Facility specs
How many total rooms in the facility? What size are the focus and viewing rooms (dimensions and seating)? Does the viewing room have a one-way mirror? What type of facility are you in (freestanding, office building, etc.)? Where can I find photos of the facility?
You can’t underestimate the importance of the physical facility on the psyche of clients and respondents. Look for spacious, comfortable focus group suites in modern buildings that clients and respondents will feel good going to and being in for long periods. Conversely, beware of overbuilt facilities that charge premium prices for high-end decorative devices that don’t necessarily equate to comfort.
Technical and logistical support
How many workstations are available to clients, and are they easily accessible? What type of cell reception do you have in the facility? Is there on-site IT and audio/visual support? What are the recording (stationary or with operator) and delivery (i.e., DVD, jump drive, secure online viewing, etc.) options? Can you handle large/difficult/short-turnaround studies? Do you maintain niche audiences? What experience do you have with X type of recruit?
Even if a facility hasn’t done your exact recruit, good facilities will be honest about their recruiting availability/capacity and help find a way to get it done. Many facilities have sister offices that can help with specialized needs. Look for a facility that will assist you with all aspects of setup and support to help expand your repertoire of research offerings.
Valid and verified recruits
Do you use a computerized database tracking system? How - and how often - do you refresh your database? What percentage of respondents are validated? What type of quality-control measures do you have in place to ensure top-quality recruiting?
Many facilities don’t have a computerized database tracking system and therefore cannot accurately track participation, which can lead to cheaters, repeaters and professional respondents. A facility should have safeguards in place to ward off undesirable respondents, including database tracking by name and phone number, mandatory photo ID check and proving guess-proof screener questions. Ideal validation processes include third-party appointment verification; confirmation letters sent within 24 hours (immediately if possible); at least 25 percent validation of respondents; on-site re-screening; a separate quality-control department; dual-level client duplication screen when polling the database; interval polling to ensure the same participants are not pulled on multiple lists for multiple projects; and database randomization (daily or weekly).
Privacy protection for all parties
Are there privacy stations for clients to use? Where are they located in the facility? Are they communal? Do you have private lobbies for respondents or is there one central reception area?
Clients should have their own area in which to operate, rather than a shared area to congregate. Clients should know if respondents will be mingling with other respondents, and if so, they should also make sure the facility has not scheduled competitive or similar projects at the time. If the subject is sensitive (i.e., AIDS sufferers, a high-profile legal case, etc.) then a private lobby may be necessary to provide respondents comfort and privacy.
Beware of nickel-and-diming
On what is the bid based (i.e., incidence, hours, past experience, etc.)? What amenities are included in your bid/rental fees? Do you charge extra for things like copies, snacks, beverages, flip-charts, TVs, DVD players, Wi-Fi access and audio- and videorecording? Is parking complimentary for both clients and participants?
A low bid can initially look like a great deal, but facilities may be low-balling to get your business only to make up the difference by charging for services that normally would be included. To get a real comparison, ask for a detailed rate sheet for all extras. Additionally, parking fees tend to increase incentives, so it’s important for buyers to know what factors play into their honoraria.
Special thanks to Jackson Associates, Atlanta; Schlesinger Associates & The Research House, Edison, N.J.; and Fieldwork Inc. for providing input on the questions.