Phone surveys give researchers a fast turnaround between questionnaire design completion and administration. This makes phone surveys an excellent choice to record an immediate response or acquire responses very quickly. Phone interviewers are able to guide respondents through the questionnaire in the same way a face-to-face interviewer would, resulting in a higher response rate.
Precision Opinion (2020). 5 Reasons Telephone Surveys Are More Powerful Than You Think. Precision Opinion. https://precisionopinion.com/5-reasons-telephone-surveys-are-more-powerful-than-you-think/
For Example…
Let’s say a group of researchers wants to record public opinion on instituting “seniors-only shopping hours” at a local grocery store during the COVID-19 pandemic, so that only senior citizens would be allowed to shop during certain times of the day. If a series of phone interviews are conducted at 9 AM on a weekday, a time when many working adults are out of the house, the majority of people who pick up the phone might be retired senior citizens. This can be potentially problematic, as senior citizens’ may present a fundamentally different response to the question, “What is your opinion of seniors-only shopping hours?” as compared to the rest of the population. This difference is an example of nonresponse bias.
Finally, phone surveys can be expensive to administer. If a phone bank is necessary, staffing this method is costly, as is purchasing the required equipment. The cost makes phone surveys a less realistic option for many students looking to conduct research on a budget.
Here’s a quick review of the pros and cons of phone surveys.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| High completion rate | More possibility of nonresponse bias |
| Low turnaround time between survey design and administration | Expensive administrative costs |
| Minimize response error because the researcher has control over the interview |
