The Best Times to Call in a Mobile Phone Survey

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 555-570
Author(s):  
Paula Vicente
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Survey Response ◽  
High Response ◽  
Response Process ◽  
Phone Survey ◽  
Region Of Residence

Establishing contact with the sample units is an important part of the survey response process, and an efficient calling schedule is critical to achieve high response rates. The rapid increase in mobile phone ownership has triggered the interest of marketing researchers in the use of mobile phones for collecting survey data about consumers. Mobile phone surveys may favour establishing contact with sample units since the mobile phone is a personal device carried at all times, thus making the person permanently contactable. This paper aims to identify the best times to call in a mobile phone survey by investigating the influence of the day and time of the call on the likelihood of establishing contact and obtaining an interview. A three-level ranking of calling periods, based on call efficiency, is proposed. Outcomes also revealed that the level of efficiency of calling periods is not dissociated from respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics, namely in terms of age and region of residence.

scholarly journals Using Mobile Phones for Survey Research: A Comparison with Fixed Phones

2009 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Vicente ◽  
Elizabeth Reis ◽  
Maria Santos
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Survey Research ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Telephone Surveys ◽  
Phone Survey ◽  
Lower Response Rate ◽  
Completion Times

The increase in mobile phone penetration is stimulating a trend towards the use of mobile phones to supplement or even replace traditional telephone surveys. Despite this trend, few studies have systematically compared differences between the two modes. This paper describes a study in which both mobile and fixed phones were used to collect data on a national survey on internet and cultural practices. Findings revealed significant differences between mobile phone respondents and fixed phone respondents in terms of demographic characteristics and responses to some of the substantive items of the survey. In terms of data quality the mobile phone survey proved to be different from the fixed phone survey in two indicators: completion times and percentage of respondents with item omissions. The mobile phone survey was more difficult to implement than the fixed phone survey since much more screening was required to identify working phone numbers; in addition it yielded a lower response rate than the fixed phone survey.

Effort in Phone Survey Response Rates: The Effects of Vendor and Client-Controlled Factors

Field Methods ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher McCarty ◽  
Mark House ◽  
Jeffrey Harman ◽  
Scott Richards
Keyword(s):  
Response Rates ◽  
Survey Response ◽  
Phone Survey

scholarly journals Mobile phone surveys: The Slovenian case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Vasja Vehovar ◽  
Eva Belak ◽  
Zenel Batagelj ◽  
Sanja Čikić
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
General Context ◽  
Mobile Phone Use ◽  
Telephone Surveys ◽  
Phone Interview ◽  
Phone Survey ◽  
Coverage Problems

In 2004, the number of mobile phone subscriptions in Slovenia reached the total number of inhabitants. Consequently, the fixed telephone coverage has started to decline; almost 10% of households are now available only over the mobile phone. With this, Slovenia positions itself as a typical EU country and can serve as a case study for issues related to mobile phone interview surveys. The paper addresses the general context of mobile phone usage and the calculations of mobile phone coverage rates. It also discusses the non-coverage problems related to mobile and mobile-only households. It is shown, that even with a relatively small non-coverage the corresponding estimates can be considerably biased, as in the case of the unemployment rate in the Slovenian Labour Force Survey. There are severe methodological problems with mobile phone interview surveys. In particular, a pilot mobile phone survey confirmed the disadvantages of costs, frames and response rates, at least when compared to fixed telephone surveys. In addition, the response rates are dramatically lower for less intensive mobile phone users. The comparisons of respondents in mobile phone surveys with the corresponding sub-samples in Labour Force Surveys and in fixed telephone surveys revealed some specific discrepancies in the socio-demographic structure. Due to non-coverage, the respondents in the mobile phone survey tend to be younger, higher educated, from larger households and are represented by a larger share of males. The non-response mechanism can additionally reinforce these effects (e.g, gender), however it can also cancel them (e.g., age, household size). Special complexity arises from the diverse effects of the non-response components (refusal vs. non-contact). According to their attitudes towards mobile phone use, mobile phone users compose three distinct segments (intensive pragmatic and emotional users, less intensive users) that may behave differentially also during the mobile phone survey process.

scholarly journals Getting health information to internally displaced youth in Afghanistan: can mobile phone technology bridge the gap?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sayed Omar Alami ◽  
Lisa Dulli ◽  
Leila Dal Santo ◽  
Sayed Haroon Rastagar ◽  
Sediq Seddiqi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Internally Displaced ◽  
Mobile Phone Technology

Background: Afghanistan ranks among the most disadvantaged globally for many key reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) indicators, despite important gains in the past decade. Youth (15 to 24 years) are a key audience for RMNCH information as they enter adulthood, marry and begin families; however, reaching Afghan youth with health information is challenging. Internally displaced persons (IDPs), including youth, experience additional challenges to obtaining health-related information and services. This study measured current and preferred RMNCH information channels to explore the feasibility of using mobile phone technology to provide RMNCH information to IDP youth in Afghanistan. Methods: We conducted a sub-group analysis of survey data from a mixed-methods, cross-sectional, formative assessment to understand current access to RMNCH information. The target population for this analysis includes 15-25-year-old male and female IDP youth from three Afghan Provinces. Survey data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews. Data were analyzed descriptively. Results: A total of 450 IDP youth were surveyed in the three provinces (225 male and 225 female). Access to RMNCH information outside of health facilities was limited. Mobile phone ownership was nearly universal among male participants, yet considerably lower among females; nearly all participants without personal phones reported access to phones when needed. Although few participants spontaneously mentioned mobile phones as a preferred source of RMNCH information, most male and female respondents reported they would be very or somewhat likely to use a free, mobile-phone-based system to access such information if offered. Conclusions: Given widespread access and considerable interest voiced by participants, mobile phones may be a viable way to reach IDP youth with important RMNCH health information in this fragile setting. Interventions should be designed and pilot-tested to identify the most appropriate platforms and information content and to further document feasibility and acceptability.

scholarly journals Getting health information to internally displaced youth in Afghanistan: can mobile phone technology bridge the gap?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1483
Author(s):  
Sayed Omar Alami ◽  
Lisa Dulli ◽  
Leila Dal Santo ◽  
Sayed Haroon Rastagar ◽  
Sediq Seddiqi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Internally Displaced ◽  
Mobile Phone Technology

Background: Afghanistan ranks among the most disadvantaged globally for many key reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) indicators, despite important gains in the past decade. Youth (15 to 24 years) are a key audience for RMNCH information as they enter adulthood, marry and begin families; however, reaching Afghan youth with health information is challenging. Internally displaced persons (IDPs), including youth, experience additional challenges to obtaining health-related information and services. This study measured current and preferred RMNCH information channels to explore the feasibility of using mobile phone technology to provide RMNCH information to IDP youth in Afghanistan. Methods: We conducted a sub-group analysis of survey data from a mixed-methods, cross-sectional, formative assessment to understand current access to RMNCH information. The target population for this analysis includes 15-25-year-old male and female IDP youth from three Afghan Provinces. Survey data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews. Data were analyzed descriptively. Results: A total of 450 IDP youth were surveyed in the three provinces (225 male and 225 female). Access to RMNCH information outside of health facilities was limited. Mobile phone ownership was nearly universal among male participants, yet considerably lower among females; nearly all participants without personal phones reported access to phones when needed. Although few participants spontaneously mentioned mobile phones as a preferred source of RMNCH information, most male and female respondents reported they would be very or somewhat likely to use a free, mobile-phone-based system to access such information if offered. Conclusions: Given widespread access and considerable interest voiced by participants, mobile phones may be a viable way to reach IDP youth with important RMNCH health information in this fragile setting. Interventions should be designed and pilot-tested to identify the most appropriate platforms and information content and to further document feasibility and acceptability.

Demographic Determinants of Mailed Survey Response Rates of Urban School Principals

1979 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 849-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Lietz ◽  
Mary K. Gregory
Keyword(s):  
School Principals ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Urban School ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Survey Response ◽  
Urban School Principals ◽  
Mailed Survey

To determine if demographic variables accounted for differential responding to a mailed survey, 8 characteristics of 239 urban school principals were measured. No significant differences in demographic characteristics were found between respondents and nonrespondents nor between prompt responded and those who participated after additional contact.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of WhatsApp for measuring migration in follow-up phone surveys - Lessons from a mode experiment in two low-income countries during COVID contact restrictions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Ndashimye ◽  
Oumarou Hebie ◽  
Jasper Tjaden
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Interactive Voice Response ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Survey Response ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Migration Behavior ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Phone Survey

Phone surveys have increasingly become important data collection tools in developing countries, particularly in the context of sudden contact restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Phone surveys offer particular potential for migration scholars aiming to study cross-border migration behavior. Geographic change of location over time complicates the logistics of face-to-face surveys and heavily increases costs. There is, however, limited evidence of the effectiveness of the phone survey modes in different geographic settings more generally, and in migration research more specifically. In this field experiment, we compared the response rates between WhatsApp—a relatively new but increasingly important survey mode—and interactive voice response (IVR) modes, using a sample of 8446 contacts in Senegal and Guinea. At 12%, WhatsApp survey response rates were nearly eight percentage points lower than IVR survey response rates. However, WhatsApp offers higher survey completion rates, substantially lower costs and does not introduce more sample selection bias compared to IVR. We discuss the potential of WhatsApp surveys in low-income contexts and provide practical recommendations for field implementation.

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