It amazes me how often there is a contrast from client to client on their requirement of a High Response Rate for their Social Research projects.
Clients who are "in the know" and have an in depth understanding of the "field" side of Research understand the importance of achieving a High Response Rate. Often expecting painstakingly stratospheric Response Rates to feed the confidence level of their findings.
So what is a High Response Rate?
High Response Rate can be defined as the rate at which the number of in-scope sample items dialed to complete surveys is as low as possible.
Which essentially means every possible person/household who could qualify for the survey has completed the survey or as near enough to this as possible.
Without this aim, and just allowing data collection to take it's own course (just dial as much sample as possible to get the target interviews) we are not giving everyone in the population (available during the fieldwork period) the chance to complete the survey, therefore, by default, biasing results.
Typical Response Rates acceptable are anything 70% and beyond. This percentage (%) is a calculation based on the number of completes divided by "in-scope" locations sampled (so all "out of scope" contacts are removed from the calculation).
What are the causes of low response rates?
* Refusal to complete the survey by qualifying respondent at any time during the surveying period (HARD refusal without the option of converting to an appointment);
* Limited timelines to complete the data collection;
* Large Number of Answering Machines, No Answers and Appointments that don't convert to Completed Surveys;
* Acceptance of too many SOFT Refusals without sufficient time to re-contact and convert to completes (generally when inexperienced staff are put on the project without the skills to convert a SOFT Refusal to an Appointment or best case, a completed survey).
How do we combat these causes?
* Keep the introduction to the survey clear, concise....and interesting. We have approximately 3 seconds to win over the respondent;
* Sufficient timelines to take into account individuals who may be difficult to contact during the fieldwork period. Ensure timelines are discussed openly with the field team so they can resource accordingly;
* Ensure staff are trained in Refusal Aversion/Avoidance techniques;
* Utilise the highest skilled staff in Refusal Conversion (re-contacting Soft Refusals to pursuade them to complete the survey).
That's enough from me. Now it's up to you.
