IVR System

IVR – Interactive Voice Response – is a system that conducts interviews automatically by telephone.  The interview is conducted either after the respondent has dialed in – Inbound IVR, or the system has dialed to the respondent – Outbound IVR.  The system contains questions recorded by a human interviewer, as well as interview logic.

This service is available only for professional survey research organizations. In all cases the survey research firm must be identified in the interview.  A phone number is displayed for the respondents who have call display.  A voice message is left on answering machines with an option to call back.

Characteristics

IVR systems are completely automated for:

  •  Inbound – by calling a toll free number

  • Outbound – using directory listed or RDD samples, or your client's list

  • Interview is recorded by a professional interviewer of your choice.

  • Open ended responses are recorded digitally for later replay, coding or transcription.

  • Closed responses are recorded using the telephone keypad. 

  • The system accommodates skip patterns, rotations and other typical research requirements, similar to CATI program logic.

Quality of Data 

IVR eliminates bias and variability caused by different interviewing styles and moods.

Cost

Substantially reduces the cost of telephone data collection:

  • Inbound IVR is mostly effective with a captive/loyal audience, such as employees or customers, or with the use of incentives

  • Outbound IVR is particularly useful as a screening tool for low incidence studies. Because of its potential for creating respondent dissatisfaction, we recommend using IVR studies to screen samples for low incidence studies of less than five questions

Language(s)

The interview can be presented in the language of your choice. Of course in all cases where there is doubt, a question can be added to switch to a preferred language.

System and software characteristics

  • ASDE, Survey Sampler has 72 lines dedicated to IVR. Expansion to 264 lines is possible within 4 weeks advance notice.

  • We provide full programming and recording of the interview.

  • Our software controls the interview, directs the flow of the interview, collects and processes numeric or voice data.

  • Application software monitors quotas and assigns a time to call to each set of telephone numbers if needed.

  • We aggregate the results.

  • Data is processed and sent to the survey research firm conducting the study, in the format and frequency of their choice.

Examples of work undertaken

  • Pre-selecting in six markets, in a radius from specific hospitals, asthma patients who agree to participate in clinical trial research for new treatment.

  • Outbound survey to track viewing of a television news program.

  • Inbound response to educational radio program.

  • Outbound political messaging.

  • Outbound message to prequalify panel members for a large mail survey regarding usage of an over-the-counter medication.

  • Pre-selection of users of a government service to participate in a satisfaction study.

    • For Additional Information

    Randa Bell, 
    Vice President  
    819-770-3651  
    888-323-3651
    rbell@surveysampler.com     




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