Work Home Journal

Did you know that the U.S. Census is a type of Survey? The very first survey done in the U.S. was the Census of 1790. Another name for Survey is marketing research. Marketing research was born just after World War II when soap makers holding unsold chucks of soap began to respond to demands for better cleaning soap and more fragrant soap. Surveys are usually done two ways: Interviews and Questionnaires.

Interviews are done most of the time by telephone. Questionnaires are done in many ways by mail, internet, after a product purchase or just after receiving a service. There is also Employee Satisfaction questionnaires for the work place. Everything that we see and use is a result of market research geared towards customer satisfaction. Some examples of products and services that are the results of marketing questionnaires are plastic containers, child proof medicine bottles, and warning labels. Did you know that the location of stores, schools, and shopping malls is based of the results of surveys. Public opinion surveys determine the location and types of mass transit, Needed social service programs and special services for school children and senior citizens.

There are two types of market research companies: Interview companies and full service companies. Interview companies only conduct interviews. Full service service companies do everything from designing questionnaires to analyzing and reporting results. All of the information on surveys or market research can be found at the Council of American Survey Research organizations or CASRO. Surveys conducted on the internet are paid for by the companies that need the information to make a better product, improve on existing services, and or to upgrade survey systems and survey technology. Surveys have improve our lives for the better and will continue to do so for many years to come.

What do you do when a research company calls you on the telephone and tries to sell you something?

First, such companies are not survey research companies. While selling by phone is not against the law, pretending to beconducting a survey, when it is not true, is totally unethical. Second, survey companies do not do this. Hang up the phone. Contact CASRO, your better business bureau, and/or your local Chamber of Commerce. Some states have recently passed laws to protect its residents from unwanted telemarketing(as opposed to research) calls.

Do not be afraid of surveys, they help us all especially the Census.

Take Surveys Online and Get Paid