When you think about phone interviews, things like marketing and polling are the first scenarios that come to mind. This preconception invites skepticism about phone interviewing as a research method, especially among academics. However, a phone call can be a useful way to conduct structured interviews. In recent years, an increasing amount of research has utilized phone calls as a means to collect open-ended data. There have even been ethnographic studies done completely over the phone. Here we will cover some advantages and disadvantages of collecting interview data over the phone and explore in greater detail some effective strategies for conducting phone interviews.
| Phone Interview Advantages | Phone Interview Disadvantages |
| The biggest advantage of conducting interviews over the phone is the ability to reach populations that would normally be inaccessible to you. For example, you would have access to people who are geographically distant or very busy throughout the day, such as mothers with young children or shift workers. Conducting interviews over the phone may allow you to reach a more diverse sample. | When you can’t see someone’s face you won’t be able to observe body language, and interpreting social cues becomes more difficult. It may be more difficult to establish and maintain rapport over the phone because you can’t see the participant react within their environment. |
| If you wanted to conduct research of a global nature, using the phone could allow you to do so. Phone interviews are also time-efficient because they are easier to schedule than face-to-face interviews. | Physical separation may inhibit clear communication and make people less tolerant of silence. The distance between interviewer and interviewee may work to either boost or limit trust between the two. |
| Phone interviews also provide a level of anonymity that may make participants feel more comfortable revealing sensitive information and their true feelings about a topic. | While the anonymity of a phone interview may allow participants to reveal sensitive or less socially desirable information, the lack of face-to-face rapport may result in respondents feeling less confident that their information will be kept confidential, making them less likely to share sensitive information. Because this dynamic can go either way depending on the participant, it will not make or break your research, but it is something you should be aware of going into phone interviews. |
| As with face-to-face interviews, both the researcher and participant can react in real-time to what the other says. | In terms of sampling, you should be aware that the population you can reach by phone may not actually be representative of the population as a whole. Overall, younger and more affluent people tend to be more difficult to reach by phone. Populations living in areas with low cell phone coverage may also end up being underrepresented. However, with a good sampling strategy in place and a specific target population, this problem can be mitigated. |
Bias Check!
Phone interviews can sometimes get lost between the old, reliable face-to-face technique and the new and exciting online interview. Many researchers tend to view phone research as inferior to other forms of gathering interview data, and have low expectations for the quality of phone data (Novick, 2008). In fact, some researchers have expressed the opinion that phone interviews correlate with highly structured, closed-ended questions and therefore do not have the ability to generate the natural responses elicited in face-to-face interviews (Novick, 2008). In a 2008 analysis of phone interviews in qualitative research, Gina Novick notes that there is not enough evidence against phone interviews to view them as less legitimate than face-to-face interviews. Therefore, as you continue reading this section on phone interviews, try to refrain from any bias you might hold against the phone as a means of gathering interview data. Instead, evaluate its usefulness to your particular research project based on the advantages and disadvantages laid out below.
Conducting an interview over the phone:
Conducting an interview over the phone also entails different collection strategies than face-to-face interview. Before going into the interviews, think about how you will record the data. You could simply put the call on speaker and record the conversation. Or, you could record using computer software and a microphone. Either way, be sure to also take physical notes in case the quality of the recording is lacking or the call breaks up. Be sure to test out all the technology you are using ahead of time and find a place with limited background noise. When you schedule interviews with your participants, it is a good idea to mention that they should also find a space to talk with little background noise or chance of interruption. It can be easiest to communicate via email to address pre-interview concerns and give an overview of the research. However, you should tailor your participant recruitment approach based on your target population (Farooq & De Villiers, 2017). For example, you may want to send written invitations or recruit by phone depending on your target population.
During the interview itself, remember that the participants can’t see your face and are thus not receiving any visual cues. Because of this, your tone is especially important and you should be conscious of the verbal feedback you are giving participants. Indicate your presence and interest by acknowledging what the participant has said when they are done talking (Farooq & De Villiers, 2017). While a simple nod during face-to-face interviews to indicate interest would suffice, this must instead be done via verbal acknowledgement in a phone interview.
For many people, phone calls can feel more stressful than talking face-to-face. Keep this in mind throughout the interview and be sure to create a comfortable environment for your participants. This might mean taking extra time to introduce yourself at the beginning of the conversation, continuing to use a light and casual tone as you speak, or offering opportunities to ask questions at the beginning or end of the call.
