How do I write a survey question for people who have not used a service?
Quick answer
Ask whether the person has used the service during a clearly stated time period, then route non-users past questions that require firsthand experience. If everyone sees the question, include “I have not used this service” as a separate option from “Not sure” or “Prefer not to answer.” Do not ask non-users to rate service quality; ask instead about awareness, reasons for not using it, or what information they need.
The question, the details, the next step.
I’m writing a survey about a local service. What’s the first thing I should do so people who haven’t used it aren’t forced to answer as if they have?
Start by deciding which questions genuinely require firsthand use. For those, establish whether someone has used the service and when. A clear time window helps respondents answer the same question—for example, “Have you used the service in the past 12 months?” Change that period to match your purpose; the example is only a placeholder.
Then choose one of two approaches:
- If your survey can route people based on their answer, send non-users past questions about their experience.
- If everyone sees the question, include a distinct “I have not used this service” option.
Keep that option separate from “Not sure.” Not having used the service is different from having used it but not remembering, and both are different from choosing not to answer.
Can you show me what the screening question and a follow-up rating question might look like?
Assuming you want feedback from people who used the service recently, you could write:
“Have you used [service name] in the past [time period]?”
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
- Prefer not to answer
If the answer is Yes, continue:
“Overall, how satisfied were you with your most recent experience using [service name]?”
- Very dissatisfied
- Somewhat dissatisfied
- Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
- Somewhat satisfied
- Very satisfied
- Not sure
- Prefer not to answer
If the answer is No, skip the satisfaction question. If you cannot route people automatically, show the same rating question with “I have not used this service” as an additional option. Don’t treat “No” as a low rating: it means the person has no experience to rate.
I do want to learn why some people haven’t used it. How can I ask that without making assumptions about them?
Ask non-users about possible reasons in neutral language, and let them select more than one if several could apply. For instance:
“You said you have not used [service name]. What, if anything, are the reasons? Select all that apply.”
- I was not aware of the service
- I have not needed this kind of service
- I use another option
- I do not know how to access it
- Cost is a concern
- Another reason: [please specify]
- I prefer not to answer
Use only reasons relevant to your survey; these are illustrative choices, not claims about why people avoid any particular service. “What, if anything” leaves room for no listed reason to fit. If you need to know whether someone is simply unsure about the service, ask that separately rather than interpreting a blank response as lack of awareness.
How can I check that the wording and routing work before I send the survey?
Read it through as two different people: someone who has used the service and someone who has not. Trace each person’s route and ask whether every question makes sense for them. Check that the time period is visible, the non-user route does not lead to experience ratings, and “not sure” is not being used as a substitute for “not used.”
A compact draft might look like this:
- “Have you used [service name] in the past [time period]?”
- If Yes: ask about the most recent experience.
- If No: ask whether they want to share a reason, then skip experience ratings.
- If Not sure or Prefer not to answer: follow a clearly chosen route—usually skip questions that depend on confirmed use.
If your survey platform supports routing, test each answer path in a preview. If it does not, put the non-user option directly in relevant questions and explain which respondents should choose it. The wording alone cannot guarantee that respondents interpret a question as intended, so revise anything that readers find ambiguous.
A practical checklist
State the service name and a useful time period in the use question.
Separate “not used,” “not sure,” and “prefer not to answer.”
Route non-users past questions that require personal service experience.
Use neutral, optional choices when asking why someone has not used it.
Read through the survey as both a user and a non-user before sending.
A few more useful answers
Should non-users choose the lowest satisfaction rating?
No. A low rating describes a negative experience; a non-user has no experience to rate. Skip the rating or provide a separate “I have not used this service” option.
Should I include “not applicable” in every survey question?
Only when the question may genuinely not apply to some respondents. For service-experience questions, a specific “I have not used this service” option is clearer than a broad “not applicable.”
What if someone is unsure whether they used the service?
Offer “Not sure” separately from “No.” Avoid sending someone who is unsure into questions that assume confirmed use unless those questions are worded to accommodate uncertainty.