for any business and its needs.
Is Microsoft Forms and Dynamics 365 Customer Voice different?
Dynamics 365 Customer Voice and Microsoft Forms are two different solutions where the former acts as a more advanced version of the latter.
While both programs can create questionnaires, share forms, and gather information from external and internal sources, Customer Voice’s features can be more complicated to use – particularly for businesses it is not intended for.
Another way to think of both solutions is this: Microsoft Forms is a program usable by companies of any size. Customer Voice is better suited for large-scale enterprises that need to obtain and manage vast amounts of data.
Why your business needs Microsoft Forms
 Data is the most significant indicator of how your business is performing and where its weaknesses lie. 60% of companies worldwide use data and analytics to define their business strategies and look for opportunities to grow in the market. While there are plenty of ways you can collect data – phone calls, emails, in-person conversations, etc. – they can cause inconveniences for you and your customers.
Upon implementing Forms into their daily procedures, businesses can get started right away and create comprehensive data-gathering publications that can touch upon a range of topics and uses. The entire process of creating a form takes only a few minutes. Users select the type of form they wish to develop and then start filling in the blanks. Afterwards, it can be published and shared.
You must regularly evaluate your company’s processes and provide others with opportunities to share their opinions about your products and services. This will allow you to improve your business model and shift your organisation toward a more profitable direction.
Tip: learn more about Microsoft Forms from M365 specialists
 Any strategy or business decision a company makes must be supported by credible data to succeed. Forms is a robust tool for collecting this information in ways that save your organisation energy and time.
If you are considering information collection software and do not know where to start, refer to the Microsoft 365 consultants at Steadfast Solutions for high levels of expertise in digital technologies and business management. Contact the team today to adopt Microsoft Forms and get started on a path to enhanced data gathering and analysis.