Phone Surveys: Best Practices and Tools
This guide provides best practices and tools for implementing phone surveys, a cornerstone of data collection for Innovations for Poverty Action. Voice and text-based phone surveys offer a cost-effective and adaptive method to gather high-quality data, especially in contexts where in-person surveys are impractical.
- Phone surveys offer significant advantages in cost-effectiveness, speed, and accessibility, making them valuable for data collection in challenging environments.
- Success requires careful consideration of technical feasibility, resource availability, and research design compatibility before implementation.
- Different survey modes (CATI, IVR, SMS) have distinct strengths and limitations - choosing the right mode depends on research goals, target population, and practical constraints.
1. Methods and Best Practices
Introduction
Phone surveys are a cornerstone of IPA’s research methodology, offering cost-effective, scalable, and reliable data collection when in-person surveys face constraints. Phone surveys enable tailored data collection for real-time monitoring and impact evaluations, while maintaining ethical standards and operational continuity. Proven critical during COVID-19, they remain essential for hard-to-reach populations and time-sensitive research.
This page provides IPA teams and partners with:
- General insights on the role and advantages of phone surveys in development research.
- Academic research synthesizing evidence on best practices (e.g., optimizing response rates, minimizing attrition).
- Practical resources – handbooks, SurveyCTO templates, and implementation guides – to design and deploy effective phone surveys.
Whether adapting an existing in-person survey to phone-based methods or launching a new remote data collection effort, the materials below offer evidence-backed guidance at every stage.
What Are Phone Surveys?
Phone surveys are a method of collecting quantitative or qualitative data by contacting respondents over the phone. Common approaches include:
- Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI): Live interviews conducted by trained enumerators.
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Automated surveys where respondents answer on a keypad or by voice.
- SMS/Text-based Surveys: Questionnaires delivered by text messaging.
Why Use Phone Surveys?
- Accessibility: Reach respondents in hard-to-access regions or during disruptions (e.g., pandemics).
- Cost-Effectiveness: Lower logistical costs compared to in-person surveys.
- Speed: Rapid deployment for time-sensitive data (e.g., crisis monitoring).
- Safety: Avoid physical contact during health emergencies.
2. Weighing the Advantages and Challenges
Advantages of Phone Surveys
Enumerators can be assigned at random without geographic or travel constraints. Ensures fairness and reduces bias in data collection.
No need for travel, reducing costs and time. Enumerators can work remotely, increasing flexibility.
Lower operational costs compared to in-person surveys (e.g., no transportation or accommodation expenses). Scalable for large sample sizes.
Surveys can be conducted quickly, especially with automated dialing systems. Real-time data entry reduces post-survey processing time.
Computer-assisted systems minimize human errors in data entry. Built-in validation checks ensure accurate responses.
Ability to reach respondents across large or remote areas without physical presence.
Surveys can be conducted at convenient times for respondents, improving response rates.
Supervisors can monitor calls in real time, ensuring quality control. Automated systems track call outcomes (e.g., completed, refused, invalid).
Challenges of Phone Surveys
Difficulty maintaining contact with respondents over time. Higher attrition rates compared to in-person surveys.
Limited availability of multilingual enumerators. Need for translation services increases costs.
Higher refusal rates compared to in-person surveys. Respondent fatigue with repeated calls.
Dependence on reliable phone networks and internet connectivity. Risk of dropped calls or poor audio quality.
Challenges in verifying respondent identity. Limited control over privacy during calls.
Cannot observe body language or environmental context. More difficult to build rapport with respondents.
Restricted windows for successful contact. Need to balance persistence with respondent convenience.
Shorter attention spans for phone interviews. Complex questions may be harder to convey verbally.
3. When to Implement Phone Surveys?
After weighing the advantages and challenges, consider these key factors before implementing phone surveys:
Essential Criteria
| Criterion | Key Questions |
|---|---|
| Data Urgency | - Is immediate data collection necessary? - Can the research questions wait for in-person collection? |
| Safety and Ethics | - Can data be collected safely and ethically? - Are there risks to respondents or enumerators? |
| Technical Feasibility | - Do you have reliable phone numbers? - Do respondents have consistent phone access? - Is there adequate network coverage? |
| Resource Availability | - Can you compensate respondents? - Do you have budget for airtime and equipment? - Are trained enumerators available? |
| Research Design Compatibility | - Can your research questions be answered by phone? - Is the target population reachable by phone? - Are survey length and complexity suitable? |
Choosing an Appropriate Mode
Recommended modes:
- CATI: Best for data quality but requires interviewers
- IVR: Lower cost but may frustrate respondents
- SMS: Limited by literacy and message length
- Web: Less common in low-income countries
Research Goals by Mode
Source: Remote Surveying in a Pandemic: Handbook
| Goal | CATI | IVR | SMS | Web |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tracking respondents | ~ | + | ~ | - |
| Updating contact info | + | - | ~ | ~ |
| Determining language | + | + | - | + |
| High-frequency data | ~ | +* | +* | + |
| Sensitive outcomes | ~ | ~ | - | ~ |
| High response rates | + | - | - | - |
| Large samples | - | + | ~ | + |
4. Resources
Guides and Templates
Remote Surveying in a Pandemic: Handbook
Comprehensive guide to designing phone surveys during disruptions.
SurveyCTO Templates for Phone Surveys
Pre-built templates for phone surveys in SurveyCTO, including:
- CATI call tracking forms
- Phone number validation
- Appointment scheduling
- Call attempt logging
- Multi-language support
IPA RECOVR Phone Survey
Insights on IPA’s phone survey initiative during COVID-19, including:
- Survey implementation guide
- Sample tracking protocols
- Response rate optimization
- Quality control measures
- Cross-country coordination
CATI SurveyCTO Plug-ins Webinar
Discover how J-PAL and IPA use SurveyCTO plug-ins for phone surveys, including:
- Automated call scheduling
- Multi-language support
- Call tracking integration
- Quality monitoring tools
- Cross-platform compatibility
Academic Research
Remote Surveying in a Pandemic: Research Synthesis
Meta-analysis of phone survey adaptations.
Pre-Survey SMS Contact
Evidence on messaging to boost response rates.: Download PDF
Monetary Incentives
Impact of incentives on participation.: Download PDF
Mode Effects on Data Quality
Comparing phone vs. in-person data accuracy.: Download PDF
Attrition in Mobile Phone Panels
Strategies to mitigate panel dropout.: Download PDF
Optimal Timing for Random Digit Dialing
Maximizing contact success rates.: Download PDF
Repeated Attempts in Random Digit Dialing Surveys
Best practices for rescheduling calls.: Download PDF
Best Practices Summary
- Pre-notification: Send SMS/WhatsApp alerts to improve response (WhatsApp Start Guide)
- Incentives: Small monetary rewards increase participation
- Call Scheduling: Prioritize evenings/weekends
- Quality Checks: Monitor for mode-related biases (Mode Effects)
5. Conclusion
Effective phone surveys require careful planning, appropriate technology, and systematic quality control. Success depends on matching survey mode to research objectives, implementing robust tracking systems, and applying evidence-based practices for maximizing response rates and data quality.