To survey means 'to look at in-depth.' Surveys are useful for a variety of reasons. Below are some of the survey strategies used by researchers nowadays.
Mail surveys
Pros
• Due to the convenience of completing the survey in their own leisure time, a more extended questionnaire design is feasible.
• Email surveys are low-cost since they employ paper and pencil equipment.
• Mail surveys reach more people faster.
• Organizers can acquire a significant sample amount in a short time.
Cons
• The researcher has no follow-up because mail surveys are self-selected and self-administered by the respondent.
• In terms of questionnaire design and question clarification, they also have the least level of control over all other survey approaches.
• The time spent returning the survey by mail, entering the data, and analyzing the results is extensive because survey tools may not be easy to use.
• The completion rate is relatively low.
Telephone surveys
Pros
• Nothing will provide you with more accurate findings in a real-time and user-friendly format than telephone surveys.
• Increased response rates of up to 25-40% among clients who contacted you by phone are significantly higher than more passive email and postal surveys.
• More detailed responses and valuable verbatim comments are received in the customer's voice.
Cons
• Due to the respondent's attention span and patience, you might only be able to ask 5 or 6 questions due to time limits.
• The specific question format that can be utilized in phone surveys is limited.
• Telephone polls are generally more expensive than other types of polls.
Online surveys
Pros
• Online surveys are the most cost-effective way to reach the biggest number of individuals worldwide, increasing the likelihood of a greater response rate.
• Online surveys enable organizations to systematically collect data from their target population via the internet rapidly and efficiently.
• Since the internet can connect people worldwide, online survey software can reach a vast number of people because they can be distributed using basic technology and completed by respondents with ease.
• The acquired data may be handled automatically because the responses are typed online and stored in a survey tool database, providing hassle-free data processing and a lower risk of errors, especially when collecting email addresses.
Cons
• Even though respondents have the flexibility of answering at any time of day, this affects the delivery rate since respondents might ignore it for a more extended period, leaving organizations with insufficient time to compute and use data.
• Survey questions are typically too long, resulting in erroneous responses and data recovery.
• Not suitable for some elderly customers.
• Setting up an online survey takes time and as the survey methodology begins, the setting up process may become quite complex.
Interview Survey
Pros
• The success rate is high.
• There is a good chance of respondents not quitting before completing the survey.
• More qualitative data can be collected by the interviewer and also discuss responses with the respondent.
• It is ideal for hard-to-reach communities.
Cons
• The cost of interviewer training, travel, and delivering respondent incentives is very high.
• One-on-one surveys are nearly gone due to the high cost of doing them over the phone or online.
• It has the highest chance of interviewer's verbal and nonverbal bias.
• Furthermore, respondents may be hesitant to provide genuine replies to complex topics to provide a more socially acceptable response to the interviewer.
Conclusion
All of these considerations affect the accuracy of your studies and your budget. However, the budget should rarely take precedence over selecting the most excellent alternative for attaining your study objectives.
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