Communications For Research, Inc.

CFR offers Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) conducted from our data collection facilities by a staff of professionally trained interviewers and supervisors.

Our telephone interviewing stations are all equipped with CfMC software – CfMC's SURVENT is the most widely respected CATI system in marketing research – giving us the ability to:

• Conduct multiple projects simultaneously.
• Automatically track an unlimited number of quota cells per project.
• Complete projects with an unlimited number of respondents.
• Manage all calling functions including automatic dialing, record dispositions (busy signals, no-answers, callbacks, etc.) and schedule follow-up attempts with automatic reminders for the interviewers.
• Calculate on-going incidence rates for each project and quota cell.
• Track interviewer productivity on a daily or cumulative basis.
• Produce top-line reports of respondent data while interviewing is in progress.

CFR has an outstanding in-house programming and technical staff. We pay close attention to every detail to ensure that your surveys will be conducted exactly as you want them. We also think creatively to find new and innovative ways to reach the respondents with the questions you need answered. If it can be done, our technical staff will make sure we get it done.

We make every effort to achieve the highest possible response rate. All sample numbers receive multiple calls at different times and on different days, including weekends where appropriate and a toll-free 800 number is available so those busy respondents can call us back at their convenience.

Our highly-trained interviewing staff is closely monitored using our remote and on-site monitoring system to spot - and eradicate - any potential problems. Field supervisors monitor interviewing throughout a project. Each interviewer's work is checked through daily evaluations of all of their dialings - including completions and refusals.

Training

Real quality is ensured through extensive training, briefings, and supervision. Training is done using both the Market Research Association program and our in-house training system.

Training topics cover:

• Introduction to marketing research
• MRA training program
• Question types and procedures
• Probing and clarifying responses fully
• Computer use
• Phone etiquette
• Specific office procedures
• Job-in-progress monitoring
• Asking questions verbatim, with the correct emphasis and inflection
• Controlling the interview and recognizing when the respondent is confused
• Recording answers verbatim
• Presenting a smooth, professional interview

The Job Briefing Outlines per project include:

• Job & Title: identifies the study
• Purpose: a general explanation of the information
• Schedule: Verification of working hours and days
• Quota: the total number of completes needed
• Method: how interviews will be recorded (computer or paper)
• Sample/Sampling procedure: Process of selecting the sample
• Supplies: we familiarize interviewers with the project
• Interviewer Outline: brief but specific summary of the questions being asked
• Preliminary Interview: example of the typical interview
• Security: reminder of the importance of confidentiality