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From: rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Telephone surveys
Message-ID: <153@opus.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 24-Oct-85 03:20:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: opus.153
Posted: Thu Oct 24 03:20:57 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 25-Oct-85 04:36:50 EDT
References: <488@scirtp.UUCP> <370@cylixd.UUCP> <811@terak.UUCP>
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Organization: NBI,Inc, Boulder CO
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> > The sales pitch is usually disguised as a survey of some kind.
> 
> I won't answer questions for phone surveys; I wonder if the legit
> survey operators are aware that the "population" they reach has
> been altered?

The surveys I've gotten over the phone are laden with leading questions but
virtually lacking in decent demographic controls.  Since it's no good for a
surveyor to get through 90% of a questionnaire and then have to scrap it
because I won't answer personal questions (marital status, income, etc.)
for someone I've never seen nor heard of, and since it's also a waste of my
time, I generally don't answer surveys either.

Surveys by phone have horrible demographic skewing to start with--you
have to have a phone and be there to answer it before any of the other
control problems even arise.  (BTW, think about that the next time you hear
"90% of those surveyed...")
-- 
Dick Dunn	{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd		(303)444-5710 x3086
   ...At last it's the real thing...or close enough to pretend.