Improving the response rates in business surveys The case of LCS 2012 Ciro Baldi, Marilena A. Ciarallo, Stefano De Santis, Rossana Renzi, Graziella Spera Istat New Techniques and Technologies for Statistics Conference (NTTS 2015) Charlemagne building - Brussels 9-13 March 2015
Summary 1. Some remarks on Labour cost survey 2. The innovations introduced to increase the response rate 3. A mixed-mode contact strategy • Mailing service • Contact Center Service 4. Data collection procedures 5. The effect of contact strategy on response rate
Some remarks on the LCS2012 The Labour cost survey: 4 yearly survey enterprise survey designed to collect information on number of employees, hours worked and paid, wages and labour costs. LCS regulation is very detailed. • The LCS 2012 sample: the survey for the private sector is a traditional sample survey. 20,177 enterprises were included in the sample. The survey is one of the most challenging for the enterprises: a large number of items and subitems are requested and the enterprises have to retrieve the information requested from various systems (the presence system for the hours, the payroll system for wages and contributions, accounts data for other labour costs). In past editions very low response rates : normally below 50% as in most business surveys after about one year collection period Risks of non response bias on estimates NTTS 2015 Conference, Brussels 9-13 March 2015
The innovations introduced to increase the response rate A Conceptual Framework for Business Survey Participation. (Source: Willimack, et al., 2002) UNDER SURVEY ORGANIZATION CONTROL SURVEY DESIGN • Sample design • Survey topic • BUSINESS Instrument design GOALS • Mode of administration • Time schedules • Contact strategies • Respondent identification • Legal authority • SURVEY Survey sponsor PARTICIPATION • Confidentiality DECISION OUT OF SURVEY ORGANIZATION CONTROL RESPONSE EXTERNAL THE THE BURDEN ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS RESPONDENT NTTS 2015 Conference, Brussels 9-13 March 2015
Data collection period I PHASE II PHASE Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Incoming calls Outgoing calls Outgoing calls Individual emailing Cover letter 1° O. Reminder 3° O. Reminder 2° O. Reminder Data collection process started on 15 November 2013 (the cover letter was sent to enterprises) and was closed on 15 July 2014. Before the deadline 3 official reminders were necessary in order to improve the response rate.
Data collection process PEC ISTAT 1° Phase Enterprises Lists Outgoing Calls CONTACT 2° Phase CENTER Enterprises Respondent identification Reminders ISTAT 3° Phase Enterprises NTTS 2015 Conference, Brussels 9-13 March 2015
Contact strategy: the use of the PEC system Since July 2013 the exchange of information and documents between public administrations and enterprises must occur only through Certified Email (PEC) instead of the traditional postal sending. All enterprises must have a PEC address registered at the Chamber of Commerce Business Register (CCBR). Safe protocols for secure transmission Receipt with date and hour of delivery Same legal value of a post letter sent by recorded delivery and receipt return. First sending and reminders: more than 47000 pec for 20000 sampled units Advantages: Costs reduction Preparation time reduced Controllability of delivery results Flexibility: adaptability to survey necessities NTTS 2015 Conference, Brussels 9-13 March 2015
A multi mode- data collection procedure to encourage response NOTES MODE TARGET Main Web All built in mode Questionnaire Enterprises checks Enterprise all units of Standard file groups the group Lower Small Off line technical questionnaire Enterprises skills The data collected either through the standard file or through the offline questionnaire after being checked for formal errors where loaded into the data base and checked in order to avoid mode – selection errors. NTTS 2015 Conference, Brussels 9-13 March 2015
Intensity of incoming contact NTTS 2015 Conference, Brussels 9-13 March 2015
The effect of contact strategy on response rate 69% 63% 51% 39% 13% 13% NTTS 2015 Conference, Brussels 9-13 March 2015
Final remarks The contact strategy, with the big innovations of PEC mailing and a dedicated contact center was factor that influenced participation. The use of a sequential mixed administration modes and the simplification of the questionnaire has contributed to ease the burden of the enterprises. The multi - mode approach in contact strategy and data collection has allowed to improve the response rate of more than 20 percentage points up to 69%. NTTS 2015 Conference , Brussels 9-13 March 2015
Thank you for your attention Marilena A. Ciarallo ciarallo@istat.it
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