Face to face interviews

Face to face interviews are the most frequently used of our quantitative research methods.

Where do face-to-face interviews take place?

We can conduct interviews in the respondent’s home or workplace, or on the street.

Why should I choose face-to-face interviewing over other methods?

People are more likely to give their undivided attention to questions when an interviewer is present. This sometimes isn’t the case with self-completion methods such as postal and online surveys.

Our interviewers are skilled in building up a rapport with people. They are also trained to avoid introducing bias accidentally. This can happen if explanations aren’t consistent.

Why would a face-to-face interview be better for my project than a telephone survey?

Target the people you want to hear from

Face to face interview allows us to find the characteristics of the people we’re looking for. For example, visitors to a specific region.

Show not tell with stimulus material

Do you want to test out example advertisements or pictures? Face-to-face interviews are ideal for testing out what we call ‘stimulus material’. Examples include:

• A print advertisement or photo sequence of an advert
• A prompt card with a list of brands or product attributes
• Pictures or an actual range of new or existing packaging

Experienced interviewers available across the UK

We have extensive experience of face to face interviewing. Our project manager coordinates qualified supervisors and interviewers from our national network. Everyone is fully trained and thoroughly briefed at the start of each project.

Face to face interviews in action

10,000 interviews

We carried out a continuous survey amongst visitors to York. We found out why they chose to visit and how satisfied they were with city’s attractions and facilities. Over the course of each year we conducted more than 1,000 interviews. During the course of the contract we performed in excess of 8,000 face-to-face interviews.

Rural and remote locations

We ran a survey at convenience stores in remote areas of the UK. The aim was to find out the benefits of installing ATM cash machines. All cost elements associated with obtaining cash were compared before and after the machines’ introduction. In total, we interviewed more than 950 people.

Good or bad?

Another successful project was discovering the impact of stress at work. We conducted face-to-face interviews with full-time and part-time workers in ten major UK towns and cities. People were asked questions about the impact that ‘good’ and ‘bad’ days at work had on their work and home life.

Next steps

We would be delighted to discuss the best approach and most appropriate interviewing methods to meet your research needs. Call us on 0800 6523740, email us at [email protected], or complete our enquiry form.