With an increasing number of households ditching their landline phones, are phone surveys a lost cause? Although response rates have decreased throughout recent years, phone data collection has proven to still have a worthwhile place in market research.
Phone surveys are useful when it comes to targeting specific, hard-to-reach audiences, allow for a more personalized survey experience, and produce high-quality responses. In this blog post, our phone survey company will dive deeper into the benefits of this type of market research.
With an increasing number of households ditching their landlines, are phone surveys a lost cause? Hardly. Learn more about the advantages of qualitative interviews below.
Telephone surveys help reach “offline” audiences
Phone surveys are a great way to reach specific demographics. For example, phone surveys reach those who would not be able to participate without a phone call from a call center. Some audiences are completely without internet access, while others don’t check their email inbox or don’t prefer to complete an online survey.
Surveys conducted by telephone are also not restricted by location or geography like other forms of qualitative market research. Your target audience is now cast by a much wider net. Whether a participant lives around the corner or across the country, they can be reached by phone and still provide in-depth feedback.
If you’re trying to understand “offline” audiences, phone surveys are a great research method to explore.
Phone surveys provide a more personalized approach to survey research
Throughout qualitative interviews, respondents form relationships and build trust with their survey interviewer. In addition, survey researchers are able to guide the respondents through the survey, rather than leaving them on their own to complete it. This is an experience respondents are unable to have through an online survey.
Online surveys are at the liberty of how much or how little a respondent will answer a question. Even if the survey question is phrased as an open-end, asking for respondents to explain their answer, there is no incentive to provide a lengthy response.
However, phone surveys are guided by an interviewer. If a participant answers with only a few words, the interviewer can probe the participant for more information.
Phone research produces quality responses
Since phone surveys provide a more personal experience for participants, phone interviewers can gather quality and useful information. The survey interviewers are trained to conduct research, are experienced in data collection, and have a wide range of research skills that help ensure quality.
Phone surveys allow the interviewer to probe for more information, which can decrease the number of incomplete surveys, as well as encourage respondents to provide more in-depth responses.
Phone representatives can proactively alert the research team if any issues arise, such as a question being misunderstood, not providing the appropriate response options, or a programming error.
Research centers often record phone surveys, which can serve as useful tools for quality control and training. Recording the interviews also allow researchers to return to conversations even after they are over, which assures no detail is left behind.
Why phone surveys are still important
Despite the challenges phone surveyors may face, phone surveying is still a valuable market research method. Landline usage is decreasing, but people are still accessible through their cell phones.
Those with restricted or no internet access become more accessible with phone research. Also, phone surveys provide a “human” connection, which builds trust and encourages respondents to complete the survey. Lastly, phone researchers are trained and monitored, which ensures quality data collection.
Phone surveys are also a great method to combine with other research tactics, such as focus groups and online surveys.
Contact Our Phone Survey Company
For phone surveys, Drive Research offers a team of qualified and experienced interviewers with a variety of project and industry experience.
Interested in learning more about our market research services? Reach out through any of the four ways below.
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