MRA/QRCA joint committee-recommended best practices for qualitative database development and usage

Guidelines for the future

Editor’s note: Nancy E. Kolkebeck is vice president of JRA, J. Reckner Associates, Inc., a Montgomeryville, Pa., research firm. She is also a member of the MRA/QRCA Joint Committee.

As the use of qualitative research increases, and there is every indication that the trend will continue well into the next century, concerns regarding respondent cooperation and past participation will be amplified. How do we as an industry deal with the increase in focus group research while at the same time address these concerns? One way is to become familiar with a recent publication distributed to members of the Marketing Research Association (MRA) and Qualitative Research Consultants Association (QRCA).

The recently published "Recommended Best Practices for Qualitative Database Development and Usage" is the first fruit of a partnership established in 1996 between MRA and QRCA. These two associations established the MRA/QRCA Joint Committee to discuss and address issues of mutual concern. The group’s purpose is to formalize dialogue between the two associations and to create materials and processes that will benefit members of both associations. The first area of mutual concern to be addressed was qualitative databases, specifically how respondents are recruited into a database and how facilities manage the past participation component.

The focus of the publication is to provide the industry with "best practices" that have been agreed to and are endorsed by both associations. Topics addressed include: methods currently used by facilities to recruit respondents into a facility database; how to handle client provided lists; making first contact with a potential respondent; and managing a qualitative database.

The cost of maintaining a database is significant. Some agencies have reported replenishment and maintenance costs ranging from $30,000 to as high as $75,000 per year. What is included in this cost? Activities such as: adding new information fields, for example name of Internet service provider; updating each respondent record for past participation by client, product category, and research type; adding new respondents; replacing respondents who have participated the maximum number of times; replacing respondents who do not want to be called anymore; and replacing respondents who have moved, etc. The business impact of database maintenance is that those agencies who do have strong and accurate databases may charge more to recruit than those who are using independent recruiters, are still using card files, or who do not dedicate resources to freshening their database.

Focus group facility owners and managers have surmised qualitative research consultants generally did not approve of methods such as direct mail, advertising, and in-person solicitation as appropriate means to refresh and increase recruiting databases when these solicitations included the statement that respondents would be "paid for their time." And indeed when the subject was raised to the MRA/QRCA Joint Committee, the QRCA members were uncomfortable with the use of ads or flyers stating potential respondents would receive money for participation. However, they came to the conclusion that "opinion sharing" was not sufficient enough motivation for the public to respond to agencies’ solicitations. This change of position came about through discussions between the MRA and QRCA members. From the agency perspective this now means ads used for soliciting new database respondents can contain copy stating that if they participate in a study, they will be compensated for their time and opinions.

In addition, most methods currently used by facilities to recruit new database participants are now acknowledged and endorsed by QRCA as a result of the MRA/QRCA Joint Committee’s efforts. These methods include: newspaper and radio ads, direct mail, interviewing or screening in malls, bulletin boards, e-mail, contacting organizations such as schools or churches, random dialing, and distributing flyers at large area events. One caution presented in the publication is that when respondents are being sought for a specific study, the method and copy for any advertising or notices should be determined by the client and field in partnership. The other caution noted is that the words "pay" or "paid" should be avoided whatever the method. Why? Because potential respondents may think that what is being offered is a "paid job" or a way to earn money on a regular basis.

Once a potential respondent is speaking with a facility, the guidelines recommend explaining what marketing research is, how the process works, and sharing participation benefits. This will increase the public’s awareness about legitimate market research practices and serves to heighten a potential respondent’s interest in participating. Any means we as an industry can use to increase respondent cooperation will make all our businesses more profitable.

Other recommended MRA/QRCA Joint Committee best practices are: never recruit a new respondent immediately; place a return call to those who call into a facility to verify that the telephone number is correct; de-dupe all records in a database by telephone number to weed out professional respondents; don’t ask respondents to fill out database questionnaires while they are waiting in the facility prior to participating in a study; and establish a "do not recruit" list of respondents who are not suitable for focus groups. A "do not recruit" list should include those who falsify information about past participation or qualification requirements, those not able to express their opinions clearly, or those who dominate a discussion.

These are just a few of the topics discussed. An appendix includes the CMOR Respondent Bill of Rights, frequently asked questions about marketing research and sample responses, sample display ads, a sample database screener, and other tools.

In closing, you might well be asking yourself "Why should I be concerned about these topics?" Each member of the research team, end users, moderators, and facility owners will benefit from promoting these best practices. End users will be rewarded with quality data through their willingness to use facilities that adhere to these best practices. This may mean slightly higher project costs. Moderators’ anxiety level will be reduced because they will be assured of quality respondents by selecting facilities that endorse these best practices. And, facilities who follow these best practices will be those that experience financial success in the next century because they will be sought out by leading-edge clients and moderators.