What are some of advantages and disadvantages of computer aided telephone interviewing CATI )?

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First, What is CATI Research? 

CATI stands for computer-assisted telephone interviewing CATI. It’s a telephone search method that’s guided by a computer. This means the interviewer calls a respondent and asks him questions using a script that’s displayed on the computer screen. 

One of the advantages of using CATI research is allowing the interviewer to focus on making the conversation dynamic rather than the data. Since the computer suggests questions and customizes them based on the respondent's answers, CATI makes a better alternative to traditional data collection.

How does CATI work?

• Institutes set goals, and specifications for the project, decide the length of the questionnaire

• The institute prepares targeted surveys and questionnaires

• The institute generates phone numbers and shares them with the interviewers then they start making calls and storing data

• The institute shares stored data, statistics, and outcomes with the client 

Pros of CATI

1. Detailed data is collected through follow-up questions 

2. Data is securely stored and recorded 

3. Allows interviewers to reach a big part of the population 

4. Has a feature of predictive dialing that eliminates time spent dialing manually 

5. Includes a smart time zone management that allows interviewees to do research anytime 

6. Call outcome, dropoff rate, and response rate can be tracked and monitored by project administrators

7. Doesn’t require a software configuration to access and can the software be accessed through any web browser

8. Questionnaires can be easily updated or fixed then they are stored digitally 

9. Conversations can be recorded for further analysis and examination 

Cons of CATI

1. Interviewers must be trained in survey administration and using the CATI software

2. If questions are written incorrectly in the software, interviewers might not notice 

3. People who don’t have access to a phone can’t be reached 

4. Changing the respondent’s answers after passing the question can be hard 

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Kelly, J. (2008). Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (cati). In P. J. Lavrakas (Ed.), Encyclopedia of survey research methods (pp. 123-125). Sage Publications, Inc., https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412963947.n83

Kelly, Jenny. "Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI)." In Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods, edited by Lavrakas, Paul J., 123-25. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 2008. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412963947.n83.

Kelly, J. 2008. Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI). In: Paul J. Lavrakas Editor, 2008. Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. pp. 123-125 Available at: <https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412963947.n83> [Accessed 5 Dec 2022].

Kelly, Jenny. "Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI)." Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods. Edited by Paul J. Lavrakas. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc., 2008, pp. 123-25. SAGE Research Methods. 5 Dec 2022, doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412963947.n83.

Kelly, Jenny (2008). Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (cati) In: Lavrakas, Paul J. (Ed.),Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) Encyclopedia of survey research methods Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.; 2008:123-125. doi:10.4135/9781412963947.n83

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Small companies conduct telephone interviews or surveys to determine interest in new products, or measure the customer satisfaction of existing products. They also determine the needs and wants of customers through phone interviews. There are certain advantages and disadvantages to using telephone interviews in business research, so it is up to individual business owners to determine whether telephone surveys are the most effective way to collect the necessary information.

Small business owners have wide geographic access with telephone interviews. Nearly everyone in the United States has a land-line telephone or cellphone, and most of these numbers can be purchased from phone companies for a price. Phone interviewers also have access to in-house or online phone directories. This enables marketers to call and talk to virtually any customer in any market. For example, a small restaurant company may obtain customer feedback in all 10 of its major markets in a four-state area.

Telephone interviews are relatively cost-effective compared to other methods of surveying customers. Other interview methods, such as direct mail, cost much more. A 10-minute phone call, for example, costs very little with most phone plans. Hence, it does not cost a fortune for a small business to complete 300 or 350 surveys.

Contrarily, it can cost a lot more to mail surveys to people. Businesses may have to mail out many extra surveys to reach the 300 or 350 they need, as many people won't complete or return them. Marketers can also complete phone interviews relatively quickly. They just keep calling until they reach their quota. There is less control with other methods such as direct mail and internet surveys, where the results could take months to roll in.

Business owners may find it hard to make a connection with customers over phone interviews. For one, they can't view the people they are interviewing. Hence, they can't see people's reactions to help determine whether the answers are truthful. In-person interviews are just the opposite, as interviewers can study respondents' facial expressions or gestures to determine whether their responses are truthful.

Another drawback of phone interviews is that they can be intrusive. Most calls are done at random, often interrupting people's dinner or evenings. Hence, people may hang up before the survey is complete or refuse to participate.

It is difficult to get people to elaborate on their responses by phone. The reason is that most phone interviews must be limited to five or 10 minutes. People would hang up with longer telephone surveys, resulting in partially completed interviews. Therefore, companies using phone interviews generally keep their questions and answers relatively brief. Many of these questions must be multiple-choice in nature instead of open-ended. The open-ended questions are more informative because they allow customers to elaborate why they responded as they did on multiple-choice questions.