Phone surveys are a method of data collection in which interviews are conducted over the phone.
Surveys can be conducted using traditional methods, where the respondent answers the interviewer's questions, or using computer programs, as in the case of Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI), where questions are presented on the interviewer's computer screen.
In this method, the survey is conducted over the phone, with a computerized system assisting the interviewer in implementing the survey.
The software allows for the establishment of standard questions and the order in which they are asked, reducing the likelihood of errors and ensuring data uniformity.
- Wide coverage: Phone surveys can reach diverse population groups, including those without internet access.
- Flexibility: Surveys can be adapted in real-time based on respondents' answers.
- Speed: The ability to quickly conduct a survey and obtain data.
- Low response rates: In the modern world, where people face a high volume of phone calls, response rates to phone surveys can be low.
- Selectivity: Some population groups may be underrepresented due to refusals to participate in the survey.
- Subjectivity of responses: Respondents may be susceptible to social influence and pressure, affecting the objectivity of their answers.
- Shift to online surveys: With the development of the internet and digital technologies, many researchers prefer online surveys for their efficiency and higher response rates.
- Rise of mobile technologies: With the advancement of mobile phones and smartphones, conducting surveys via SMS or applications has also become a popular method.
Some people may react negatively to phone surveys, and in the modern world with the development of other data collection methods such as online surveys, phone surveys may face challenges in low feedback rates.
Nevertheless, they remain an important tool for data collection. Researchers often combine them with other methods to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of the collected information.