After the introduction of CATI and other computerised data collection methods, personal interviewing became somewhat neglected and, consequently, was believed to be less efficient. With computer assisted interviewing in a face-to-face situation, personal interviewing can now regain the attention it deserves. The time has come to 'send the computer into the field'. This paper deals with marketing research, seen from the viewpoint of the marketing researcher. We would like to comment on some of the advantages of the new method, and to indicate some useful applications.
In order to keep up with the growing demand for specialised services and to be able to better follow and predict the developments in the marketplace of business-establishments, a group of some leading Dutch banking- and insurance companies in close cooperation with Nipo have developed a strategic research instrument, the so called "BUSINESS MONITORâ. The paper falls into 2 parts: "Setting up the Business Monitorâ and ââUsing the Business Monitorâ.
The telephone division of the Netherlands P.T.T. has until recently used a revolving panel operation to register outgoing and incoming telephone calls. Write in-questionnaires were being used. They provided useful but far from perfect information. The data produced covered only about 70% of all calls made and the estimates of their duration were poor. These problems are now being solved by supplying panel members with NIPO's question/answer machines attached to the telephone, rather than with the questionnaire block notes previously used. These machines record essential occurrences inside the telephone and the monitor screens project short batteries of questions immediately after each telephone conversation. Panel members reply by pushing the relevant answer-buttons. The data so registered, both the technical records and the answers to questions, are transmitted to NIPO's computer over the telephone wires during the night.