ATLANTA—A national customer-service firm sent customers a 22-question survey Tuesday. It asks them to rate their satisfaction with the 22-question survey it sent them last month.

"Our data showed that response rates on our surveys were falling," said customer insights director Mark Beale. "We needed to understand why, and the only tool we have is a survey."

The new survey asks customers to rate the old survey's length, its tone, and "the emotional experience of being asked to rate something on a scale of one to ten." A final open-text box invites "any additional feedback about feedback."

Early results show that 4 percent of customers responded. The company called that "a strong signal that the survey is reaching the people who like surveys."

"Honestly, we're encouraged," said analyst Tanya Brooks. "Everyone who answered loved it."

The company plans to send a follow-up survey next month asking how customers felt about being asked how they felt.

At press time, Beale had rated his own interview a 7 out of 10, citing "room for growth."