Telephone Surveys are a method of data collection wherein interviewers contact respondents via telephone to conduct an interview by asking the respondents a list of predetermined questions.
What is the purpose of Telephone Surveys?
Telephone surveys are widely used in certain types of research, particularly market surveys. Professional market research companies utilise the latest technology in telephone surveying, for example, computer-based systems with automatic random digit dialling and forms for the easy and direct entry of response data.
Studies have shown that data collected in telephone interviewing are as valid as data collected by other survey methods (questionnaire, face-to-face interview). However, the researcher considering a telephone survey needs to be aware of certain limitations of this method of data collection. If the survey is planned accordingly, telephone surveys can be very successful.
The decision on whether a telephone survey is a suitable method for a particular survey will depend on factors such as: the topic under investigation; whether or not sensitive or complex issues are being explored; the depth of responses sought; and whether visual aids are necessary to explain the point.
Learn more about Kendlebell’s Telephone survey service here
There are many advantages to conducting telephone surveys
Among these are:
- Agents get immediate feedback to the questions they are asking.
- The conversation is relatively private between the agent and the caller
- Calls can be made 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Internet based calls can be free or very low cost.
- Most people have a telephone. No specialist equipment is needed.
- If there is an answerphone, the agent can leave a message if the person isn’t available to take their call.
- If the agent doesn’t have a telephone number readily available, there are plenty of services which will help you get a number.
- Answers in a telephone survey are inclined to be more accurate because the agent has the ability what is meant by the question.
- Agents also have an increased opportunity to notate comments, suggestions, and ideas.
- Businesses can use telephone surveys and the interaction with their customers to help re-inforce the impression that the business takes a personal interest in their customer’s experience.
- When agents are conducting telephone surveys, they can use the opportunity to escalate complaints and outstanding issues to their company’s customer service department.
Why outsource your Telephone Surveys?
Outsourcing your business surveys to Kendlebell has many benefits: –
- the survey will be completed on time and on budget
- the agents are very experienced at carrying out these surveys and ensuring that the respondents are comfortable answering the questions
- an outside agency can ensure confidentiality
- the agents are focused on each project and will not get distracted
- it is very cost effective to outsource business telephone surveys compared to internal staff carrying it out as they may have to be trained, reallocated from other tasks (which still must be competed), and may get distracted by current tasks and customers
Call Kendlebell for a quotation and see how cost effective outsourcing your telephone surveys can be. Visit www.kbell.ie for more information
