Neglected Surveys Are a Big Problem
Surveys are a widely used data collection method that can have significant implications for research, decision-making, and policy formulation. Survey problems such as biased sampling, poorly worded questions, respondent bias, and errors in data entry can lead to inaccurate or skewed results that can affect the validity of research findings. Poor quality survey data can also impact public perceptions and discussions, thereby affecting broader issues.
For example, asking invasive questions such as religion, political affiliation, and past drug use can make respondents uncomfortable and may cause them to abandon the survey. Furthermore, triggering surveys at the wrong interaction point in a website or app can increase survey abandonment rates. Moreover, the order in which the survey questions are presented can unintentionally reveal the purpose of the study and cause respondents to answer the end-questions more positively because they feel pressured to be consistent with their earlier responses.
Nonresponse bias is a common problem with surveys. For instance, a survey about working hours and wages sent to students and unemployed individuals will have fewer responses than one that is sent to employed people.
They Can Be Done in a Few Hours
For many companies, gathering survey data can be a time-consuming and costly endeavor. If you’re not careful, your surveys can also be vulnerable to fraud and other quality issues. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to ensure that your surveys are accurate and reliable, like going to work with Castle Surveys.
Respondent fatigue
Survey fatigue is a common problem that occurs when respondents feel overwhelmed by the number of surveys they have to complete. This often leads to them rushing through the questions or providing inaccurate answers. Inaccurate or incomplete responses can lead to skewed insights and bad decisions.
Poor question design
Even well-intentioned questions can make a survey taker uncomfortable or cause them to abandon your study. For example, a loaded question can alienate your respondents by expressing bias or suggesting that they should take a certain stance. Likewise, double-barreled questions force the survey taker into a corner and decrease the likelihood that they’ll provide accurate responses.
Inconvenient survey timing
Respondents may not have the time or mental energy to answer your questions if they’re asked at an inconvenient or untimely moment. They may be busy with work or on the other end of a phone call, or they might be in the middle of something else, like watching a movie or downloading an app. It’s important to think about your survey schedule and timing before launching it.
Fraudulent panelists
Dishonest people can undermine your survey results by stealing data and using it for fraudulent purposes. They can do this by giving false information or generating Ghost Completes, which are completed responses that never appear in your results. Market researchers can prevent survey fraud by implementing a fraud detection system that is able to identify dishonest users through a wide range of metrics. Qubed, Kantar’s fraud detection software, uses a centralized AI to evaluate a user’s behavior based on a variety of factors, including IPs, ISPs, devices, demographic sensibility, hour of activity consistency, and survey taking pattern. Then, if suspicious activity is detected, Qubed will take action accordingly. This helps reduce survey fraud by preventing false or misleading data from being used for marketing or business decisions.
They Can Save You Money
Countless brands funnel billions into market research each year with the hope of learning about consumers and making smart business decisions. The data yielded from this effort can be ruined by survey fraud, so it’s important to take steps to prevent it. Luckily, this can be done by using an advanced fraud detection system like Qubed. This software uses a range of metrics, including IPs, ISPs, Devices and personas, to detect fraudulent activity and block these individuals from completing surveys. This approach is more effective than traditional methods that only use a single metric to detect fraud.
Fraudulent Panelists commit identity fraud to gain access to a variety of surveys, either by lying about their occupation or income or even creating fake profiles. The goal of these impostors is to earn monetary rewards as quickly as possible, and they can be very difficult to spot. Market researchers need to make sure that these people are blocked from all surveys.
Non-Response Survey Fatigue occurs when the respondent feels overextended by surveying or feels that the questions are not relevant to their experience. Non-response survey fatigue typically results in the respondent dropping out of your survey midway or abandoning it altogether. This is a common issue that can be avoided by surveying respondents only when it makes sense and by using a variety of question types to maximize interest.
Loaded Questions
Loaded questions are assumptive and directional in nature, which can alienate survey participants and reduce response rates. For example, asking a respondent if they prefer cocktails will likely cause them to leave the survey early or avoid answering the question altogether, which will distort your results. Using screening questions and branching logic can help you avoid loaded and assumptive questions, but it is also a good idea to clearly articulate the purpose of the survey in your introductory materials.
Survey Abandonment
High survey abandonment rates can make it difficult to reach your desired sample size and conduct a credible study. Trying to offset the effect of abandonment by surveying additional people can be expensive, and it can also slow down your data analysis process.
