The telephone survey is one of the most common methods of market research.  It is also a fairly simple method.

Telephone surveys are conducted by companies looking for feedback on a widely used merchandise, service or business.  They are usually conducted by cubicle callers who are making a wage that increase depending on the number of surveys successfully completed every hour or every shift.

Some surveys are done for government study, including research for health care and related industries.

Tele surveying frequently uses this method:

1. The caller will ask for basic information on the customer.
2. The caller may ask for information about age and employment simply because that qualifies or disqualifies many people from the target survey audience that the company wants.
3. The survey then consists of several questions, usually variations around a general topic. The caller is usually at a computer screen at this point, quickly typing “yes” or “no” answers into the database.
4. After the survey is done, he should politely thank you for your time. The caller then completes your information in the computer. He usually sees how long the survey has taken. The caller is then automatically connected with other callers.
5. If you have your name on a do-not-call list, be sure to advise the caller of this fact as soon as you answer the phone.