“How to Find a Quality Telephone Data Collection Company”
by
Ronald T. Nielson
Despite the technological advances that have occurred over the last
several years, telephone data collection remains the primary method of gathering
market research and political information. Finding a telephone survey firm that
is right for your research project requires asking the right questions of the
company that is going to ask your questions.
If you need to acquire accurate data you can trust, hiring a top-notch
telephone data collection provider is crucial. Anyone can set up a phone bank
and start calling people. And many new companies have done just that, with
little or no experience in data collection techniques, quality control and data
analysis. Obtaining reliable data, however, requires using a quality telephone
data collection company with significant experience and strict adherence to
quality controls.
There are several important things to learn before you hire a telephone
data collection firm. First, you
should examine the quality of the company’s phone center. All interviewers
should be properly tested before they are employed. Callers should have clear
enunciation and neutral accents. After prospective employees have passed a
preliminary screening, they must be properly trained to use standard telephone
survey techniques.
At our firm, we
have mandatory training for all new employees, regardless of their experience at
other call centers. Our training
lasts a full day and follows MRA guidelines.
Before the training is started, we require new interviewers to pass a
grammar, typing and reading test. We
also test for overall interviewing skills.
Once hired, we provide all employees with additional training and
coaching, regardless of seniority in our company. We believe that continuing
education is fundamental in the rapidly evolving market research industry.
Another important matter to consider before hiring a data collection firm
is their supervisor to interviewer ratio. Our firm uses a ratio of 1 supervisor
for every 7 interviewers to insure the highest quality and accuracy of the data
we collect. We also allow clients to monitor our interviewers, either on-site or
remotely. You should make sure this
capability will be provided for you.
Another significant factor to consider is computer-assisted telephone
interviewing (CATI), where interviewers use a computer to control the
administration of the survey questionnaire and perhaps the sampling process.
CATI can be used to regulate the distribution of the sampling pool, even to the
point of dialing the appropriate telephone number for a ready interviewer.
CATI can
automatically simplify complicated skip patterns, randomly order the sequence of
questions or lists, and incorporate previous answers into the wording of
subsequent questions. CATI also enables clients to review their programmed
script prior to fielding and allows interviewers to enter data into a
computer-readable and analyzable format. Our firm specializes in CATI telephone
interviewing. We have 150
CATI stations, which is ample to allow us to conduct large telephone surveys
easily.
Ask whether the
company you are intending to hire uses a predictive dialing system.
Predictive dialers save money by increasing calling efficiency and
reducing the amount of time interviewers are idle.
One important
note: Many excellent research firms
do not operate their own call centers. As
a simple matter of fact, you should determine in advance whether the firm you
hire will be conducting the data collection itself or outsourcing it to another
firm.
The way data collection firms manage projects is another important matter
to consider prior to selecting a company to handle your research. The firm you
choose should provide daily written reports via fax or email and these reports
should include dispositions. Project
Managers should be accessible after hours as well to handle unexpected problems
or other developments that need immediate attention.
Overall professionalism and timeliness are evident in the way a firm
handles bid requests. An experienced sales team should be able to produce an
itemized bid for a project within the same day it is requested. Look for a firm
that provides a detailed account of all costs, terms, and deadlines. Standard
payment terms usually require 50% down, with the expectation that open-ended
questions will be cleaned up at no extra charge. If the firm provides
tabulation, the banner results are generally expected within five days of the
day they are outlined. General frequencies and cross tabs should be available
the day following fielding.
Many telephone survey firms fail to grasp the importance of adhering to
strict quality controls, or they are unwilling or unable to make the effort
required. Find a firm that has relevant, practical experience in the type of
survey you need. Various language capabilities might be a factor as well.
Be cautious about hiring a telemarketing firm to conduct an opinion
research survey because telemarketing callers have a different skill set from
research interviewers. Telemarketers
rely heavily on ad-libbing to influence potential buyers. Research interviewers, however, must follow the survey
script verbatim. Following the script exactly as it is written insures that
all survey respondents answer identical questions and are not guided or coached
by the interviewer.
(Note: Telemarketing agents
are paid commissions when they complete a sale.
Survey research interviewers are generally not paid commissions
for completing surveys to help
prevent the falsification of data, which is a major industry problem.)
If possible, select a firm that is a member of standard industry
organizations such as the American Marketing Association (AMA), the Marketing
Research Association (MRA), the Council of Survey Research Organizations (CASRO),
etc. Membership in trade organizations indicates that the company follows
industry standards and has a commitment to quality.
Always ask for references and insist that the timelines set in the
contract be met. Always arrange
clear and mutually agreed upon deadlines prior to going into the field with a
project.
When you are selecting a firm to conduct telephone data collection,
it’s very important to look for a company with practical, hands-on experience
and the expertise to help you decide what research methods will work best for
your purposes. The effort you invest in finding the right firm will pay off
in the reliable data you receive.