Ipsos Observer, The Survey Management, Data Collection and Delivery Specialists.

PAPI, CAPI Fieldwork | CLT | CATI | CAWI (online research) | Regional and international projects | Contact

1         Introduction

1.1      Mission

We are providing integrated fieldwork, data processing and informatics services to external costumers and to our leader market research company, IPSOS Hungary, since 1990.

We established our Observer team in 2011. This team delivers data collection and data delivery (field & tab) services to external clients. Our partners give us the questionnaire and fieldwork specification, we execute the data collection and then deliver the data in the specified format; we also deliver crosstabs in some cases. Our service is mainly used by market research and consultancy agencies.

Following our reorganization in 2007, we are working in a modern team structure, with dynamic young managers and with seasoned experts within the teams.

1.2       3M project teams

 

In 2007, we introduced a new team model to conduct our survey projects. The idea of this model is that only three capable, responsible people make up the internal project team. This means more streamlined communication, clear responsibility lines. Area experts, in fields such as sampling, methodology and media preproduction are introduced to the projects as necessary.

This system was proven by increased client satisfaction.

2         Achievements

We are proud of our results achieved in 2010. We conducted 145,000 personal (face-to-face), 200,000 online, and overall more than 350,000 interviews. This means almost one personal interview in every 3 and a half minutes, one online interview in every 2 and a half minutes and an interview per every 1.5 minute with all of the data collecting methods combined.

3         Data collection methods

We have expertise in every popular and several niche and cutting edge data collection methods used by the market research industry.

3.1       Face-to-face

Face-to-face is still the most popular choice for ad-hoc surveys in Hungary. Our two decades of experience with paper based and more than 6 years of experience with computer based questionnaires is accompanied with state of the art fieldwork and quality management solutions.

3.1.1       Organization

We believe that during the interviewing process the most important are the respondent and the interviewer themselves. Therefore we frame our thoughts on an inverted pyramid model. The base of our success is our dedicated core interviewer team.

On the infrastructure side, our fieldwork operation is supported by 360 notebooks which is most likely the largest laptop force used solely for market research in Hungary.

Three capable members of the face-to-face team are responsible for the execution of our fieldwork projects.

3.1.2       Field force

Our average interviewer has several years of experience, has good communication skills, able to convince the respondents to participate in the survey. (Though, respondents are less and less willing to get engaged in door-to-door research.)

3.1.3       Training

Our step-by-step interviewer selection process ensures the high quality and reliability of our face-to-face data collection. After an initial briefing, the interviewers have to participate on a 3 hour basic skills training program. Then they get introduced to a particular data collection method, such as paper and pencil personal interviewing (PAPI), computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) or central location testing (CLT). This step is followed by practice surveying.  Afterwards a few real-life questionnaires get analyzed in great detail with a supervisor. Only if all the gates after each step are successfully passed can the candidate become a qualified interviewer.

We brief every interviewer participating in a particular data collection, either by training at our headquarters by the fieldwork manager or at the regional centers by the regional directors, or by written instructions, depending on the complexity of the project.

We are continuously monitoring the performance of each individual interviewer and developing learning plans for them if necessary.

3.1.4       Paper based interviews (PAPI)

We have our internally developed system to generate paper based questionnaires. Decades of experience distilled into a very effective system for handling paper based questionnaires. Every interview is checked at several levels before getting into the hands of the data entry personnel. The experience of our data entry team and the software solutions in use ensure that data entry errors are well below the 2 mistypes in 1,000 characters threshold.

3.1.5       Computer based interviews (CAPI)

In Hungary IPSOS was among the first who introduced surveying with laptops, the CAPI technology in 2004. We made the investment to develop our custom software solution for this platform, which helps our life through the entire lifecycle of the survey.

3.1.6       Fieldwork management systems

Our efficiency and effectiveness is ensured by our custom developed fieldwork management systems. With this web based solution we can monitor the progress of our CAPI data collections near real-time.

3.1.7       Business-to-business (B2B) surveys

B2B surveying requires special expertise; therefore we train each and every interviewer participating in this kind of surveys. We made more than 3,000 B2B face-to-face interviews in 2009.

We purchase the most recent national company database from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office.

We also have an online business panel, described here. 

3.1.8       Omnibus

Our monthly CAPI Omnibus is a combined questionnaire containing several topics of several clients. It is a cost effective way to reach a general profile with limited number of questions. The nationally representative sample can be 1,500 or 1,000 depending on the client’s needs.

More information is available here.

3.1.9       Central location tests (CLT)

As the name implies, for central location tests (CLT) or in-hall tests we recruit respondents to participate in a survey organized in a central location. The recruitment is either before the test or from the street. The questionnaires are usually filled with the help of an interviewer or sometimes with self-completion. We also organize “experiment” tests, where we put the participants in a situation (for instance shopping at a shelf test) or expose them to stimuli (for instance a new package at concept testing) and register their impressions.

3.1.10  Quality management

Our team is dedicated to quality. In order to reach above the expectation quality level, we have an independent quality control group and we are constantly innovating our quality management processes.

We adapted a holistic “factory view” to our fieldwork department, which means that not only do we analyze the performance of our interviewers on a project by project bases, but we also focus on the quality management of the whole “data factory”, including the personnel (interviewers), the processes and the product (the data). We believe that we have to maintain a good and reliable “factory” to always fulfill all of our client’s demands.

We have monthly performance appraisals for our regional directors when we look at key performance indicators (KPIs) and we introduced a bonus system for quality goals. We are proud that we were able to significantly improve our KPIs with this method.

We introduced the market research industry specific ISO 20252 standard, in close collaboration with the Hungarian Society of Professional Market Research Agencies. Even more, we introduced the Society’s own quality modules also to show our commitment for outstanding quality.

3.2       Online research (CAWI)

Online research is increasingly popular in Hungary as internet usage is over 50%. This fast and cost effective research method accounts for the biggest share of our data collection methods in terms of number of interviews.

To meet our quality expectations, we maintain our own panels for online research. To ensure quality answers we recruit our panels using several (both offline and online) sources. We have a consumer panel with more than 20,000 active panelists and a business panel with more than 8,000 members, which is the only business panel dedicated for researches in Hungary.

In 2010, our efforts on quality were recognized by the international IPSOS network and Hungary will share its local panel with the international IPSOS panel, provide samples to IPSOS’s international researches, managed by IPSOS Interactive Services.

We also maintain so called “client panels”, which are exclusively built and used by a particular client.

 

More information is available about our online research on our here.

3.2.1       Our unique validated online panel

We have built our new 30.000 panel in collaboration with the leading social network in Hungary,  iWiW. We call this unique panel as “validated online answers”, because the panelists will be tied back to their social network identity, which ensures that we will have real people with real demographics and other data.

3.3       CATI

We opened our CATI@home virtual call center with a few operators in 2010.

For larger or very rapid projects we have a wide network of CATI partners in Hungary. Our largest partner has approximately 600 seats.

The offerings of our qualitative department can be found here.

3.4       Other

We have experience with several other data collection methods, such as

·         eye tracking

·         voting systems

·         mobile surveying

·         mystery shopping

·         price monitoring

·         internal and client satisfaction surveys

We had built custom reporting systems to our clients.

We are also involved in online audience measurement with a strategic partner.

4         Scripting, data processing

The eight informatics managers are responsible for data processing and scripting. Most of them have a degree in mathematics or informatics.

Above the industry standard data processing (DP) capabilities, such as questionnaire scripting, data file management, complex tabulations, special exports, we have our set of tools and libraries to satisfy the most complex tasks at hand.

We have experts on custom software development and database design and also access to an extensive network of partners.

Based on our innovative culture and excellence in custom software development, we developed our own fieldwork management and data collection software for PAPI, CAPI and CAWI, which helps our colleagues through the whole DP and fieldwork process. Moreover, we also built solutions, amid several other things, that automatically feed PowerPoint with data, a solution mostly used for tracking studies.

4.1       Tools

Our custom developed Questionnaire Design System (QDS) is used for questionnaire scripting and data collection. We were early adapters of the Microsoft .NET technologies, using this technology since the second generation of the QDS system, introduced in 2004.

For data processing our base tool is SPSS, but we also write Excel macros for formatting, for automation and for interactive deliverables.

4.2       Advanced analysis

Our mathematicians provide not just analysis, data insight, and mathematical analysis services, but also data fusion, Shapely value (penalty-reward) analysis, conjoint and other advanced solutions.

5          Regional and international projects

Ipsos has Operations teams all over the world, working closely together to deliver regional or international field and tab projects for our partners. With presence in 84 countries, our colleagues deliver quality data quickly and reliably worldwide.
With the ongoing introduction of a global, common workflow and data collection platform we will be even more efficient and consistent in our delivery.

 

 

6         Consulting

We offer consulting services in any area of our expertise.

7         IPSOS

As part of the IPSOS network, we have access to excellent minds and deep knowledge in any area of our operations. Constant collaboration and sharing in the region and beyond ensure that we are always aware and use the latest technologies.

IPSOS is committed to conduct its business and fieldwork according to the rules, regulations and guidance of the ESOMAR market research organization.

 

Contact:

Bálint Kátay

Operations director

+36-1-476-7602

huoperations@ipsos.com

Ipsos Zrt.

Hungary 1096 Budapest, Thaly Kálmán u. 39.

Ipsos Zrt. has been awarded Business Superbrand 2008 and 2009.

Ipsos Zrt. is ISO 9001 and ISO 20252 certified.