Advertising Age has an interesting piece about survey research: Consumers Rebel Against Marketer's Endless Surveys: 30 Top Industry Execs Gather to Discuss 'Opinion Fatigue' Crisis
At a roundtable held among execs of large consumer products firms and their researchers in Chicago, there was serious handwringing about survey fatigue and non-responders. Perhaps survey research is not as valid as it used to be, too small a sliver of the population is making money as professional respondents, etc.
If you are hearing this kind of thing and wondering what to do in your own organization, my suggestions are these:
Treat your respondents with respect.
Ask smart questions. Ask only what you can act on, not what would be nice-to-know. Pre-test all surveys with a small sample of the target group and interview them. Then fix the problems with confusing or irritating questions. This does cost a bit extra, but you will get much better results.
Out of a sense of obligation to the industry, I try to participate in all research I am not barred from. And I am frankly shocked at how much of it is frustrating to participate in. Maybe you've had this experience yourself, and it's disrespectful of you as a consumer or a customer or a voter or a taxpayer.
Be quick about it.
Challenge yourself to make your next survey half the length of the last one.Use multiple methods.
Multi-method projects come together on the problem from several angles. This can add tremendously to your understanding. You'll also avoid being blindsided by a sampling or response bias issue from a single survey instrument.
You could combine an internet survey with a site intercept questionnaire, with some depth interviews. If something doesn't seem to fit, test again.Consider paying people for their opinions.
I know this is unpopular in research circles. And indeed, paying people to be on large research panels is part of the problem. But if you want people to spend some of their free time answering your questions, maybe you should reward them appropriately. After all, how do you yourself feel about this?Spend the money for real research
Your research supplier should be a member of a professional research association in your country. These organizations have standards and ethics and auditing bodies. They conduct training and education programs, publish useful articles and journals, and generally try to maintain high standards.If your supplier isn't part of one of these organizations, you need to ask yourself why. Would you go to a doctor that didn't participate in continuing education? Even your car mechanic and hair stylist is likely to have recent educational certificates on display.
This problem is really the tragedy of the commons all over again. Because it is getting cheaper to do survey research, there's lots more of it, and the natural tendency of most people to co-operate and be helpful has been abused to the point where a lot of people just don't want to play anymore.
