Conducting telephone research in the age of consumer advocacy

Editor’s note: Al Fitzgerald is president and founder of Answers Research, Inc., Solana Beach, Calif.

In a time when consumer advocacy groups battle against telemarketing, conducting research via phone requires unprecedented finesse. With the creation of do-not-call registries and the proliferation of anti-telemarketing devices, researchers often opt for a Web-based approach whenever possible. While researchers are excluded from restrictions limiting contact, the advent of these laws has encouraged consumers to question the legitimacy of all unsolicited telephone calls. When a telephone methodology is the most appropriate fielding method, researchers are wise to implement any possible measure to tilt the tide toward high-response telephone research. Establishing a non-sales identity using only experienced interviewers and moving beyond traditional contact approaches can only increase the success of a phone research study.

Phone vs. Web research

While online research is fast encroaching on the benefits of telephone research in the way that telephone research overshadowed costly in-person or time-consuming mail surveying, there remain key benefits not yet matched by any other fielding method. Achieving a true general population sample is most accurately gained by conducting a random-digit dial (RDD) methodology, though this is changing with the increase of Internet usage and the percentage of unlisted phone numbers. Still, with a 95 percent phone penetration rate within U.S. households, telephone surveying is the most efficient means to gather data representative of the general population.

When trying to reach a target group with only a limited contact list, researchers often opt to call each list member, one by one, in lieu of sending a single e-mail invitation to the group. Finally - and depending on the study objectives, most importantly - telephone surveying allows for open-end response probing not possible with a Web design. With a live interviewer clarifying questions and respondent answers, researchers stand a great chance to learn specific and personal reasons why a respondent holds a certain opinion.

Increasing hurdles

With telemarketers continuing their assault on the nation’s consumers, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has beefed up the telemarketing sales rule to further restrict unsolicited callers. As of June of this year, consumers are able to put their phone numbers on a national do-not-call registry, making it illegal for most telemarketers or sellers to call an included number. Inclusion on the list is free to consumers, but it is the responsibility of telemarketers to scrub their lists against the registry on a regular basis, and they face steep fines if a member is contacted. Consumers have participated in droves, with some 30 million registered since the federal program began. While market researchers will be excluded from the amended regulations, individuals targeted for recruitment may ask to be removed from the caller’s contact list. An association with current FTC amendments will only increase such requests.

Adding to the lineup of contact hurdles, electronic devices including the TeleZapper are inexpensive gadgets designed to thwart computer-dialed calls by emitting a disconnected tone. Once the computer associates the disconnected tone with an invalid number, the individual is removed from the list - or at the very least, removed from sample used to complete a study. Many frustrated consumers opt to let their answering machines provide a case-by-case avoidance service. Simply screening the calls won’t remove an individual from a contact list, but it will postpone contact and recycle the number for a callback.

Make your calls count

When a live person answers the phone and pauses to allow a short explanation for the call, an “attempt” has turned into a chance for a “complete” and it’s important to make your introduction count. Unfortunately, those in the research or marketing field most sympathetic to the cause of telephone interviewing are the least likely to qualify to complete the questionnaire because of their industry affiliation. It is important to keep in mind that market research is regarded as a close cousin to traditional telemarketing and the average consumer is suspicious of a caller’s intention. Respondents relax only slightly with the assurance that “this is not a sales call.” Fundraisers and other solicitors have caught onto this trick and use it often. While they may not be selling any product by traditional means, a successful call closes with the verification of the expiration date on a Visa card.

If disclosing the research sponsor will not adversely affect data collection, this should be announced early. The benefits of increased study participation and decreased cost and timing for fielding often far outweigh bias concerns. Potentially reticent customers may be persuaded to participate once they learn the survey is underwritten by a company producing products of interest. If a customer is contacted by a company with which they have an affiliation, there is often a greater stake in reporting positive or negative feedback to impact development of products that will be used in the future. An ideal invitation would be “I am calling on behalf of Popular Electronics Company X and we are awarding participants $10 to complete a 10-minute survey to help us design future products.” Sometimes consumers are recruited for a chance at a lottery winning or simply the opportunity to affect future product releases.

Experienced interviewers

Whether a survey is sponsor-disclosed or with or without an incentive, it is crucial to deliver information surrounding the survey in clearly understandable terms. A phone room is filled with a variety of talent. Each group has at least a portion of interviewers who read questions flawlessly, pronouncing even difficult technical terminology with ease. It’s important to request the most experienced crew for each project conducted and monitor them. There should not be any additional charge for this request.

In general, telephone room managers are no longer filling their ranks with interviewers stumbling over scripts and causing heart palpitations among monitoring clients. A more stringent interview process has ensured that unqualified interviewers are screened out before they are on the phone with potential respondents or customers. Before selecting a telephone facility, researchers are wise to question the internal interview monitoring process (percent of supervised interviews, etc.) and phone room staff credentials (education and training requirements, etc.).

“At the customer’s convenience” calling

Though it is most convenient to secure immediate participation to a survey, potential respondents may be willing to complete a survey at a later time if given the option. To ensure all avenues are explored when fielding studies, toll-free numbers are available through most phone rooms so that busy respondents can complete an interview at their convenience. Additionally, most CATI software allows interviewers to schedule callback appointments with potential respondents. Using this system, interviewers are reminded via time/date computer prompts to re-contact respondents to complete unfinished interviews. If a potential respondent feels his or her valuable schedule is being considered, he or she may be more willing participate in research.

Utilizing telephone panels

While online panels are often touted as a reliable way to reach a respondent group while maximizing research budgets, the same can be said of telephone panels. Similar to a Web-based database, telephone panels include a group of screened individuals who have agreed to participate in ongoing research. Incentives are arranged before joining and survey participation is generally limited to avoid any bias. Using a panel as opposed to a random-digit dial method or company-provided customer list minimizes recruitment time and thereby reduces overall project costs. (Telephone fielding is often charged per complete based on an estimate of how many minutes, including finding a respondent willing to take a survey, it takes to achieve a completed questionnaire.)

Web-phone method

When possible, it can behoove researchers to combine telephone and online fielding methods. This approach allows for increased response rates and broad respondent reach. Once finalized, the survey is programmed for both computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) and Web completion. This dual programming accommodates both methodologies, and by providing for both techniques simultaneously, programming charges are not increased. Web-based and telephone data can also be compared to see if there are any substantial differences between the groups.

Mail-telephone method

Another hybrid fielding technique combines mail and telephone methods. This is an appropriate choice for studies where it is critical to view a tangible sample (i.e., photos or printer samples) to be critiqued in the research. Implementing this approach, respondents are recruited via phone, and once screened and having agreed to participate, are sent a packet including the samples. After reviewing the documents, respondents are re-contacted via phone to collect their feedback. By ensuring respondents are pre-screened and willing to participate, researchers minimize the large postage and printing expense typically associated with the vast amount of pieces needed to field unsolicited mail surveys.

Minimize headaches

While there are several hurdles to conducting telephone research, marketers can minimize headaches by implementing measures that put the potential respondents at ease. By considering the customer and implementing approaches that make the process more palatable to respondents, researchers stand to decrease the overall cost of data collection and increase the likelihood of a successful telephone research project.