Methodology

Our providers are highly experienced in market research sampling, offering both standard and advanced data collection services to an impressive roster of over 300 clients. These clients range across various sectors, including market research agencies, management consultancies, Fortune 500 companies, advertising agencies, brand strategy consultancies, universities, and global communications and PR agencies. Their focus is primarily on quantitative market research studies.

The frontline staff of our providers are selected based on their experience in the sample industry or related fields. The project managers typically have over five years of experience in the sector, many holding advanced certifications like the Principles of Market Research (PMR) and Insights Professional Certification (IPC). They are proficient in current online sampling technologies and maintain comprehensive process documentation for internal training and reference.

These providers offer a wide range of data collection services, including project execution consulting, tailored recruitment, representative sample methodology, quota management, feasibility testing, programming, and fieldwork, all underpinned by thorough quality checks. After fieldwork, they can provide data in various formats, such as topline reports, crosstabs, open-end coding, or detailed statistical analysis, often with PowerPoint presentations for clarity.

Our providers specialize in delivering unbiased samples, with a particular strength in sourcing hard-to-reach samples. They employ a non-proprietary approach to sample sourcing, using a broad mix of sources including major providers and specialized panels in certain markets. They also use targeted recruitment strategies for specific groups, like sourcing niche B2B audiences from business databases, professional associations, and business-focused social media, ensuring thorough individual verification and profiling.

It is important to note that the sourcing methods used by our providers do not rely on proprietary sources, reflecting a commitment to a broad-based and inclusive approach in sample sourcing.

Our providers exclusively use non-probabilistic, online, opt-in panels for consumer projects, consciously steering clear of probabilistic methods, affiliate networks, or referral programs. These panels are designed to be universally accessible, allowing open participation for all interested individuals.

To ensure the integrity and singularity of participants, our providers have developed a comprehensive fraud mitigation strategy. This strategy encompasses digital fingerprinting and sophisticated fraud detection techniques to scrutinize respondents' previous interactions, advanced text analytics for real-time assessment of open-ended responses, and respondent-level tracking to monitor frequent survey participation. A notable innovation in their approach is the use of hidden text variables, imperceptible to humans but detectable by bots, thus effectively excluding such automated responses. Additionally, they maintain high participant quality by drawing unbiasedly from multiple panels and suppliers, coupled with expert fieldwork management to promptly identify any irregularities in respondent behavior during data collection.

Significantly, our providers do not possess or manage any apps, panels, or websites dedicated to sample collection, which underscores their status as an independent and neutral service provider in the market research field.

They adhere to a managed service model in delivering sample resources, ensuring that every project is executed with a structured, methodical, and well-coordinated approach, aligning with client requirements and project goals.

While clients have the flexibility to specify or emphasize particular sources for their sample needs, our providers stand by their commitment to transparency. They provide complete visibility into the origins of their samples, ensuring clients are well-informed about the source of the data. However, it is important to note that they do not engage in intercepts or utilize integration mechanisms with external, third-party sources.

The open and versatile approach of our providers in panel and sample sourcing results in a wider reach and greater diversity, yielding highly representative samples for market research projects. Their services are particularly effective for quantitative consumer or B2B ad-hoc studies. This flexibility in sourcing ensures a broad and inclusive selection of participants for various research needs.

To formulate custom quota plans and achieve census targets, our providers utilize leading tools in the industry. Their strategy of engaging multiple providers for each project guarantees the representativeness of samples and aids in meeting even the most challenging quota groups. This multi-source approach is key to their ability to deliver diverse and accurate samples for a range of market research initiatives.

Our providers do not directly own panels or have personal relationships with panelists, and therefore do not collect profiling information firsthand. They depend on third-party suppliers who are responsible for their own profiling strategies. This reliance on external profiling data enables our providers to quickly identify and qualify respondents for surveys, enhancing the efficiency and relevance of the sample selection process.

They conduct initial feasibility assessments for projects, setting realistic objectives and expectations. This involves gathering comprehensive information about the target audience, survey length, cross-device compatibility, geographical reach, language requirements, time in field, and more. Incidence rate checks are performed prior to fielding studies to evaluate the qualification rate and the challenges in reaching a particular audience. They also provide population estimates, considering factors like incidence rate, population size, and sample availability, to gauge the potential number of qualified respondents in a target area. Regular feasibility testing is integral to their process, ensuring project objectives remain achievable throughout.

Throughout the fieldwork phase, our providers' dedicated project managers closely monitor project progress against key performance indicators, providing daily updates. In case of unexpected changes in project specifications, they are prepared to adapt and collaborate with other vendors to ensure project completion. Our providers work exclusively with GDPR-compliant, reputable panel companies and sample sources, upholding high standards of data protection and ethical sourcing.

Our providers utilize advanced tools that enable API-integrated sampling, consciously avoiding the use of router technology. This method ensures that the allocation of surveys to respondents is both direct and efficient, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the survey distribution process. By opting for API-integrated tools, they ensure a streamlined experience for both researchers and participants.

The use of API-integrated sampling tools is a deliberate choice by our providers to improve the survey-taking experience. This approach ensures that participants are not required to navigate a router environment, thereby simplifying and expediting the process of survey participation. This focus on streamlining reflects our providers' commitment to efficiency and participant convenience.

In keeping with their objective and versatile approach to sourcing, our providers employ technology that enables the distribution of surveys across hundreds of panels. While each panel retains autonomy over the specific information shared with potential respondents, our providers work collaboratively with panels that provide upfront information regarding survey duration and compensation. This practice supports transparency and informed participation.

Given that our providers do not own any panels themselves, the task of presenting surveys to respondents is undertaken by the vendor partners from whom the sample is sourced. These respondents are subjected to preliminary screening questions to ensure the relevance of the survey to their profile, thereby enhancing the accuracy and relevance of the data collected.

The incentives offered to respondents are managed by our providers' supply partners, with the type and value of rewards varying according to the specific requirements of each project. Common forms of incentives include a variety of options such as gift cards, loyalty program rewards, contributions to charitable causes, or direct cash rewards. This diverse range of incentives aims to cater to the varied preferences of respondents, ensuring effective participant engagement.

While our providers do not have direct ownership of panels or relationships with panelists, they cannot directly measure respondent satisfaction. Nevertheless, they place high importance on working with partners and vendors who prioritize the respondent experience. This emphasis is managed by monitoring metrics such as conversion rates, dropout rates, and the quality of responses, ensuring that the end-user experience aligns with high standards.

Our providers have a structured approach for debriefing clients after projects, focusing on identifying successes and areas for enhancement. This process includes a detailed checklist to assess client satisfaction and involves conducting post-project satisfaction surveys. Their commitment to client contentment is reflected in their consistently high Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 80 or above. They also offer clients access to reporting portals during and after fieldwork, providing insights into study performance metrics like length of interview (LOI), incidence rate (IR), dropout rate, mobile conversion, and toss rate.

The responsibility for managing survey deduplication is delegated to their vendor partners. These partners employ advanced technology to prevent duplicate entries within a survey, survey group, or category, using tools like IP address monitoring, participant IDs, or cookies. Customizable blocking parameters are in place to prevent respondents from repeating surveys, and "predupe" technology is utilized to avoid directing a respondent to a survey they have already encountered. Additionally, our providers' technology ensures individuals do not partake in multiple surveys at once and monitors respondent activity across the market research sector, setting appropriate timing thresholds for each project.

As our providers do not own any panels, they do not have direct insight into the specific surveys individual respondents engage in. This lack of visibility into respondent-survey participation is a consequence of their operational model, focusing on independence and neutrality in the market research process.

To ensure the authenticity and reliability of respondents, our providers employ state-of-the-art digital fingerprinting and fraud detection technology. This technology assesses potential threats in real time, using historical activity and external fraud databases to identify and screen out bots, known fraudulent individuals, or duplicates. It also proactively screens for known e-commerce and adtech fraudsters prior to respondent survey access, maintaining the integrity and quality of the survey data.

Our providers meticulously analyze target audiences and establish precise allocation parameters across various sample sources. This allows them to replicate these parameters for continuity in tracker studies or ongoing research. Their lack of proprietary panels or sample sources enables them to guarantee representativeness and diversity in sampling. They achieve this by pooling respondents from multiple sources for each project, offering clients the option to append source information to participant data records for reference.

To enhance data quality, our providers use technology that monitors respondent activities across the market research ecosystem. This includes flagging and blocking professional or undesirable survey participants, such as those known to frequently delete survey cookies. During fieldwork, they employ tools that actively track respondent engagement and analyze open-ended responses in real time. This analysis includes checking for grammar, length, use of profanity, copy/pasting, and other factors that might impact the quality of data.

In addition to these steps, our providers integrate survey logic to deter unwanted respondent behaviors, such as using red herring or trap questions. They also monitor for patterns indicative of poor engagement, like straight-lining in surveys or subpar open-ended responses. Furthermore, they conduct both mid-field and post-field data cleansing as part of their comprehensive approach to each project, ensuring high data integrity.

In instances involving the collection of personal data from respondents, our providers rely on the privacy notices of their clients, either through direct links or notices provided. This ensures that respondents are adequately informed about the use of their data.

Our providers are committed to adhering to legal and regulatory requirements through contractual obligations where necessary. They have developed policies and procedures to meet information security and privacy obligations, relying on the legal basis obtained by their suppliers or the consent language directed by clients for processing personal data in survey projects. They have established processes for responding to data breaches, managing cross-border data transfers, and retaining data. However, it is the responsibility of their clients to ensure compliance with cross-border transfers and data retention policies for personal data collected in research projects.

Our providers' suppliers maintain fixed consent terms, and any required consent language for projects is provided by the clients. Our providers, who do not own any sample sources, act as intermediaries, sourcing samples from reputable panels for survey research. They also ensure that their clients offer necessary support to respondents or data subjects as required.

To stay updated with relevant legal requirements, our providers engage with a compliance consultant. This collaboration is vital to ensuring that their operations remain compliant with evolving legal and regulatory landscapes.

When it comes to collecting personal data, especially of children, our providers operate strictly under their clients' directives and adhere to provided guidelines. They do not collect personally identifiable information from respondents of any age. Additionally, they align with industry standards by following the guidelines and standards set by member associations like ESOMAR and GRBN. In terms of compliance with data protection laws and regulations, they maintain necessary contractual obligations and have developed policies and procedures to fulfill their information security responsibilities.

Our providers prioritize the collection of only essential data elements for each client project, underscoring the significance of data protection and privacy in their operations. This focused approach reflects their commitment to maintaining data integrity and upholding privacy regulations.

They have established a Written Information Security Program (WISP) to protect information resources from various threats. This program plays a crucial role in ensuring business continuity and reducing risk through the implementation of relevant policies, processes, procedures, controls, standards, guidelines, and supporting technological infrastructure.

While not all entities within our providers are ISO 20252 certified, their operations and processes closely adhere to the principles and standards of this certification. This alignment demonstrates their commitment to maintaining high standards in their market research operations.