The most common complaints that I hear about surveys are: the questions were confusing, the multiple choices available did not include the answer the respondent wanted to give, and the interview seemed interminable and boring. People do not like receiving a telephone call at home in the middle of dinner, and they most particularly do not like it when an interview takes longer than promised. If the caller said the questionnaire would take 5 minutes and it took 20 minutes, the respondent gets irritated and will probably refuse the next request to participate. Research faux pas such as these indicate a lack of respect for the respondent. 

To ensure that respondents continue to participate in the market research process, market researchers need to understand the process from the respondents’ point of view and we need to show respect and appreciation. 

Respondents are motivated by a combination of factors. 

Respondents who agree to participate in surveys are motivated by a combination of factors. They may participate because of interest in the topic, realization that their opinions are important, the opportunity to talk about themselves and their opinions, a desire to be helpful, the chance to voice their satisfaction or dissatisfaction, and a chance to influence a product or service in some way.

They may be curious about the topic or curious to know what their peers have to say. From a more self-serving perspective, respondents may believe that ultimately the findings will benefit them. Time availability is a big issue, but busy respondents will often make time if they are offered an incentive they value in return for their participation. 

Design a questionnaire to allow respondents to express themselves. 

Respondents want to express their thoughts and opinions, they really do. If a questionnaire containing tightly constructed multiple-choice or scaled responses does not capture respondents’ real thoughts, they feel frustrated. So even if your questionnaire is mostly closed-ended, you should allow for open-ended responses, also. Try to avoid questions that have long lists of multiple choices, as respondents will get bored and may terminate early. At best, their responses will be perfunctory and without thought.

Questions:

1. Do you always or very frequently refuse to participate in marketing research surveys? Why? 

2. Have you ever participated in a survey and then felt frustrated afterwards? What happened? 

3. What can researchers do to get more people to participate in marketing research surveys?