Stop Ignoring What People Are Really Telling You: The Power of Unstructured Data.

When was the last time you got excited about filling in a feedback form? Probably never. And when you do fill one out, does it actually let you say what you really think, or are you stuck trying to squeeze your thoughts into tick boxes and smiley face ratings?

That’s the problem with most traditional data collection. It’s structured for the people sending the survey, and not for the people responding. So, while it’s great to report that “72% of respondents rated our service as ‘good’ or above,” what does that really tell you? Why did they rate it that way? And more importantly, why didn’t the other 28% feel the same?

Here’s a fun (and slightly alarming) fact: Charities in the UK spend 15.8 million hours a year just reporting. That’s time spent stitching together fragmented data from various sources, using outdated methods like low-response surveys and generic metrics that barely scratch the surface. We chase “bums on seats” to demonstrate success, but attendance doesn’t equal impact. Or we build case studies around the few standout stories, ignoring the broader picture.

There are three big problems with this approach:

1. Low engagement – Most people don’t respond unless they had a really great, or really awful, experience.

2. Poor data quality – Does it really matter how many smiley faces you got for “Was the venue clean?”

3. Too late to act – By the time you analyse feedback, the opportunity to make meaningful change has already passed.

“If you could have a conversation with everyone who uses your services, what might you learn?”

A lot. Probably more than any survey could ever tell you. That’s the value of unstructured data. The conversations, messages, voice notes, videos, chatbot logs, case notes, and more that people are already creating every day. It’s raw, real, and full of insight. You just need the right tools to listen.

Think about all the places where people are already giving you feedback without being asked: 

• Call centres

• WhatsApp chats

• Website bots

• Slack channels

• Voice notes

• Reflection videos

• Case resolution records

• And more...

Every one of these is a goldmine of unstructured data. You’ve already got the answers, you're just not looking in the right place. Now imagine being able to zoom out and see the big picture. Spot trends, identify problems early, understand what’s working (and what’s not). And best of all? You don’t need to send a single feedback form.

“Think of the strategic plans and funding bids you could write with that level of insight…”

That’s where Transceve comes in. We connect directly to your unstructured data sources, meaning there is no need to change how you work. We give you real, actionable insights, in the moment. Not at the end of a project. Not when it’s too late. But as you go, in the flow of work.

No more guesswork. No more assumptions. Just smarter decisions, driven by what your users are already telling you.