copyright 2000 - nielsen media research tvb: october 25, 2000 metered market initiatives area...

Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research

TVB: October 25, 2000

Metered Market Initiatives

Area Probability & Telephone Frame Improvement Plans



Research Approach

• Develop an environment that allows for continuous testing of methodological improvements to Metered Samples aimed at improving:– Sample representation– Response rates– Accuracy of the reported estimates



Research Plan

• Establish an Internal Meter Task Force– Identify and implement test opportunities

• Set Meter (TF and AP)• Peoplemeter (LPM and NPM)

– Representation from Field, Marketing, Statistical and Methodological Research



Response Rate Initiatives

TF AP PMTF Enumeration Research XMembership Rep Basic Recruitment XAdvanced Mailing to Basics XHousehold Incentive Test X X XPersuader Study X XCommunication Flow to Panel Members X X XRefusing Households Focus Groups X X XRevising BRIC X XRefusal Specialists X X

Meter Sample



Field Initiatives

TF AP PMMembership Rep Training X XMailing to Accepting Households X

Meter Sample



Sample Composition and Fault Rate Research

TF AP PM

Floating Match Concept X XEditing Rules Review X X X

Meter Sample



TF Research

• Goal: Review and modify procedures aimed at improving enumeration response rates

• Hired Paul Biemer, Ph.D., from RTI

• Specializes in the design and analysis of studies to evaluate alternative survey designs - mode, interviewers, questionnaires and questioning methods and nonresponse



TF Research

• Recommendations– Strategies and Techniques for Avoiding Refusals -

Train Interviewers in Methods– Redesign Call Monitoring Process - More Frequent

Monitoring - Frequent Interviewer Feedback– Revise Enumeration Introduction and Send

Advanced Letters where Possible– Revise Enumeration Questionnaire



TF Research

– Conduct Analyses of Telephone Administrative and Call Management Systems Data - Feedback Results to Interviewers

– Revise Telephone Number Sampling Scheme - Consider Elimination of Empty Hundred Number Blocks

– Evaluate Effects of Predictive Dialer



TF Research

– Create Team of SUPeR (Special Unit for Persuading Refusers) Interviewers

– Consider Longevity Bonuses as way of Retaining Experienced Interviewers



TF Research

• Next Steps– June meeting between Stat and Dr. Biemer,

decided to focus on recommendations 1-4– RTI staff member assigned to project

• Assist in developing a revised questionnaire

• Develop new introductions and related procedures

• Develop a refusal training module

• Assist in the development of a pre-enumeration survey letter



TF Research• Next Steps (Cont’d)

– July-August meetings held to review questionnaire and the feasibility of eliminating questions

– Data and sampling documentation supplied to RTI in early September

– Dr. Biemer attended NMR interviewer training in late Sept.

– Goal is to test changes during enumerations conducted in Q1/01



Membership Rep Basic Recruitment

• Goal: To increase the basic install rate utilizing in-person recruitment

• Household address collected during enumeration• Membership Reps follow standard in-person

recruitment procedures established in AP– Advance mailing sent by Membership Rep

– No advance phone call

– Gift at the door



Membership Rep Basic Recruitment

• Implemented in 6 lowest performing TF markets • Timetable: Began June 21, 2000• Establishing/documenting procedural details for

roll-out• Results: Monthly reports comparing pre and post

response rates will begin issuing in late September



Advanced Mailing to Basics

• Goal: Improve Cooperation among Basic households– Brochure to No Knowledge HHs (from

Enumeration)– Introductory Letter only to Yes Knowledge

HHs (from Enum)

• Timetable: Began 8/31/00, continue for one year.



Household IncentiveTest

• Goal: Determine most effective incentive strategy for improving response rates – Monetary versus non-monetary– OTO versus on-going– Differential incentives

• Development of test plan (4Q/00)

• Begin test execution (2Q/01 - earliest)



Persuader Study• Goal:

– Determine best persuasion techniques for panel recruitment

• Method:– Level of interest question asked during large phone

survey along with various statements influencing willingness to participate

– Level of interest question asked during TF enumeration to determine which levels are more likely to result in installs



Flow of Communication to Panel Members

• Goal: Review all forms of communication to panel members to determine where changes could improve response rates– Priority Mailers to households– Panel agreement– Customized basic refusal letters– Style and content of pre-package materials



Flow of Communicationto Panel Members

• Use Membership Reps to obtain panel member feedback

• Develop proposals (4Q/00)

• Implement changes or develop test plans (1Q/01)



Refusing HouseholdsFocus Groups

• Goal: Gather reasons why households refuse to participate in panel surveys and determine if recruitment modifications could lead to cooperation increases

• Develop plan (4Q/00)

• Conduct focus groups (1Q/01)



Revising BRIC

• Goal: Improve coop of prior refusing basics (6 months or older)

• Investigate and test:– New materials – New incentives– New persuaders




Refusal Specialists• Goal: Identify high potential Membership Rep

specialists• Develop a formal database to track individual

effectiveness – Determine whether a small number of MR’s can be

used as refusal specialists– Track impact of initial attempts versus refusal attempts – Test and track modifications to BRL with incentives

(Basic Refusal Letter)




Membership RepTraining / Focus Groups

• Goal: Enhance current training curriculum / approach for Membership Reps– Use MR Best practices– Conduct focus groups among MR’s (4Q/00)– Instituting certification and re-certification

process (1Q/01)



Mailing to AcceptingHouseholds

• Goal: Reduce “backouts” by mailing materials to accepting households which cannot be installed within 2 weeks– Materials implemented in September 2000– Dimension “Backout” percentages pre and post

implementation– Develop plan for investigating inclusion of

monetary incentives in package (4Q/00)



Floating Match Concept

• Current procedures: alternate must match refusing basic on presence of non-adults and cable/ADS status

• Goal: Drops fixed requirements and determine matching requirements based on current sample imbalances

• Dimension feasibility, effort, tradeoffs and benefits (4Q/00)



Edit Rules & Fault Conditions

• Goals– Perform comprehensive review of meter faults

and edit rules with the goal of finding ways to improve intab rates

– Provide mechanism for continuous improvement



Edit Rules & Fault Conditions

• Improvement Areas– Field and coaching procedures– Engineering and technological solutions – Threshold changes– Computational solutions

• Task Force formed– Complete investigation & recommendations

(4Q/01)



Diary Initiatives

Implementation and Testing Plans



Diary Initiatives

Implemented– Increased Incentives to Refusers / No

Contacts• $5.00 Incentive• 52% increase in coop in May 2000• 15.99% coop vs. expected delivery of

10.49%



Diary Initiatives

• 2000-01 Initiatives– Improved Audience Imputation Model

More Accurate Demo Ratings

– Over-sampling for Age of Head < 35 Improved Sample Representation

– Program Names EditingMore Accurate Viewing Credit

– Priority Mail PackagingHigher Response Rates



Diary Initiatives

• Priority Mail Increases Cooperation– July 1999 Test Summary:

• Priority Mail Envelope with Standard Incentive to Accepting Households

+ 13.5 + 5.1 absolute points

• Priority Mail Envelope w/$5 Incentive to Refusals/No-Contacts

+ 14.8 + 4.0 absolute points

– November 2000 Test• Age Distribution and Incentives



Diary Initiatives

• Fall 2000 Testing– October

• Advanced letter mentioning incentive (non-Ethnics)

• Diary example/instructions on Web site

– November• Priority Mail to younger homes

• Ask origin question in recruitment call, mail $5 incentive and bilingual materials



Thank You!

copyright 2000 - nielsen media research tvb: october 25, 2000 metered market initiatives area...

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