There are many types of online survey tools available
today, but an online survey tool typically has the
following features:

Software Accessed Via the Web
If you're familiar with online banking, you're familiar
with the concept of accessing software on the Web. In
the case of your bank account, you provide a login and
password and then have access to the bank’s software
to download banking transactions, pay bills, transfer
money between accounts, and conduct other business.
Online survey software is similar in principle. You
create a private account and then login to access the
survey software. Once you're logged in to your account,
you can easily create a survey, send it out, and view the
tabulated results. With an online tool there's no need
to install software on your organization's computers and
no need to involve your IT department or consultants.

Self-Service Model
Online survey tools typically employ a self-service model.
Good survey tools are sufficiently user-friendly so that you
don't need any technical expertise to create and deploy a
survey. You'll be able to sign up for an account online,
pay by credit card and create and send your first survey
within minutes. Of course, advance planning will allow
you to get the most out of your surveys, but the tools
themselves are typically very simple to use.

Surveys Deployed Via a URL or E-mail
Because surveys are created online, you send them by e-mail or by posting a URL for the survey on a website. If you're e-mailing the survey, you can either upload your list of e-mail addresses into the tool's e-mail list manager, or you can copy and paste the survey's URL into messages sent from an e-mail client such as Outlook.

Real-Time Analysis & Data Sharing
Survey results are tabulated as they're submitted. This means you can literally watch the results as they come in. In addition, because all of the data is available online, many of these tools allow you to share data with other team members, co-workers or even the survey respondents. Some organizations enter results from telephone surveys into their online tool so that they can easily share information.

FMI Pricing
FM-IQ is very cost-effective. Most online tools work on a subscription model, like a magazine: you sign up for a certain number of surveys, or for a particular time period. When your subscription is completed, you're done. There's nothing to do and no software to uninstall. Specific pricing models include: