Telephone research
A quantitative research method in which an operator usually conducts a short telephone interview with a respondent. Research terminology calls it CATI, from computer-assisted telephone interviewing.
How we carry out this method
Telephone research needs trained operators, a telephone and software containing the detailed interviewing instructions and the questionnaire. Operators work with a supervisor who trains them for the particular project, listens in on interviews and makes sure the operator reads the questions correctly and records the answers precisely, so that data collection is of the highest quality and the results genuinely reflect respondents’ opinions and attitudes.
How respondents are selected
Telephone research often uses random dialling. Through random-dialling methodology, researchers make sure that respondents are selected at random and therefore represent the views of a given population on questions that are often important. A research call is not a sales call, so it may happen that researchers approach you at random too. More information here.
Research agencies use various procedures to generate random numbers. The software is given only the known existing dialling prefixes and handles the rest automatically. The operator has no influence over who is called; the computer selects the number. Read how random number generation works at the research agency Data Collect.
This is how the agency Kantar explains random number selection when calling:
“Your number was generated at random from all the ranges of telephone numbers allocated by the Czech Telecommunication Office, which is publicly available information. Such a call is possible without your consent and complies with the GDPR and Czech law. Our company does not process any of your personal data.”
Respondents are selected differently for a satisfaction survey, for example. There the research agency surveys the customers of a particular client, asking about their experience of and attitudes to specific products or services — typically satisfaction with the services of a bank or a mobile operator, or impressions of a car just bought: information directly related to the contractual relationship for which the customer’s contact details were provided.
Why we need personal data and how it is handled
In random telephone calling the agency collects no further personal data. The call is recorded only so that its quality can be assessed, and the recording is deleted once that check is done. Answers are anonymous and not even the number called appears in the data outputs. The client receives a data file with anonymous data. Respondents’ privacy is guaranteed in this way.
Where research is run on a client database, the agency holds the customer details it needs to carry out the study. Afterwards it returns them to the client and, once the quality check is complete, deletes all personal data from its own systems.
How do I know it really is research?
Quite simply, in fact. The operator will always tell you the name of the agency they are calling for. You can also check afterwards with that agency that it was research. The whole interview is about finding out your opinions and attitudes; the operator is not selling you anything and is not offering any goods or services. Research often asks about demographics (age, gender, education, income group, the town you live in). Researchers use these to ensure the sample is representative — in other words, that the people interviewed match the demographic make-up of the population. A researcher does not, however, need your name, your exact address or any other personal details.
What to do if you do not wish to be approached for research
If you do not wish to be contacted for research again, we are of course sorry to hear it. Your opinion matters for Czech society and for the economy. We would stress that research is never linked to direct selling and that nobody will use your personal data without your consent.
A research agency must respect your wish not to take part in further research. Every agency therefore keeps a list of numbers whose owners do not wish to be contacted again, and does not call them.
Where the calls use contacts from a client database, the agency passes your request directly to the owner of that database, who is obliged to leave you out of future research.
