Experimenting with Contact Strategies in Business Surveys

Tuttle Alfred D. (), Beck Jennifer L. (), Willimack Diane K. (), Tolliver Kevin P. (), Hernandez Aryn () and Fan Cha-Chi ()
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Tuttle Alfred D.: U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, D.C.20233, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA22230, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, D.C.20554, U.S.A.
Beck Jennifer L.: National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. U.S.A.
Willimack Diane K.: U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, D.C.20233, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA22230, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, D.C.20554, U.S.A.
Tolliver Kevin P.: U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, D.C.20233, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA22230, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, D.C.20554, U.S.A.
Hernandez Aryn: U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, D.C.20233, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA22230, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, D.C.20554, U.S.A.
Fan Cha-Chi: Federal Communications Commission, Washington, District of Columbia. U.S.A.

Journal of Official Statistics, 2018, vol. 34, issue 2, 365-395

Abstract: The U.S. Census Bureau conducted a series of experiments to evaluate alternative contact strategies. We hoped to identify effective mail strategies that increase timeliness of response and reduce the number of cases receiving more-costly follow-ups. These experiments were incorporated into the collection of several annual business surveys and one quarterly survey. This article summarizes results from five experiments whose designs are based on business survey decision-making and response processes. We obtained clear, positive results from tests involving manipulation of mail sequences, but only modest results from tests in which we varied messages and envelope appearance, whose effects were seen only in specific industry subgroups.

Keywords: Mail experiment; survey participation decision; reminder letters; mail sequence response enhancement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:vrs:offsta:v:34:y:2018:i:2:p:365-395:n:5

DOI: 10.2478/jos-2018-0017

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