Online Program

Utilizing Phone Methodology to Improve Contact and Response of Establishments

Keywords: Phone, screening calls, reminder calls, disposition codes

Abt SRBI Inc. was tasked to perform phone screenings and reminder calls for a survey of employers. Numbers were available and dialed for 68,606 establishments. Phone disposition codes were defined based on AAPOR standards and calls were randomly monitored to assure scripts were followed. Screening calls were completed two weeks before survey open to confirm or collect contact information. The total number of completed interviews was 42,135 and many were dialed over the maximum. Reminder calls started two weeks after the survey open and focused on contacts confirmed or collected during the screenings. Contacts had the option of requesting another paper survey, login information, etc. Only 21% of those who asked for another survey and 24% of those who asked for login information eventually responded to the survey. Reminder calls two and three started midway through the field period and lasted until a week before closing. Of those who indicated they already completed the survey, only 24% actually responded. Among the findings of the study, second and third reminders as well as calling over the max (three times) had no significant impact on response rates.