Tag: Mail Survey - DataForce Survey Research Services

Reasons to Avoid Sending Mail Surveys During the Holidays
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Reasons to Avoid Sending Mail Surveys During the Holidays

Survey Mailing Services

Reasons to Avoid Sending Mail Surveys During the Holidays

Many experts believe that the holidays are a bad time to ask people to participate in survey research, yet there are still some that will insist they’ve garnered better results during the holiday season. However, despite the success of some people in research during the holidays, we at DataForce Survey and Study Management still do not recommend sending mail surveys so close to the holiday. Below are two of the main reasons we urge you to think twice.

1. People Are More Stressed During the Holidays

A 2015 Healthline survey that measured holiday stress confirms that the majority of respondents were under stress. According to the results of the survey, 65 percent of generation X, 61 percent of millennials, and 62% percent of baby boomers feel some stress during the holidays.

When your audience is more stressed they are less likely to show interest in your mail survey. Their mind is more focused on picking the right gift, finances, holiday schedule, and so on. Although you may still receive survey response, it will undoubtedly be lower in quantity and quality than when your audience is in a period in time where they are under less pressure.

2. A Quarter of Americans Plan to Travel During the Holidays

According to a survey of more than 1,000 adults conducted by Experian, 1-in-4 Americans plan to travel during the holidays. Among those leaving their home for some R and R, Gen X-ers and millennials will be the ones to travel the most. 38% of Millennials and 35% of Gen X-ers said they typically hit the road during the holiday season, while only 16% of Baby Boomers and 11% of Gen Z members said they travel at this time. During the holidays, your target audience might be out of their house. Your response rate will likely experience a decline by at least a few percentage points as a consequence.

If you send out your packets during the holidays, there is also a good possibility that your respondents will leave their mail to pile up, and in an effort to catch up, throw out the ones that are least relevant into getting them back on track in their regular daily routine. Hence, the odds that your survey packet will be included with the mail thrown in the trash bin will be quite high.

If you cannot avoid sending out that mail survey during the holidays, here are our recommendations:

The delivery and return of holiday mail take longer. And, since potential participants are busy and distracted with the season, they tend to put off answering surveys. If you must send out your surveys during a holiday, allow additional time for returns. Most survey projects see the first set of results around 7 – 10 days after mailing, with the bulk of responses coming in between 14 – 18 days after the mailing date. If you are mailing your project around a holiday though, it is better to plan for an additional 1 – 2 weeks for responses, and expect them to be a little lower.

Check out our post on 3 Tips to Streamline Your Survey Return Schedule

Sending mail surveys during the holidays is not the best idea or strategy to increase your response rate. However, we understand there are situations when you still have to take this course of action. Our mail survey experts at DataForce can help you plan, prepare, and execute your mail survey confidently and flawlessly during this period. For more information on survey fulfillment or any aspect of mail survey management, contact us today!

Check out – forms processing services, incentive fulfillment services

By Zoula Shalice|2020-06-21T15:36:42+00:00June 20th, 2020|Survey Mailing Services|0 Comments

Tips in Managing a Long Survey
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Tips in Managing a Long Survey

Survey Mailing Services

Tips in Managing a Long Survey

One of the main reasons people don’t complete surveys is because they are too long and complicated. A long and complicated survey is like torture to potential respondents; it’s simply demotivating. If that’s what you’re aiming for, then go ahead and launch that survey. But I certainly don’t think that is anyone’s goal in creating their survey. So, if you’re struggling with a lengthy survey check out these tips and see how they can help you.

Turn that Catastrophic Long and Complicated Survey into an Ideal Short and Clean Mail Survey

A long survey is an instant no-no for most respondents unless, of course, you are providing a significant incentive. And those respondents that do continue to answer a long survey, well, a study has found that after 15-20 minutes of answering survey questions, data quality is reduced by more than 10%. In short, a long survey can result in a reduction in response rate or data quality. To avoid this scenario, keep your survey length to no more than 15 minutes. Below are some tips to use when a long survey challenges you:

1. Categorize Questions into Crucial, Beneficial, and Expendable

Categorize your questions in relation to their necessity in answering the research goals and objectives: Crucial, Beneficial, and Expendable questions. Crucial questions stay, and expendable questions are eliminated. In the middle are beneficial questions that assist in understanding the problem, but are not necessary for answering the objective and goals. They are temporarily removed and returned only when some room is left after all crucial questions have been listed. After the purging, the next step is to check the analysis of the survey, with and without the excluded questions. This step is vital to determine if there will be a significant difference in the analysis after the changes.

Moreover, think about adding the questions that were removed on a follow-up survey. A follow-up survey can be done through the same survey distribution method or something more convenient to the respondents, for example, online.

2. Multiple Survey Versions for Respondents

A second solution would be to create multiple versions of the survey. Let’s say you have 50 items on pharma products. You have 20 questions for your core questionnaire, and the remaining 30 questions are for three different products (10 questions each). Hence, you can create three versions of the questionnaire for each product. Each respondent will get the core questions and the questions for a single product. Consequently, you get data for all three products.

Things to consider in creating multiple versions of the survey:

Which respondent gets what survey should be picked randomly to avoid bias.
Make sure that you have enough samples to ensure that you get enough responses for each version.

3. Utilize Background Variables

Don’t ask about things you already know and instead use it to your advantage. These are called “background variables”. When possible, it is best to filter your respondents with these variables. You don’t want to turn off respondents from answering a survey due to length when 20% of the questions don’t even apply to them. For example, you have a questionnaire where you want to determine the impact of medication to patients over 40, and 10% of the questions are only for patients who have done a particular treatment. If you have the list of the respondents who have had the treatment beforehand, you can provide the core questionnaire to all respondents and only offer the additional questions to the respondents who have had the treatment. This simple method can reduce survey rejection, as well as printing costs. You can also use the information you already have to personalize your materials (e.g., invite, cover letter, or survey).
Screen the answer list. If possible, respondents should only have response options applicable to them. For example, don’t provide feedback choices on the complete product list but only services applicable to the potential respondent.

A Checklist in Keeping your Mail Survey Clean and Simple

Keeping your survey clean and simple is crucial for respondents to comprehend questions and answer them accurately. If the survey questions are confusing, then the answers of the respondents may become distorted; hence, the research is compromised. To help you out, below is a Checklist in Keeping your Survey Clean and Simple:

Make sure the instructions are clear and accurate. Don’t make assumptions that the respondents already know what to do. Give examples.
Avoid technical terms that will confuse your respondents. The language used should reflect how respondents think and talk regarding the subject.
Easier Questions should come first. Place easier questions before the complex ones. Give respondents time to become comfortable answering the survey questions. In doing so, the probability of them answering the complex questions will increase.
Each Question should be focused and intended for a particular feedback
- Don’t use double-barrel questions:”
  - “Would you recommend our products and services to your friends?”
  - Instead, separate them into two questions:
    - “Would you recommend our products to your friends?”
    - “Would you recommend our services to your friends?”
    - These will provide an equal focus on both subjects.
Keep Questions precise. Actual numbers should be used. Avoid general response choices like “sometimes” and “rarely” in the survey form
- For example: “less than 2 times per day”
Proofread the Survey. Check the survey for improper words, grammatical errors, and incorrect spelling. Mistakes such as this show unprofessionalism, and can devalue your survey. After proofreading the survey yourself, have someone else check it. Preferably, someone that is not familiar with your study, this process could flush out confusing terms or directions. You can also use special apps online, such as Grammarly proofreader.
Test your Survey. Testing is a necessity despite how good you think your survey design and proofreading skills are. This is your last opportunity to fix errors before they become a big problem for your study.

There you have it. Effective Tips on How to Keep Your Mail Survey Short and Clean. And while they will certainly help improve your response rates, there are still other elements you might want to consider for a successful Mail Survey Project. Check out our Mail Survey Spec Sheet that will help you document the list size, number of mailings, type and quantity of materials that will be needed, budget and requirements for each mailing. This spreadsheet will help organize and calculate the materials across your mailings. Download the Spec Sheet here!

Partner with a Data Collection Solutions Provider

DataForce works with you to design forms that are ideal for obtaining the data you need. Our survey designers specialize in creating professional forms that are both functional and visually appealing and generate high response rates and impeccable results. We provide outstanding Survey Research Services and Survey Mailing Services. Contact us now so we can help in the success of your Survey Project.

By Zoula Shalice|2020-06-20T18:09:03+00:00June 20th, 2020|Survey Mailing Services|0 Comments

Five Ways to Avoid Survey Response Fatigue
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Five Ways to Avoid Survey Response Fatigue

Survey Mailing Services

Five Ways to Avoid Survey Response Fatigue

We are now in an age where sending feedback requests or surveys has never been so easy. Technology has made online surveys popular and has streamlined telephone and mail surveys to be convenient as well. Target audiences are being flooded by survey requests that survey fatigue is inevitably happening.

Survey fatigue occurs when people are discouraged in responding to surveys because they are overwhelmed with the number of questions on a survey or bombarded with numerous surveys. In fact, in 2012, a report was made by Pew Research, their telephone survey response rates have dropped from 36% in 1997 to a mere 9%. With these results, it is essential to understand how to reduce survey response fatigue to improve overall survey response rates. Below we’ve listed five ways to avoid survey response fatigue for the benefit of your data collection project.

1. Filter Questions

Create surveys that will provide you with the most relevant and needed information. Remove unnecessary questions and use responses on earlier questions to further filter the survey from items that are looking for similar answers (although the way of questioning is different). Avoid gathering as much data as you can on a survey, instead keep your questions focused on meeting your survey goals.

2. Time Your Survey

Fewer questions do not automatically mean a shorter time for respondents to answer the survey. The survey questions’ complexity is a significant factor, so make sure to test the survey and how long it takes to finish. Surveys that take too long can tire participants, which results in lower quality data, non-completion, or total abandonment.

Manage expectations by advising respondents on how long the survey will take before they begin.

3. Keep Your Respondents in Mind

Focus not just on your research goals but on the people who will be providing data. Think about how they will feel about the questions, survey layout, and response options. Make notes on challenges or roadblocks the respondents may encounter, as well as check for bias in questions and remove them. Balancing the demand from stakeholders for additional data while maintaining a level of empathy will ultimately give you better data.

4. Communicate the Value

A study by Vision Critical determined that people are more likely to do a survey when they feel their opinion matters. Accordingly, a majority of the respondents (87%) claim they took the survey because they believed it would contribute to making a difference in a company’s product or services. For example: Advising respondents that the survey will help the business create their new menu will motivate respondents to participate, especially regular customers. It would also be helpful if the request came from someone with authority, like the owner of the establishment, to emphasize the importance of the survey.

5. Show Appreciation

Value the time and effort of your respondents. Provide respondents with incentives such as cash, promotion, or gift card. Check out our post on 3 Survey Incentives to Explode Your Response Rate. Another way to show appreciation is by allowing them to find out the results of the survey. Post the results online and reveal how the survey results are improving the brand.

There you have it, Five Ways to Avoid Survey Response Fatigue for your respondents to have a more pleasant survey experience, and get you higher response rates and quality data.

For more information on survey research services, Mail Surveys and Data Collection in general, contact DataForce!

By Zoula Shalice|2020-06-22T20:41:30+00:00June 20th, 2020|Survey Mailing Services|0 Comments

What is the difference between First Class and Standard Class Mail?
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What is the difference between First Class and Standard Class Mail?

Survey Mailing Services

What is the difference between First Class and Standard Class Mail?

One of the most common questions in Mail Survey budgeting is the kind of postage to use. Depending on your survey you may be able to cut on cost by using standard instead of first-class mail, however, think about this carefully, as you risk lowering survey response and reducing data quality. To help you decide, we’ve identified some key differences between the two. Choose the best one to fit your project.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) processes mail based on the mail type. The following are the most common types of mail.

Express Mail – Typically overnight services
Priority Mail – Guaranteed delivery in 1-3 days depending on location
First Class Mail
Standard/Bulk Class Mail

First Class Presort

First Class mail will be delivered in 1-2 days for local addresses and nationally; all of it should be delivered in about 4-5 days. If your party has moved and submitted a change of address with USPS, your mail will be forwarded at no cost for a period of 1 year. If it’s undeliverable, it will be returned at no cost with the reason why it could not be delivered.

The mail file must have at least 500 records, be NCOA address updated, CASS certified, and put in presort order before being delivered to the postal service. Typical savings off of list rates depend on the zip code sort; you can expect to save 10-20%.

Standard Class (formerly known as Bulk Mail)

There is a significant saving using Standard Class mail (aka Bulk mail). Standard mail is processed by the USPS on a “time available” basis. There is NO guaranteed delivery time, only “typicals.” Local mail is typically delivered in about 3-6 workdays, and national mail can be 1-3 weeks. Sometimes it’s faster, and other times it’s slower. Just remember there is no guarantee, and mail is processed as they have time. In our experience, we see longer delays around the holidays.

The “pros”: It’s the least expensive postage mode, almost half the price of 1st class, which enables you to mail a higher volume for less. It also allows up to 3.3 ounces, all for the same low postage rate.

The “cons”: Due to the delivery time, NEVER use Standard mail if you have a rapidly approaching event or expiration date. Standard mail is not forwarded and usually not returned if undeliverable. It merely goes into the USPS recycling bin. Standard Class mail requires a minimum of 250 pieces to qualify for these rates.

Partner with DataForce

Managing a mail survey project can be overwhelming when you have different vendors to deal with. Streamline your project by partnering with a data collection expert that can handle all your needs. Our one-source solution is uniquely designed to align with your organization’s mission at the strategic level while saving you time, risk, and money! For more information on data collection or any aspect of survey mail management, contact us today!

By Damon Young|2020-05-24T19:21:21+00:00May 24th, 2020|Survey Mailing Services|0 Comments

What Survey Mode is Best for My Project
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What Survey Mode is Best for My Project

Survey Research Services

What Survey Mode is Best for My Project

While there are many tools available for data collection, surveying is one of the most commonly used. Surveying is essentially a research method used to gather data from a sample of people to generalize results to a larger population and gain insights on various topics. Questionnaires are used in asking people for information in a survey. As compared to other data collection methods, such as direct observation and experimentation, surveys yield a broader range of information. The most common survey types by distribution are online, telephone, face-to-face, and mail survey.

Types of Survey

1. Online Survey

Technology has enabled online surveys to become the most popular and cost-effective type of survey. The questionnaire can be completed with a smartphone, tablet, or computer so long as the respondent has access to the internet.

a. Advantages:

Reach of the survey has increased to wherever there is internet access.
No limit to the type of questions that can be asked.
Data collection and data analysis is now structured and easy to manage.
Ideal for short, simple surveys.
Quick results.

b. Disadvantages:

We receive requests to take online surveys frequently, whether you make a purchase from Amazon, pick up lunch at McDonald’s or take a class; everyone wants us to take their online survey. This saturation has contributed to survey fatigue, and people are only doing online surveys if they are unhappy or related to something meaningful to them.
Inboxes are inundated nowadays; we are busy looking for the things that need our attention and delete or skip the other ‘stuff.’
People are hesitant to click on links that come from people they don’t know, they don’t want their information stolen or their computer hacked.

2. Telephone Survey

The medium used to contact respondents is the telephone. An interviewer follows a script in asking a specific set of questions to the respondents, and a data entry software is used to record the respondent’s answers.

a. Advantages:

Relatively cheaper and less time consuming than face to face surveys.
Extensive geographic access since most people in the United States have a telephone or cellphone.
Easy access to in-house or online phone directories. Phone numbers can easily be purchased from sample companies.
Time effective since interviewers can just keep calling numbers until they reach their quota.
Skilled interviewers can elicit longer or more complete answers. Interviewers can also ask for clarifications of unclear responses.

b. Disadvantages:

Hard to make a connection with people since interviewers can’t see the person’s reaction.
Intrusive, since most of the time, telephone surveys are done without notice. The interviewer might be interrupting the respondent’s plan for the day. The researcher must carefully consider the time and length of the call.
Interviewers may be perceived as telemarketers and, consequently, turn-off respondents.
Regulations must be followed to avoid significant fines.

3. Face-to-Face Interview

Face-to-Face surveys are one of the oldest and most widely used survey types. The researcher typically interviews in the home, office, hangout place, etc. of the target respondent. This is by far the most personal approach and best used if you are looking to raise trust and cooperation from respondents. Interviewers must be trained well, including on how to read non-verbal cues to direct the interview better.

a. Advantages

Can capture verbal and non-verbal cues. The interviewer can gauge if body language and facial expressions match the participant’s answer.
The interviewer can make sure that the participant is committed and encouraged to finish the survey.
The interviewer can provide assistance in case the participant is confused about any part of the survey or question.
The interviewer can take advantage of the five senses. Aside from audio and visual stimuli, the researcher can also let respondents touch, taste, and smell materials to support the interview.

b. Disadvantages

A face-to-face survey can take longer. Interviews can last for days or weeks, depending on the number of respondents needed and their availability.
Considerably more expensive than paper, online, and telephone. Training, travel, and material are some of the principal costs.
The quality of data depends on the skill of interviewers.
It requires more effort to plan and manage.

4. Mail Survey

For reasons of cost and ease of implementation, mail surveys are more frequently used for social research than are either telephone or face-to-face interviews, according to Don Dillman. Before online surveys, 69% of surveys were conducted solely by mail and another 11% were a combination of mail and some other mode.

a. Advantages

It can be used when the respondent’s internet access or knowledge is limited.
Less expensive than Face-to-Face or Telephone surveys.
Allows respondents to complete the survey at their convenience.
A hard copy serves as a reminder to finish the survey.
Research shows that respondents give more honest answers when compared to other modes.
Respondents trust mail surveys more than online surveys since we are told not to click on links from people/organizations that we don’t know.
You have less competition with someone’s mailbox than you do with their inbox.
Best for capturing sensitive information or long, complex surveys.

b. Disadvantages

Respondents may not follow directions or only answer certain questions, leaving an incomplete response.
It takes more time than online surveys to collect the data.
If your study requires alternate question sets or alternating question order, paper surveys may be too costly to support this requirement.

Check out our earlier post on Why Mail Surveys are Thriving in the Digital Age.

How to Select the Best Survey Type for Your Research

1. Consider Population and Sampling

Define the characteristics of the target respondents that belong to your population before you choose a survey method. Determine geographics, language, communication, literacy, and other issues that might arise. For example, if your target respondents are older people, you may choose a mail survey; however, if the target population is younger or more tech-savvy, an online survey might be more appealing.

2. Determine Question Types

In selecting the right survey method, the questions that the respondents need to answer should be considered. Paper or mail surveys can be ideal for mostly closed-ended questions, while a survey with plenty of open-ended questions that could require a follow-up may require a face-to-face or telephone interview.

3. Check your budget

You have to justify the cost of the type of survey you will choose. You may want to do a face-to-face interview, but the costs compared to a mail survey may not validate the benefit of pursuing face-to-face interviews.

4. Establish your timeline

Some survey methods take longer to complete than others. If you are in a rush, then an online survey is your best bet. However, if time is not a significant factor, then you can do a mail survey.

5. Check Access to Facilities and Resources

Do you have the facilities, equipment, and human resources needed for your survey to run smoothly? If you plan to do a mail survey, you need access to printers, human resources or equipment for stuffing envelopes, data processing software, warehousing, and so on. For telephone surveys, you need well-trained interviewers, phone equipment, CATI software, etc.

It’s important to know which survey type to use and when to use it. Once you’re familiar with the different survey types, you’ll be able to focus on what you need to make your survey distribution as smooth as it can get, getting you far better results than ever before. For more information on data collection techniques or any aspect of mail survey management, contact us today! We provide outstanding quantitative data collection services and paper scanning services!

By Zoula Shalice|2020-05-19T21:44:22+00:00May 19th, 2020|Survey Research Services|0 Comments

Why Mail Surveys Are Thriving in the Digital Age
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Why Mail Surveys Are Thriving in the Digital Age

Survey Mailing Services

Why Mail Surveys Are Thriving in the Digital Age

Mail surveys are one of many quantitative research data collection methods that helps answer the “why” and “how” of human thoughts and behavior. It is an integral part of political & social science, social work, and education research.

Believe it or not, mail surveys are still among the most effective survey methods in the research industry, yielding higher response rates, more accurate data, and greater cost-effectiveness than online, email, phone, and in-app methods. According to April 2018 aggregate data by Pew Research and industry analysts, survey method response rates perform as follows:

High mail survey participation is attributed to several factors, including :

- Trust – Respondents typically trust letters addressed to them over online methods, which can be perceived as spam. They also tend to have greater trust in actually receiving their gift incentive, as there is much online gamesmanship involving gift incentives that come with strings attached.
- Deliverability – Physical addresses are more reliable than email addresses, which can change frequently with no forwarding address.
- Noticeability – Physical mail arrives in a less cluttered environment than email or online communities..
- Convenience – Respondents can fill out the survey in their own time, with the actual hard copy serving as a reminder to complete it.

Data Integrity

Inaccuracies and respondent bias are the greatest barriers to achieving quality data. Of course, survey science aims to minimize these risks. Mail survey methodology is widely regarded as the gold standard in data accuracy – and this still holds true in the digital age. Phone surveys, once the darling of the industry, have been impacted by ‘sample selection’ bias due to the decline of landlines. Email and online surveys are typically affected by ‘social desirability’ bias, in which respondents give the answer that best aligns with their carefully-honed image. In-person survey research can have a similar effect, in which respondents do not answer as honestly as they would in a private setting. Of course, there are many factors to weigh in when choosing a survey method, including time, cost, and availability of respondent information, making each method or combination of methods worthy of consideration.

Cost-Effectiveness

The cost of a medium-scale survey (i.e, 5,000 to 50,000 respondents) in 2018 is approximately $5,000.* Comparable phone and in-person surveys cost about 50% to 150% more, respectively. Email and online surveys are least expensive, starting at $20 to $500 per month, although custom programming can raise these numbers considerably. Factoring in data quality, however, survey mailing services are often the most cost-effective.

You should do a mail survey if:

- You want high-quality data.
- You have a complete list of names and addresses of the population to be surveyed or plan to purchase a sample.
- Your audience has an interest in the content of your survey.
- You’re not in a hurry to get results.

While digital surveys certainly have a bright future in the research industry, they have a long way to go before they can account for survey bias, data integrity, and cost-effectiveness. They may be most useful, at this point, as part of a multi-modal effort (i.e. a survey with both print and digital elements).

If you’d like more information on survey scanning, survey science or mail surveys in general, contact us today.

By Damon Young|2019-08-06T01:40:45+00:00July 26th, 2018|Survey Mailing Services|0 Comments