Email/Internet Data Collection

Email is an efficient, cost-effective marketing research methodology that works well for both long and short surveys. Customers receive an invitation either by email, mail or on-site. Customers are encouraged to complete the survey by going to a website hosted on Sterling servers. Email invitations include a link to the site, making it easy for customers to respond. A password is required to access the survey, ensuring each customer completes just one.

Internet surveys can incorporate the same flexible and powerful techniques as telephone interviewing (CATI systems) such as question rotation and branching. Plus, they can include graphics, charts, maps, photos and videos to enhance the data collection experience.

Email is delivered quickly, and completing the survey is convenient, so data collection is typically much faster. Since the respondent’s keystrokes are recorded directly into the electronic database, rather than translated through scanning or CATI, the data is more accurate and is available in real-time. Because of the speed, accuracy and flexibility Sterling recommends using this market research method whenever possible.