A couple of days ago I received a "survey" from one of the major "statistical" outfits asking for my comments on my satisfaction with tech support received recently from a printer manufacturer. My responses were not particularly favorable to the manufacturer, but the questionaire gave me absolutely NO PLACE to indicate that the problem I had WAS NOT RESOLVED by the manufacturer's support facilities.

One question, in fact, offered the options of my being "somewhat satisfied," "moderately satisfied" or "extremely satisfied" and refused to proceed to the next item until I entered one of the choices offered.

At the end of the "survey" I was given the opportunity to indicate "what negative comments I have made about the manufacturer." One comment that I offered was "they hire incompetent survey firms who are badly in need of copy editors and proof readers."

Just to be honest with them, I'll say again here:

...¹ hires incompetent survey firms who are badly in need of copy editors and proof readers.

Of course it was quite obvious that the questionnaire was designed to get a "statistical result" that would not be offensive to the people paying the bill for the survey.


¹ The company should remain anonymous, but their initials are HP or something like that. My comments on the survey were related only to their inkjet printers, as I've been quite satisfied with their laser printers (so far).

John