Spending a little time getting to know respondents can improve your qualitative learning

By Tim Huberty | March 1, 1995

Reading time: 7 minutes

Abstract

The research relationship can be cold. This article discusses how interviewers should take time to get to know respondents as individuals. Doing so is valuable when researching one-on-one and in focus groups because consumers are more likely to open up and offer unsolicited insights to someone who has earned their trust. Spending an extra five minutes to get to know respondents may result in more insightful information that will have the credibility of a personality behind it.

Research Topics:: Focus Group-Moderating | Focus Groups | One-on-One (Depth) Interviews | Qualitative Research
Content Type: Research Methodology

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Editor's note: Tim Huberty is vice president, account planner, at the Campbell Mithun Esty advertising agency, Minneapolis. He is also an adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Business at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul.

How many times at a party do you go up to people and immediately ask them to tell you about their innermost thoughts and feelings? Usually, you begin the conversation with small talk and "work up" to matters of consequence.

It's the same thing when seeing a therapist for the first time. People just don't walk in the door and instantly open up. Instead, it takes time (often several sessions) for both parties to get to know each other, to build trust, to break down barriers.

And yet, day after day, in research facilities and shopping malls throughout the land, people are brought in "cold," shown a poorly sketched concept or an idea for a commercial, asked to put their imaginations in overdrive and then brusquely paid for their contributions.

How many relationships could survive that sort of trauma?

"Getting to know you"

For years, marketing research experts have been harping upon the importance of the data collection process. Many times I have told associates and students that the best designed questionnaire isn't worth anything without the best possible means of data collection.

And so, we write screeners that eliminate any possibility of talking to the wrong people. Yet, when these "experts" come in, it's "business, business and only business" because our time is so valuable. We have to get them in and out as soon as possible. We treat them like lab rats, poking into their opinions, making fun of them when they can't come up with the breakthroughs or insights that we can't come up with ourselves.

A few more minutes of respondents' time can be time well invested. Instead of immediately launching into a questionnaire, interviewers should take some time to get to know the respondent as an individual, a savvy shopper with prejudices and philosophies, quirks and concerns. Take an extra five to 10 minutes up front to find out where "they're coming from." And also have the interviewer share a bit of herself. It's a two-way street. But more about that later.

Small talk isn't so small

Time taken to get to know the respondent is a very wise investment. For conversation starters, you can use the "old reliables" - or interviewers can certainly ad lib:

Friends and family. ("I see you're name is Hepburn. Do you know any Hepburns in Minneapolis?" or "So what are the kids doing today?");
Common neighborhood/city links. ("This is my first visit here. What should I see to really experience the town?");
The journey to the facility. ("Did you have any trouble getting here?");
How the day has gone. ("So how's it gone so far?");
What's planned for the rest of day. ("What are you going to do after you're through here?");
Media/product usage. ("What newscast should I watch?" "What's your favorite commercial?")
The weather - the old standby. ("God, it's cold. Do you think it will ever warm up?")

I've been using this technique for a few years now. However, it was extremely informal and totally undisciplined. Then, a few weeks ago, I was doing some one-on-one interviewing for a client about a storyboard introducing a new product. More out of boredom than anything else (plus the fact that the interviews were supposed to last 30 minutes, but were going under 20), I just started chatting with respondents. First it was the "I'm from out of town and this is my first trip to Phoenix" stuff and then I went into "What's so great about Phoenix?", "How long have you lived here?", "What's the 'hot story' in the papers?", "Where should I go to eat tonight?", etc. Within 10 short minutes, I had made a group of friends. So much so, that I often found myself saying, "Hey, we're here to talk about advertising, so let's earn our money, OK?"

Better data from three-dimensional people

So what's the pay off for all this? QUALITY information. Information that has the added impact of consumer involvement, consumer empathy. Consumers are more likely to open up, to offer unsolicited insights, to someone who has earned their trust. Instead of mumbled, plain vanilla answers, we get the involvement of a person, a consumer. In listening to the Phoenix tapes a few days later, I was amazed at how much more information I had collected from my "friends" vs. the earlier respondents.

Here's a sample reply from one of the first respondents I talked to, whom I asked for thoughts about the product featured on the storyboard:

"It was okay." (Probe) "You know, I might buy one."

From one of the later respondents:

"It was pretty interesting. It's like we were talking about before. I've always thought to myself that it would be neat if they had a product like this. It's something there's definitely a need for. I would have to talk with my husband about it. I'd have to see how much it cost. I'd like to sample it for awhile first."

Both respondents had essentially the same reaction to the product. However, note the lack of probing during the second interview. Also, note that the second respondent introduced several issues (e.g., another decision maker, the issue of price) which weren't raised during the first interview. But friends often offer that sort of unsolicited advice.

The first five to 10 minutes of any interview are undoubtedly the most important. With this "getting to know you" time, the interviewer has a chance to understand the respondent as a person. Somebody you could describe to other people. Somebody you'd like to have lunch with.

The people watching behind the glass (if there are any), gain a new perspective on their customers and non-customers. Respondents suddenly become three-dimensional. Thinking. Caring. With personality quirks. Just like those people behind the glass.

Interviewers are the key

The importance of hiring good interviewers is crucial. (I'm assuming you're not doing all of this yourself.) The interviewers collecting the information have to truly like people and be interested in them. They have to be people who can easily win the trust of others.

In fact, "How much do you like people?" should be the first question asked of any interviewer applicant. Interviewers shouldn't look intimidating, shouldn't be more concerned about collecting the information than making a friend. They should be in the mode of making friends first, and then "Oh, by the way I have to ask you some other stuff now."

Works for focus groups, too

This "quality time" before the interview can be introduced prior to any interview or even a focus group. In fact, it's probably more valuable in a focus group, a setting in which eight to 10 strangers are expected to bare their souls with consumers they have never seen before and probably will never see again. In this case, using the first 15 minutes of a focus group to chat will probably produce information worth more than conducting countless additional groups.

Recently, I was doing a series of focus groups for a local grocery chain. People weren't just opening up. They sat back, arms folded, their bodies demonstrating how much they weren't into participating. So, after a few groups, I tried the old approach of, "Mary, you and Carol introduce each other and Susan and Julie, you introduce each other." This was somewhat successful until I dropped the "and tell us where you shop for groceries most often and why" in favor of "tell us about two things you enjoy doing" and "where you see yourself in five years."

These items had nothing to do with the subject at hand. And yet, talking about what they enjoyed doing and their long-term aspirations put a special spin on everything we discussed after that. Plus, the participants were finding out "little secrets" about each other and establishing a bond.

"Do as I do"

Another key ingredient to success: The interviewer or moderator should be expected to participate in these rituals, thereby insuring acceptance by the individual or the group. Tell respondents or participants a little bit about your own aspirations, dreams, etc. Let them get to know you. During focus groups, I make it a point to introduce and tell the others about a participant in the group. And he or she tells the others about me. It forms a bond and gives the moderator a chance to share secrets, to become a friend rather than a snooty outsider.

The key is that you are spending quality time to get to really get know your customers. So what if the interview takes an extra five minutes? Believe me, you won't notice the time. But you will notice how much more insightful and creative your consumers become. They won't wait for you to ask the questions. They'll volunteer the information - information that will have the credibility of a personality behind it.