Professional handling of surveys

Professional Handling of Surveys

Presentation by Vinit Khandelwal

Survey is the Back Bone of Marketing Research

• Why a Market Research?

Where do we see surveys happening?

• Exit polls during elections• Census

• Restaurant feedback forms• Google Forms

• PagalGuy Best B-Schools Survey

Skilled LaborRoutine affair

Non RoutineSpecialized

Survey

Self

Professional

Not Solution.. But Information

• Mail• Telephone Interviews• Personal Interviews• Focus Groups• Observation• Online

• Objectives

• Budget

• Time

• Resources

Why?To direct

Purpose?Find out Public

awarenessPublic opinion

Objectives

Budget

• High > Costlier Survey Methods

• “However Big the Budget may be, it always fall short of the expected level”

Time

• Availability decidesSurvey Method

• Children’s preferenceof food brand > Less Time

• Opinion towardsadvertisement > More Time– Reaching out time– Collecting opinion time

Questionnaire DesignQuestionnaire Design

ConsistentWillingness to Answer

Easy to AdministerCommunicating the meaning

Equitable Access to Information

Questionnaire designing: An expert Job

Structured•Objective•No confusion

Un Structured

•Subjective•Follow-up action required

If the Questionnaire

is complex and the

respondants require

continuous guidance in answering?

AnswerPersonal Interview

If the respondent

needs to carry out a careful pre-search of

various information

sources before

answering?

AnswerMail

If Questionnaire

needs to be supplemented

by a lot of visuals?

AnswerOnline Interview

Sample Size : Sample Error

Size 1x Size 2x Size 3x Size 4x Size5x0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Sample Error

Sample Error

Hig

h

If the sample size is large and widely distributed

across a large area?

AnswerMail

If the sample is small and distributed

across a large area and

respondent anonymity is

the top priority?

AnswerOnline Interview

If sample size is large and respondent

prefers privacy?

AnswerTelephone Interview

Sample Size : Resources

Size 1x Size 2x Size 3x Size 4x Size5x0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Resources (Money, Time, People)

Resources (Money, Time, People)

Hig

h

Survey Method : Time• Response required immediately– Telephone or Online <hidden answer>

Survey Method : Budget• Budget is large & requires continuous personal

interaction with the respondent– Personal Interview

Survey Method : People• Large Human Resource & Large Sample– Personal Interview

• Low Human Resource & Low Budget– Mail or Telephone Interview

If the budget is limited and

the sample size is large and spread

across a wide area?

AnswerMail

If the target audience is NOT poor

and is highly time

conscious?

AnswerTelephone Interview

If the questionnaire is complex and

if the interviewer

needs to assist the

respondent in understanding the questions?

AnswerPersonal Interview

Observation

• Close look at respondent & his/her impressions WITH or WOTHOUT being aware

• Example, Product Trial at Malls

Mail

Sample is largeSpread across a wide areaInterviewer presence XRespondent Free from Time constraintFree from Pressure of interview environmentMost EconomicalObjective + SubjectiveGoogle Forms

Personal Interviews

• First Hand Information• Personal Information• Make understand and Answer– Readymade Questionnaire– Spontaneous

Telephone Interviews

• Time Constraint• Reach Constraint– Readymade Questionnaire– Spontaneous

• Possibility of multiple calls– To set appointment / find respondent

free– Broken Interview– Clarify answers

• Mood from Voice

Focus Groups

• Example, Improving featuresof the products

• Qualitative Specialty Group• Usually 10• 2-3 hours• Brainstorming – alternatives1. Introduction of members2. Moderator puts Question/Brief• Example, to prepare Questionnaire

Online Interview

• Wide usage• Geographical distances• Simplified Questionnaire administration• Respondent– Time Convenience– Pressure Convenience– Thought Convenience

Limitations of Survey

• Surveys rely on Respondent’s– Motivation– Sincerity– Responsiveness– Memory– Ability

• Complex Social Situations• Self Selected Samples (Non-probability)

Survey Tool Suitability Matrix

MailPersonal Interview

Telephone Interview Observation

Focus Groups

Online Interview

Interviewer Bias Less High High High High Medium

Economy Economic Costly Medium Economic Costly Economic

Geographical Reach within a

time frame High Low High Low Low HighResponse Rate Low High Medium High High Medium

Respondent Freedom High Low High High High High

Ability to link with other tools High High Low High High High

Respondent's Obligation to

answer Low High Medium Low High Medium

Respondent's ability to recollect High Low Low - High High

Thank You!