Transcript Survey Research: Basic Communication Methods

Exploring
Marketing Research
William G. Zikmund
Chapter 9:
Survey Research:
Basic Communication Methods
Surveys
Surveys as a respondent for information
using verbal or written questioning
Communicating with Respondents
• Personal Interviews
• Door-to-Door
• Shopping Mall Intercepts
• Telephone Interviews
• Self-Administered Questionnaires
Personal Interviews
• Gathering of
information from faceto-face contact.
• Direct communication
between businesses
and consumers in
which interviewers ask
respondents questions.
Advantages of
Personal Interviews
• Opportunity for feedback
• Probing
• Length of Interview
– Telephone -10 minutes
– Mail - 6 pages
– Personal Interview 1 ½ hours
• Completeness of Interview
• Use of Props and Visual Aids
• High Participation Rate
Disadvantages of
Personal Interviews
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Not anonymous
Interviewer influence
Anonymity of Respondents
Cost
Door-to-Door Personal Interview
Speed of Data Collection
Moderate to fast
Geographical Flexibility
Limited to moderate
Respondent Cooperation
Excellent
Versatility of Questioning
Quite versatile
Door-to-Door Personal Interview
Questionnaire Length
Long
Item Nonresponse
Low
Possibility of Respondent
Misunderstanding
Lowest
Degree of Interviewer
Influence of Answer
High
Supervision of Interviewers
Moderate
Door-to-Door Personal Interview
Anonymity of Respondent
Low
Ease of Call Back or Follow-up
Difficult
Cost
Highest
Special Features
Visual materials may be
shown or demonstrated;
extended probing possible
Mall Intercept Personal Interview
Speed of Data Collection
Fast
Geographical Flexibility
Confined, urban bias
Respondent Cooperation
Moderate to low
Versatility of Questioning
Extremely versatile
Questionnaire Length
Moderate to Long
Mall Intercept Personal Interview
Item Nonresponse
Medium
Possibility of Respondent
Misunderstanding
Lowest
Degree of Interviewer
Influence of Answers
Highest
Supervision of Interviewers
Moderate to high
Mall Intercept Personal Interview
Anonymity of Respondent
Low
Ease of Call Back or
Follow-up
Difficult
Cost
Moderate to high
Special Features
Taste test, viewing
of TV Commercials
possible
Telephone Surveys
Telephone Surveys
Speed of Data Collection
Very fast
Geographical Flexibility
High
Respondent Cooperation
Good
Versatility of Questioning
Moderate
Telephone Surveys
Questionnaire Length
Moderate
Item Nonresponse
Medium
Possibility of Respondent
Misunderstanding
Average
Degree of Interviewer
Influence of Answer
Moderate
Supervision of Interviewers
High, especially with central
location WATS interviewing
Telephone Surveys
Anonymity of Respondent
Moderate
Ease of Call Back or Follow-up
Easy
Cost
Low to moderate 25% of the
door-to-door interviews
Special Features
Fieldwork and supervision
of data collection are
simplified; quite adaptable
to computer technology
Telephone Surveys
• Central Location Interviewing
• Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing
• Computerized Voice-Activated Interviews
Most Unlisted Markets
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Sacramento, CA
Oakland, CA
Fresno, CA
Los Angles/Long Beach, CA
Mail Surveys
Mail Survey
Speed of Data Collection Researcher has no control
over return of questionnaire; slow
Geographical Flexibility
High
Respondent Cooperation Moderate--poorly designed
questionnaire will have low
response rate
Versatility of Questioning Highly standardized format
Mail Survey
Questionnaire Length
Varies depending on incentive
Item Nonresponse
High
Possibility of Respondent
Misunderstanding
Highest--no interviewer
present for clarification
Degree of Interviewer
Influence of Answer
None--interviewer absent
Supervision of Interviewers
Not applicable
Mail Survey
Anonymity of Respondent
High
Ease of Call Back or Follow-up
Easy, but takes time
Cost
Lowest
How to Increase Response Rates for Mail Surveys
• Write a “Sales Oriented” Cover Letter
• Money Helps
- As a token of appreciation
- For a charity
• Stimulate Respondents’ Interest with Interesting Questions
• Follow Up
- Keying questionnaires with codes
• Advanced Notification
• Sponsorship by a Well-known and Prestigious Institution
Increasing Response Rates
• Effective Cover Letter
• Money Helps
• Interesting Questions
• Follow-Ups
• Advanced Notification
• Survey Sponsorship
• Keying Questionnaires
Self-Administered Questionnaires
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Mail
Place of Business
Drop-Off
Computerized
E-mail
Internet
Other Variations
Internet Surveys
• Speed of Data Collection
– Instantaneous
• Geographic Flexibility
– worldwide
• Respondent Cooperation
– varies depending on web site
Internet Surveys
• Versatility of questioning
– extremely versatile
• Questionnaire Length
– modest
• Item Nonresponse
– software can assure none
Internet Surveys
• Possibility for Respondent
misunderstanding
– high
• Interviewer Influence of Answers
– none
• Supervision of Interviewers
none
Internet Surveys
• Anonymity of Respondent
– Respondent can be anonymous or known
• Ease of Callback or Follow-up
– difficult
• Cost
– low
• Special Features
– allows graphics and motion
Internet Surveys
• Item Nonresponse
software can assure none
• Possibility for Respondent misunderstanding
– high
• Degree of Interviewer Influence of Answers
– none
• Supervision of Interviewers
– none
Internet Surveys
• Anonymity of Respondent
– Respondent can be anonymous or known
• Ease of Callback or Follow-up
– difficult
• Cost
– low
• Special Features
– allows graphics and motion
There is no best form
of survey; each has
advantages and
disadvantages.
Selected Questions to Determine the
Appropriate Technique:
• Is the assistance of an interviewer
necessary?
• Are respondents interested in the issues
being investigated?
• Will cooperation be easily attained?
Selected Questions to Determine the
Appropriate Technique:
• How quickly is the information needed?
• Will the study require a long and complex
questionnaire?
• How large is the budget?
Pretesting
• A trial run with a group of respondents to
iron out fundamental problems in the
instructions of survey design
“Practice is the best
of all instructors.”
Publius Syrus