MRA Methodologies

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Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing

Telephone interviewing is conducted using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) software connected to an automatic dialling system TPPD (Third Party Power Dialling). Interviewers are not required to enter or dial phone numbers; the system automatically dials the required phone number then screens out disconnected and engaged numbers and presents a live call to the Interviewer.

Sample Management

The system can be configured to accommodate virtually any choice of sample management regime. Typically the number of attempts to contact a number is predefined by the client and the number will be called by the dialler up to that many times in an attempt to get a connection. No Answers are scheduled to be called again after a defined interval of time. Rules such as Next day plus 1.00 hour can be defined specifically for each project. Permissible time of day, day of week or date of calling can be specified.

Call Backs and Appointments

Depending upon the research methodology it is possible to identify a suitable respondent in a target household and then, if it is inconvenient for the respondent to participate at the time, an appointment for a later contact can be arranged. Also depending upon the rigor required by the research design, appointment setting and call backs can be either restricted to scheduled field times for the project, or scheduled for a time of convenience to the respondent. The Sample Management component of the TPPD maintains a record for such appointments and will automatically dial the number at the assigned appointment time.

Disconnected and Engaged Numbers

Disconnected numbers are detected and screened out automatically by the Dialler. Engaged numbers are re-tried at a predetermined interval (usually 15 minutes) until either a connection is achieved or an out is recorded. Engaged numbers can optionally be counted as attempts or, as is more often the case, ignored for the purposes of tracking contact attempts.
Random Number Dialling

The TPPD can be configured to dial random numbers. Again configuration options are entirely flexible with the possibility of using predefined number ranges, predefined prefixes, or a definition mask (a complex set of rules incorporating number ranges, exclusion lists, prefixes and other options).

Quota Management

Quota Management is handled by the CATI software independently of Sample Management. Virtually any combination of quotas and filters can be adopted to suit the research requirements.

Validation

Unless otherwise required by the research design, validation of surveys is conducted in accordance with IQCA validation rules which require 10% of each Interviewer’s surveys to be checked by means of live monitoring or call back. We favour the call back method as live monitoring can be intrusive from the respondent’s perspective. Where possible validation is conducted within a matter of hours of the original interview. Contact attempts for the purposes of validation are typically set to 3 and if necessary are conducted up to three days after the initial interview.

Exclusion Lists

The TPPD can be configured to dynamically exclude calls to predefined numbers and indeed the “exclusion list” can be updated continuously during interviewing to include people who specifically request not to be contacted again, or who decline to be contacted for validation purposes.