Telephone Opinion Surveys

Marketing Research Using Telephone Opinion Surveys

As technology increases, there have never been more ways to conduct marketing research. In addition to telephone opinion surveys and surveys conducted by mail or in-person interviews, marketing consultants have introduced internet surveys and even text message polls to the mix of marketing research tools. Even with the thrust towards using new technology to make the marketing research process faster, companies still rely heavily on telephone opinion surveys to inform them of consumer interests and emerging marketing trends.

Telephone opinion surveys remain a tried and true way to conduct marketing research for a number of reasons, even though internet surveys are gaining in popularity. Marketing research professionals recognize that telephone opinion surveys are still one of the best ways to represent the current population. Even though the telecom industry cites decreasing amounts of landline users and an increase in cell phone only households, the marketing research industry counteracted the trend by including cell phone users as well as landline users in telephone opinion survey samples.. When taking into account both types of phone customers, telephone opinion surveys are able to accurately represent the general population’s opinions and interests.

Telephone opinion surveys are one of the best ways for engaging consumer participation; even when surveys attempt to measure opinions and statistical information about sensitive or taboo subjects, like addiction. Many kinds of telephone research studies can be conducted anonymously, and respondents often feel free to let telephone researchers know how they really think and feel in free-flow responses or through a range of coded responses.

Telephone opinion surveys utilize live interviewers to help guide respondents through both simple and more complex surveys. Interviewers receive special training in how to conduct interviews, how to get through telephone gate-keeping systems to reach potential respondents, and learn how to accurately reframe questions to obtain useful responses. This ability to accurately probe makes telephone opinion survey data more useful than flat or static data obtained via online surveys.

Telephone opinion surveys accurately predict political elections, population trends, and changes in social values. In addition, telephone opinion surveys have shaped companies over the years, transforming products and bringing new ideas to the forefront. Their accuracy and ability to measure broad demographic opinions ensure that telephone opinion surveys will have staying-power as a key marketing research tool.