A F2F survey, or face-to-face survey, is a method of data collection in which the study sample is involved with the objective of conducting the interview personally and observing the behavior and responses of the participants to obtain more information.
This method of data collection is preferred by many researchers, as it allows them to observe the context in which the study population or sample operates and in this way they can deepen the analysis of their responses, for example when conducting field research.
Types of F2F survey
There are two types of F2F surveys that can be conducted:
Surveys in public spaces: one of the main ways to get responses is through F2F surveys in open and crowded spaces.
QuestionPro offers you the possibility of activating a survey in kiosk mode, i.e. placing a mobile device in strategic locations where the research is to be conducted, and intercepting people to answer the questionnaire in person.
Door-to-door surveys: With this type of survey, responses are obtained by visiting the sample population house by house.
Because QuestionPro has an offline App, you can conduct this type of survey in remote locations that do not have Internet. Researchers can collect data from the study sample and it will be recorded on the platform. They will then be downloaded when the mobile device has a Wi-Fi connection.
Advantages of conducting a face-to-face survey
Among the main advantages of conducting a F2F survey are the following:
1. Allows for accurate responses
When you conduct a F2F survey, people cannot lie about information related to their age, gender or geographic location in order to receive an incentive.
In addition, participants make a greater commitment to participate, which allows the researcher to obtain more detailed answers from the perspective of his or her object of study.
2. It is possible to observe the behavior of the participants
The F2F survey allows you as the interviewer to observe in detail the verbal and non-verbal responses of the participants, i.e. to see their behavior as well as to analyze their responses.
By conducting a face-to-face interview it is possible to analyze body language, aspects such as the level of discomfort or enthusiasm when answering the questions in the questionnaire, which allows the interviewer to get a deeper insight into the response by analyzing these attitudes.
3. Increases response rate
Another advantage of conducting a F2F survey is that researchers can obtain a higher level of response rate.
Questionnaire participants feel more confident answering F2F questions because they can see the interviewer, verify the process and sometimes test the products about which they are being questioned.
4. Longer survey responses are obtained
In a F2F survey, researchers can take control of the interview and get participants to feel focused on completing the questionnaire, without distractions that may arise from not having someone to guide the way through the process.
In addition, it is possible to ask questions with long answers to open-ended questions, as they can express their answers orally.
Tips for conducting a F2F survey
If you are about to conduct a F2F survey, we have some tips to help you do it effectively:
- Consider the budget and time you will invest in the process. Although it is an effective method in terms of data quality, it can be costly and time consuming.
- Be friendly and interact with participants before you survey them. You will get people to feel confident and talk to you.
- Respect participants’ time. Before starting the survey, make sure people have time to answer and make the process as smooth as possible.
- Create a connection with participants. If you want honest answers, you need to make participants fall in love with the project and create a sincere connection with you, so they will give you honest answers.
- Use the right data collection tool. If you conduct a F2F survey, make sure you use the best online survey tool, one that allows you to collect all the information you need, even without internet access.
Importance of conducting a F2F survey
Conducting a face-to-face survey allows researchers to know the context of the participants and be able to dig deeper into the responses obtained, analyzing attitudes.
This method of data collection tends to be very popular, and despite the costs and time involved in the process, the responses collected by researchers are often truthful and specific.
If you are interested in conducting a F2F survey and you would like to use digital surveys to speed up this process, schedule an online demo with our consultants.
