An Examination of Telephone Survey Response Rate, Speed, Cost, and Response Bias Using a Live Versus an Automated Interviewing Device

Abstract

The most widely used survey approach, telephone interviewing, has been bolstered through automation. This study tests the use of an automatic dialing and announcing device to contact potential respondents, pose questions, and record voice responses. Comparisons with live telephone interviews are made with respect to response rate, sample and response biases, and time and cost per completed interview. The automated interviews took more time per completed interview, but cost less. The two modes of data collection resulted in similar samples and responses to both sensitive and nonsensitive questions.