Exit survey questions can make or break your ability to understand why people leave—whether they're employees resigning, customers canceling, or attendees dropping off.
The best questions for exit survey conversations go beyond surface-level feedback by using AI to dig deeper into motivations.
Let’s walk through proven sample exit survey questions for employees, customers, and events—and how to configure AI-powered follow-ups to uncover the real story behind every exit.
Employee exit survey questions that reveal the real reasons for leaving
It’s one thing to know someone is leaving—but another to understand why. Especially since 42% of voluntary turnover is preventable with the right insights and action [2]. Here are sample exit survey questions paired with practical AI configuration tips you can use in any AI survey builder:
What is the primary reason you decided to leave your role?
AI follow-up: Instruct the AI to ask “Can you share an example or situation that impacted this decision?” if the answer is vague. This steers the conversation past generic responses.Prompt: If their answer is general (e.g., "management"), follow up with: "Could you describe a specific experience or moment that influenced how you feel about management?"
Were there any company policies or practices that contributed to your decision?
AI follow-up: Configure branching—if yes, ask for details and suggestions; if no, quickly move on.Prompt: "What changes to these policies or practices would have made you reconsider staying?"
How supported did you feel by your manager and team?
AI intent: Tune tone as “empathetic, neutral.” If support was low, ask for examples; if high, ask what worked well.Prompt: Based on initial answer, "Can you mention a situation where you felt particularly supported or unsupported?"
Is there something we could have done differently to retain you?
AI follow-up: Set to “persistent probing” up to 2x if the response is “no” or unsure, to unearth hidden blockers.Prompt: If not sure, "Sometimes even small issues add up. Was there a series of minor things that played a role?"
What would make you recommend this company as a workplace to others?
AI intent: Seek both praise and improvement. If positive, prompt for the single most valuable aspect; if negative, prompt for top area to improve.Prompt: "If you could change one thing to make this place better, what would it be?"
AI-powered follow-ups transform static questions into dynamic conversations. Instead of collecting one-word answers, you’re inviting honest stories—and the kind of context you can actually use to improve your processes.
Traditional exit survey | AI conversational exit survey |
|---|---|
Checklist or rating questions; little depth | Conversational, tailored follow-ups for detail |
Generic “Why are you leaving?” | Specific probing into actual causes, even subtle ones |
Low engagement, rushed answers | Feels intuitive—responses are richer and more actionable |
Manual review and interpretation needed | Automatic analysis and summarization of themes |
Given that only 43% of employees feel satisfied with how their company handles exits [4], this shift can radically improve outcomes—for leavers and for your team.
Customer exit survey questions to reduce churn and win back business
When a customer churns, every missed insight is an opportunity lost. Given that preventable churn costs millions for many businesses, the following AI-powered sample exit survey questions can help you learn what matters most and even win people back:
What was your main reason for canceling or leaving our service?
AI follow-up: Use automatic probing—if “price,” ask if features lacked value; if “support,” ask about a specific ticket or experience.Prompt: "Was there a feature you felt was missing, or something that would have made the service more valuable for you?" (tone: professional, empathetic)
Were there any frustrations or pain points with our product?
AI branching: If yes, follow up for exact workflows or use cases; if no, ask about alternatives they plan to try.Prompt: "Could you walk me through a recent experience where something didn’t go as expected?" (tone: neutral, inquisitive)
Did you consider any alternatives before deciding to leave?
AI intent: If yes, probe what stood out in competitor offerings; if no, ask if there’s a missing feature they wish they’d seen.Prompt: "Which alternatives seemed more appealing, and why?" (tone: friendly, brief)
Is there anything we could have done to keep your business?
AI follow-up: Persistent if vague (“not really”); otherwise, one additional clarification.Prompt: "Sometimes timing or small details influence decisions—did anything like that affect you?" (tone: empathetic)
How likely are you to return or recommend us in the future?
AI branching: For high ratings, prompt for "What would encourage you to come back sooner?"; for low, dig into blockers.Prompt: "Is there one thing we could fix immediately that would earn back your trust?" (tone: sincere, supportive)
Smart branching means the AI tailors its approach based on responses—fast for definite “no,” persistent for “maybe,” deep for specifics. For NPS questions, customize logic for promoters (“What do you love most?”), passives (“What could make us a 10?”), and detractors (“What’s the biggest reason for your score?”).
Learn more about how automatic AI follow-up questions work to probe customer motivations and deliver gems your team can act on. This is how exits become a feedback loop—not a dead end.
Event exit survey questions that capture attendee insights
Great event exit survey questions go beyond star-ratings—collecting honest, actionable feedback on logistics, sessions, and experience. With AI-driven configuration, you can adapt tone and depth to keep engagement high:
What was your overall impression of the event?
AI follow-up: Friendly tone, probe for both highlights and disappointments based on sentiment.Prompt: "Was there a particular moment or session that stood out to you? Why?" (tone: friendly, brief)
Which session or speaker made the biggest impact on you?
AI configuration: If unclear, follow up for clarity (“Which aspect of their presentation resonated most?”). If none, pivot to format or scheduling.Prompt: "Was it the topic, the way it was delivered, or something else that made it memorable?" (tone: conversational)
Were there any logistical or organizational issues you encountered?
AI intent: For every issue, follow with “How did this affect your overall experience?” If no issues, pivot to positive feedback or future topics.Prompt: "If something could have been improved for next time, what would it be?" (tone: helpful, brief)
Will you join us again next time? Why or why not?
AI follow-up: If “no,” probe for blockers; if “yes,” ask what would make it even better.Prompt: "What would motivate you to return, or what would make you reconsider?" (tone: open, sincere)
Language flexibility matters for international audiences. AI surveys with built-in multilingual support let attendees answer in their preferred language, and you view results in one dashboard—no manual translation, no friction. With AI survey customization tools, you can tweak prompts, adjust tone, and refine question flows instantly, ensuring the experience fits your event brand and context.
Configuring AI for deeper exit survey insights
The power of AI in exit surveys is all about how you configure the follow-ups. Here’s how I approach it:
Depth: Set probing to “persistent” for critical high-churn questions, “brief” for lighter event feedback.
Intensity: Choose up to 3x follow-ups for vague answers; less for topics that risk survey fatigue.
Branching logic: Map “If yes/if no” flows so the AI pivots appropriately, rather than sticking to a script.
Tone: Match to context—professional for employee exits, empathetic for churn, upbeat for event feedback.
Good practice | Bad practice |
|---|---|
Set clear intent: "Explore root causes, avoid financial offers" | Leave AI unrestrained—risking off-topic, irrelevant follow-ups |
Limit probing: "No more than 2 follow-ups if user is unsure" | Infinite follow-ups, causing respondents to quit |
Specify tone: "Empathetic, not apologetic" | No tone guidance, leaving responses feeling robotic |
Branch for “yes/no/unsure”, tailor follow-up | Same follow-up for every answer, regardless of detail |
Here are specific AI instructions I’ve used successfully:
To explore: “Ask for concrete examples or recent situations.”
To avoid: “Do not suggest discounts, stay neutral about pricing, avoid personal questions.”
To clarify: “If the response is vague or ‘not sure,’ ask one more time for either a reason or example, then thank the respondent and move on.”
Brand consistency is also crucial, especially for in-product surveys. With custom CSS in in-product conversational surveys, you can make AI exit surveys match your product’s exact look—seamless, familiar, and always on-message. The best conversational surveys don’t just collect answers—they foster trust, making it easy for people to speak honestly.
And because every answer sparks a follow-up, you’re not filling out a dull form; you’re having a real conversation—one that surfaces trends and stories for you to act on.
Turn exit feedback into retention strategies
If you’re not running AI-powered exit surveys, you’re missing out on the specifics behind why people churn, resign, or drift away—which makes it nearly impossible to fix underlying problems or double down on what sets you apart. Let AI surface hidden trends and actionable insights with instant survey response analysis and reporting. Create your own survey in minutes and turn every exit into a new opportunity to grow.