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M.I.S. Trend ensures a strict selection of only the most experienced interviewers and
guarantees that all interviews are conducted by native speakers.
3.3 Measures to increase response
Over the past years, the SHP has taken several measures to fight attrition. These measures concern: incentives for the interviewers, incentives for the participating households,
refusal conversion, maintaining contact with the households and minimizing noncontact.
3.3.1. Incentives for the interviewers
To increase the interviewers’ motivation they can earn two collective bonuses. One bonus is based on the general response rate: interviewers have to accomplish at least 95%
of last year’s individual interviews. The second bonus is oriented towards interviewers
who are engaged in refusal calls only and is based on the refusal conversion rate. Additionally, there are regular briefings of all interviewers and supervisors on the progression
of the fieldwork.
3.3.2 Incentives for the participating households
To encourage respondents to participate in the survey, one of the following incentives
are offered: a voucher for the cinema, a voucher for the Swiss railways or a donation to
charity (e.g. Amnesty International, WWF, Caritas).
The incentive is sent to the respondent one week after completing the individual interview at the latest aiming to encourage other members of the household to also take part
in the survey.
3.3.3. Refusal conversion
Households that have not participated in the survey for one year or more have been reapproached progressively. These households are sent a preliminary letter with the request to take part in the next wave of data collection including a railway voucher. Only
the most successful and specially trained interviewers are allowed to contact these
households. Similarly, households and individuals who refuse participation in the current
wave are re-contacted at a later point by refusal conversion trained interviewers.
The refusal conversion rate amounts to nearly 40%.
3.3.4. Maintaining contact with respondents
To avoid household drop out of the panel because of unsuccessful tracing (due to moving, changed phone numbers, households splits, etc.), several measures are taken to
ensure that contact can be established with the respondents in new waves.
First, the participating households are informed annually by means of a newsletter enclosed with the advance letter at the start of each fieldwork phase.
In 2009, the SHP used tailored leaflets designed for specific groups of households: families with children, couples without children, people living alone, and people of 65 years
and older. The leaflets treat topics that inform targeted households about study results
that are most likely of interest to them.
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