Editor’s note: Barbara Allan is CEO of Sunbelt Research, a Jupiter, Fla., research firm. She is a member of the Qualitative Research Consultants Association.
A client has just called, and wants to know how people with a high net-worth, excluding real estate, will react to a new product line.
What is your next move? You could start by booking a traditional focus group facility. Or, as more and more moderators are starting to do, book online groups in a virtual facility.
And let us not forget, smaller groups conducted in facilities, such as mini groups, triads, dyads, and one-on-ones. All are options open to any experienced moderator.
Now, let’s make the project a bit more interesting, by mentioning that none of the people your client wants to talk to live in the same area, and none are computer-savvy types eagerly awaiting an online research experience.
Under these circumstances you might consider calling the client back and saying you have decided to pass on the project. But wait, help is at hand, in the form of telephone depth sessions.
Telephone depth sessions combine the probing benefits of traditional focus groups with the confidentiality provided by one-on-one telephone interviews. Topics which may not be appropriate for an open forum discussion can easily be broached during telephone depth sessions.
Therefore, if you don’t mind missing a few crowded, never-on-time flights, staying up late conducting groups, and getting up early to catch a flight to the next city, telephone depth sessions may be an option for you. Naturally, there is a catch: You have to supply your own M&Ms.
Case study
A few months ago, a financial service organization came to us with a request. They asked us to conduct a study among respondents with assets, excluding real estate and business ownership, in excess of $3 million.
We certainly did not have to be told that these are not the kind of folks who are going to jump at the chance to gather around a table to share ideas on how to make their next million.
Compounding the problem was the fact that while these individuals lived in one market during the winter months, it was now July and most were scattered throughout the country at their summer homes.
The challenge therefore became more than how to successfully and as cost-effectively get results for the client (a daunting problem in and of itself). The problem was also how to recruit a group of individuals who under any circumstances might be considered difficult but, under the current conditions, appeared impossible to reach.
Our solution was telephone depth sessions, which fit the bill perfectly. We designed a project that met our client’s expectations, we did it quickly, and at a cost within the client’s budget.
Where they work well
Telephone depth sessions should be considered whenever a project calls for qualitative research among a small targeted audience, who either because of their profession, location, or lifestyle are extremely difficult to bring together for a two-hour discussion group.
The types of respondents we have successfully completed telephone depth sessions among include: high net-worth individuals, seasonal residents, corporate executives, physicians, attorneys, community leaders, and salespeople.
Recruiting telephone depth sessions can be done in a variety of ways. We have found that two methods work particularly well. The first is modeled after the recruiting procedure used for traditional focus groups. A professional recruiter contacts potential respondents via phone, screens them to ensure they meet the qualification criteria, and invites them to participate in the research. Naturally, we know that if we are calling physicians, lawyers, or corporate executives our first contact will not be the person themselves, but their assistant. We are prepared with a succinct explanation and a request for a fax number. We find faxing information to the assistant’s attention is very helpful in finally being able to reach the person we want.
The second method requires more set-up time than the first, but has proven to be very successful.
Step one - Be sure you have an up-to-date mailing address for the people you want to interview.
Step two – Prepare a letter to send to potential respondents by either first-class regular mail or express mail. Depending on whether or not this is a blind study, the letter should be prepared on your letterhead or the client’s.
You are by no means limited to just a letter. The objective is to represent your client and the project as quality entities, and of course, to interest potential respondents in participating in the research. This is a great time to put your creative talents to work. A well-done contact piece appeals to their ego and whets their interest in the project.
Step three – Send the mailings out in waves of 50. You may not need to contact everyone on the list. Therefore, sending the correspondence in batches saves you both time and money.
How it works
In the mailing piece, potential respondents are given a toll-free number to call if they are interested in participating. When we have several depth telephone projects going on at the same time it can be confusing to identify the caller with the correct project. We have solved that minor internal problem by giving callers an alpha-related “code” name. For example, if the client is the ABC financial institution the caller may be told to ask for Abigail.
Like traditional focus groups, respondents are screened to ensure they qualify. However, unlike traditional groups, depth telephone session respondents can choose the day and time to be interviewed. This can range, and has, from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m., and if necessary Monday through Sunday (though we must admit, we do like to adhere to a Monday-Friday schedule).
To participate, respondents don’t have to fight traffic jams or struggle through inclement weather. They can be interviewed from anyplace they choose, their office, their home, even the golf course.
Telephone depth sessions almost always start on time, and have an excellent show rate. Respondents receive a confirmation letter indicating when to expect our call, and are almost always awaiting our contact.
Most projects include 15 to 20 respondents who are interviewed during a five- to 10-day period.
The sessions
The discussion guide used for a telephone depth session is the same in terms of content and structure as one used for a traditional group. However, there is a difference: Since there is only one respondent, the interview typically requires 45 to 50 minutes to complete.
In cases where the discussion concerns a household decision, it is acceptable, and very helpful to include both spouses in the conversation. Gone is the question, “How would you spouse react to this idea?” With depth sessions, both members of the household can join in, which makes for a lively conversation and a greater understanding of household purchasing decisions.
Naturally, you will need equipment. First and perhaps foremost is a comfortable chair for the moderator. You will need an audio recorder, audio tapes and, of course, your discussion guide and respondent profile.
Prior to starting the interview, respondents are asked for permission to tape-record the interview. Just as with traditional groups, it is very important that respondents fully understand how the research will be conducted and how the discussion will be used. As with any research, it is critical that respondents’ privacy be fully protected.
In the very rare instance when a respondent will not allow you to tape record the session (which has happened once or twice in about 200 sessions) your only option is to put yourself on speakerphone, turn on your computer, and start typing.
Some clients like to modify the discussion guide following the first couple of interviews. Therefore, we recommend overnighting a copy of the tape to them after the first session is completed. This ensures that you are able to make any necessary discussion guide modifications before you have completed many interviews.
Obviously, clients cannot view these sessions, but they can and most certainly do listen to the tapes in their cars while traveling. For this reason, we send out copies of the tapes as the sessions are completed.
Incentives
Incentives are a standard part of qualitative research projects, and depth telephone sessions are no exception to this policy. When the respondents are high net-worth individuals and corporate executives, we generally offer an incentive of $150 for 50 minutes or give them an opportunity to make a donation to a charity of their choice. Many take the second option. For projects where the client is identified, clients frequently ask us to send respondents a personal gift as an additional way of saying thank-you.
Valuable addition
Obviously, depth telephone sessions are not meant to replace other qualitative methods. But they do allow you to obtain rich and insightful information from audiences that are unlikely to participate in other qualitative methods and they are another valuable addition to the marketing research toolbox.
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