How We Work

Which survey method should you use?

Different methods work best in different situations. We've conducted surveys online, by mail or phone, and through intercept interviews. In some situations, multiple methods may be used.

Online Surveys are how most research is conducted these days, and for good reason:

They are quicker to conduct than either mail or phone, and are usually less expensive.
Respondents are less guarded when completing a questionnaire online instead of responding to an interviewer.
Online surveys provide almost unlimited branching. The questions that respondents see on their screen can be determined by how they answer previous questions.
With online surveys we can easily and inexpensively send reminders to those who haven't responded. This can significantly boost the response.

Telephone Surveys were once the gold standard for research, but these days when so many people use cell phones and voice mail, it can be difficult to reach a representative sample by phone. Phone surveys still work best in some situations, particularly for business surveys.

One advantage of telephone surveys is that interviewers can clarify answers; something that can't be done with mail or online surveys.
With busy respondents, like business owners, telephone interviewers can make repeated attempts to reach them. This provides better sample control than with mail or online surveys.

Mail Surveys are still a good option in some situations. If you don't have email addresses or current phone numbers, mail may be your only option.

Some questions work better when respondents can see the question and compare items within a question. This is impossible by phone and not always possible with online surveys.

Why you should consider Essential Surveys

Handcrafted Emblem Individual Attention: No two clients are the same, even when they are in the same industry and offer the same products and services. So, each project is crafted around the needs of each individual client. We get to know you and your organization, your challenges and your objectives.

We Listen, Carefully: Each project starts the same way; we ask a lot of questions and we listen. We will interview you and/or other key members of your team to develop a draft questionnaire for you to review. After the review we will rework the questionnaire. The draft and review process can be repeated several times if necessary. It is not unusual for this kind of back and forth brainstorming to produce new questions and revised objectives. You know best how your organization works and how study results can be implemented within your organization, so input and commitment from you and your team during this initial phase is critical to the success of the project.

Design Expertise: We have over 25 years of questionnaire design experience. We respect respondents and demonstrate that by designing questions that don't box them into unrealistic or misleading choices. We know how to phrase questions tactfully that respect varying viewpoints and capture the full range of experience and opinion. Our questionnaires allow ample opportunity for respondents to provide comments outside the question and answer format. Even online surveys leave lots of room for comments.

Pay Attention to Details: Collecting and processing information may seem routine. Indeed, some research firms rely on automated systems to read and input survey data. But these should not be autopilot tasks. We’ve learned that each questionnaire exhibits the character of the person who completes it. Sometimes it is necessary to literally read between the lines and in the margins if you want to really understand what people are saying. Even with online surveys, we physically examine many if not all of the individual questionnaires. It takes time, but adds immensely to the quality of the results.

Reports You Can Use: Like the rest of the project, your report is custom-designed to meet your needs and requirements. You can expect a well written analysis that addresses the issues, is logically organized, and easy to read and utilize. For report writing samples, see the Resources page.