The recent widespread adoption of mobile technology has allowed researchers to reimagine traditional in-person methodologies, including ethnography. The global impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated that trend. Using mobile devices and apps, researchers can now virtually walk in the shoes of their subjects, expanding the application and benefits of ethnographic research.

Defining Ethnography

Researchers use ethnography to understand how people behave in the real world. The theory is that respondents will act and react more authentically in their natural setting than in a research lab or in front of a one-way mirror. By observing respondents in their natural environment, researchers can gain a reliable understanding of their actions and expressions to generate rich, behavioral insights. They can observe dynamics they may not have uncovered simply by asking.

Ethnography is a form of qualitative market research. In an ethnographic study, researchers use observations and interviews to glean insights about a consumer’s lifestyle, environment, and everyday behavior. For example, a researcher might interview a consumer in their home, office, a shopping market, etc., to observe how the consumer interacts with a product and uses it within the context of their everyday life. This method provides researchers with a unique understanding of the consumer’s perspective.

Traditional in-person ethnography is a time-consuming method, however. Researchers must embed themselves in a setting with each respondent long enough to gather sufficient observations to gain a representative picture. A significant amount of time and expense is also required to travel between each setting/respondent, limiting the scope of a study.

Mobile Ethnography

Ethnography as a whole is a relatively recent form of research. It got its start as an anthropological research tool with anthropologists immersing themselves in a society for months or years to study a particular people or culture. Upon adoption into commercial market research, however, ethnography transformed to meet the tighter timelines of the business world.

Even in market research, in-person ethnography typically requires more time than many other forms of research. Researchers have to travel to and develop a rapport with respondents and then process and analyze their observations before sharing results with clients. Scope and scale remain issues for commercial in-person ethnography.

The development and penetration of mobile technology, and smartphones in particular, present new opportunities and capabilities for ethnographic research. Through a smartphone camera and smartphone apps, researchers can remotely observe respondents in almost any environment at any time. Remote observation limits the time and costs associated with travel, allowing researchers to study more respondents in less time.

Many consumers, especially younger consumers that have grown up with smartphones, have become accustomed to sharing feedback through their smartphone camera, making mobile ethnography a more discreet way to observe the consumer experience than traditional methods. This can shorten the amount of time required to develop a rapport with respondents, enabling researchers to further expand the scale of their study.

Application of Mobile Ethnography

Smartphones enable a variety of use cases for mobile ethnography in market research. Some common examples include:

• Product testing: Smartphones allow researchers to observe consumer interactions with a new product, from opening the box, to setup, to use in their everyday life. They can observe the consumer’s emotions through those processes, any issues they might have, and if they are using the product as intended. Ultimately, that feedback can help companies improve their products.
• Target customer identification: Observing consumers in their natural environments helps researchers uncover their behaviors, attitudes, and needs. Consumers often are not able to articulate what they want or need when asked directly, but through observation researchers can gain an understanding of how consumers live and develop insights about their needs. Those insights help them to identify and define who their customers are.
• Mobile diaries/longitudinal studies: Numerous mobile research applications allow respondents to capture and upload their thoughts and experiences over an extended period of time via video, photos, audio, screenshots, texts, emails, etc. Researchers can follow and report on those experiences as they are uploaded to gain a thorough picture of the complete customer journey.
• Retail shop-alongs: Consumers can take researchers along via their phones to observe their entire in-store shopping experience. Whether recorded or in real-time, researchers can witness all the elements within a store that contribute to the buying decision, including the store layout, advertising, staff interactions, etc.

Mobile ethnography can be conducted asynchronously, in which respondents capture and post feedback on their own, or synchronously with a researcher observing a respondent’s behavior and environment through streaming video in real-time. In either format, researchers can provide guidance and/or pose specific questions for respondents to address, or simply passively observe respondents in their natural setting.

Benefits of Mobile Ethnography

Mobile ethnography provides several advantages to in-person research:

• Omnipresent: Consumers can take their phones almost anywhere and almost always have their phones with them
• Global reach: Consumers from around the world, including emerging markets, can take part in any given study
• Cost: Virtual observation significantly reduces researcher travel costs
• Scale: Many respondents can record their experiences at the same time increasing the number of behaviors observed and overall scale of a study
• Time: Researchers do not have to spend time traveling and can view and share video/results with stakeholders in real-time
• In the moment: Instead of relying on consumer’s memory and articulation about past experiences, researchers can observe their behaviors as they happen
• Discreet: Mobile techniques minimize the presence and intrusion of the researcher

In summary, mobile ethnography is an innovative market research methodology that harnesses the always on and always available aspect of mobile phones to help researchers and companies understand how consumers truly behave in their natural environment.

Conduct Mobile-Based Research Around the World

GeoPoll has experience transitioning face-to-face research to remote methodologies and has the existing infrastructure to support robust data collection. Our team are experts in remote data collection methodologies and can quickly transition an in-person study to a remote, mobile-based methodology. To speak to a member of our team about your project, please contact us today. For more information about GeoPoll’s research methodologies and conducting research throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America, download our guide to research in emerging regions.

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GeoPoll is pleased to announce the launch of its new farmer panel in Kenya, consisting of over 18,000 farmers who are ready to take GeoPoll surveys. Agricultural research organizations, international and local NGOs, governments, donors, and consumer companies can collect insights directly from individual farmers and use this information to improve farmer outcomes and grow profit margins. GeoPoll’s initial farmer panel in Kenya has been recruited over the past two months through a partnership with MediaE – who create educational information for farmers through media including radio, TV, and print – and Kenyan agricultural TV show Shamba Shape Up. GeoPoll plans to expand our farmer recruitment efforts to additional countries over the coming months – to learn more about our country coverage or partner with us, please contact us.

Conducting Mobile Surveys with Farmers

Conducting surveys of farmers has been a topic of interest for many of GeoPoll’s partners, due to the wide-ranging effects of agriculture on local livelihoods, national economies, and related industries in the agricultural value chain. Smallholder farmers, those who farm on small plots without much external labor, are an incredibly important part of producing the crops we rely on across the globe, but it can be hard for governments, NGOs, and companies to reach these farmers and gain knowledge about their farming practices. This is especially true when they are located in rural areas, as is the case for many farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa.

GeoPoll has previously worked with organizations including CIMMYT, IFPRI, and Farm Radio International to survey farmers who grow specific crops, and we are excited to expand this effort by recruiting farmers in Kenya who are ready to take GeoPoll’s mobile surveys. Organizations can set up a one-time survey or regular, recurring surveys with GeoPoll’s farmer panel to gather ongoing data on weather patterns, land preparation growth progress, crop or input prices, and more.

GeoPoll can employ its full suite of mobile survey modes to reach its farmer panel, including SMS surveys, voice calls (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing or Interactive Voice Response), or online survey modes such as mobile web or mobile application. Using the GeoPoll mobile application, farmers can upload pictures to demonstrate crop progress based on the use of different seeds or fertilizers and can access other tools such as GeoPoll community polls, where app users can ask each other questions. Organizations with existing farmer databases can also use GeoPoll’s platform to engage with them via one- or two-way messages.

Data on Agriculture in Kenya

As part of this launch, GeoPoll will release an in-depth examination of our survey results on agriculture in Kenya, based on responses from over 900 respondents on a wide range of topics. The survey information areas include preferred crop types, use of inputs such as fertilizer and seeds, information on where crops are sold, external factors affecting yield, and insights into the biggest challenges facing farmers in Kenya today. The survey has a gender split of 54% female to 46% male, an age breakdown of 32% age 15-24, 34% 25-34, and 33% age 35+, and respondents from locations throughout Kenya.

Initial high-level insights show that 48% both grow crops and raise livestock, and 44% report they engage in commercial farming as opposed to subsistence farming. Of those who engage in commercial farming, just 7% sell to international or export markets, with the vast majority reporting they sell goods to local markets. Regarding farm size and income, 68% identify farming as their main source of income, and 80% of respondents report that their farms are under 2 hectares in size.

While 72% report that they are making a profit from their farming activities, farmers in Kenya face a variety of challenges, from pests to drought and seed quality. The changing climate is also a concern, with 27% listing climate one of the key challenges they face, and 50% saying climactic changes have impacted their yields.

In the coming weeks GeoPoll will release a full report with analysis of our in-depth survey with the farming community in Kenya, and over the coming months we will expand this panel to additional countries. To be the first to know about this report, sign up for GeoPoll’s newsletter here. If you’d like to conduct your own custom survey with GeoPoll’s panel of farmers in Kenya or are interested in reaching farmers in other areas around the world, please contact us today.

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Mobile research is a unique form of data collection that requires a detail oriented planning process. GeoPoll specializes in remote data collection through mobile channels in hard to reach areas of the world. Our experience in the space has built expertise in our staff. In this post, GeoPoll will share some quick tips in order to guide anyone who is new to performing mobile research.

Consider the mode

Possibly the most important tip of all is to remember that mobile is a tool for research, but within mobile there are multiple modes which can be used depending on the goals and variables surrounding a research project.

A good analogy for understanding the relationship between mobile and its modes starts with a power drill. Carpenters use power drills daily for many different tasks, but the drill bits they use for each task varies, this is because certain drill bits accomplish certain tasks better than others. Think of mobile as a drill and the mode as the drill bit. There are multiple options for how to conduct a research project via mobile and the mode best fit for the project should be carefully chosen.

Common Modes for Mobile Data Collection

CAPI (computer assisted personal interviewing)

Computer assisted in person interviewing is similar to pen and paper surveys. The difference lies in the technology used for record keeping. In this mode, the interviewer engages directly with respondents face-to-face, reads the questionnaire off of a device screen (like a tablet), and records the answers electronically throughout the process. Surveyors use CAPI software programs on mobile devices while conducting these face-to-face surveys, however internet connectivity is not usually necessary.

Benefits

• Able to reach all socio-economic classes
• Allow for detailed, long surveys that other methods cannot facilitate

SMS (short message service)

Short message service, or text messaging, is a rapidly growing method of data collection, especially in emerging markets where a higher percentage of the population has access to a mobile phone than the Internet. Developments in technology throughout the past quarter century have made it possible to remotely dispatch surveys—from any location, to any location—through SMS.

Two-way messages are received on a respondent’s mobile device one question at a time. All respondents are required to opt-in for participation after receiving the first message. The SMS survey mode does not require respondents to have internet connectivity. Survey invitation messages can be received even if the phone is powered off or out of service range when the message was sent.

Benefits

• SMS is a good choice for conducting mobile surveys that are short, or can be shortened
• SMS can reach a wide portion of a population because SMS can reach mobile phones at many price points
• Respondents are likely to engage because they can participate from anywhere when it is convenient for them

Drawbacks

• Limited to 160 characters per message
• Surveys should not take participants more than 15 minutes to complete
• Requires literacy for participants to be able to read and respond to messages

CATI (computer assisted telephone interviewing)

CATI surveys are administered through call center interviewers. Also known as “live calling,” CATI is another mode of remote data collection. Compared to SMS surveys, live calling questionnaires can be longer and each question is not limited to 160 characters, which is beneficial because the resulting data can be more in-depth than in other methods like SMS.

Although live calling surveys have a higher associated cost than SMS surveys, the conversational nature of CATI surveying allows for a mix of quantitative and qualitative data to be collected. Additionally, there is no reading required by the respondent for CATI surveys so this is a great mode of research collection for populations with low literacy rates.

Benefits

• Can reach a wide range of people in different social classes

Drawbacks

• Requires training of the telephone interviewer

IVR (interactive voice response)

IVR surveys are another mode of remote survey data collection. This technique entails using pre-recorded voice bites that are initiated via phone calls. IVR survey participants key-in responses using their device’s dial pad.

Benefits

• Useful for reaching illiterate populations
• Can reach a wide range of people in different social classes

Drawbacks

• Takes longer from beginning to end than other modes

Should be kept short to avoid participants dropping off before completion of the questionnaire

Mobile Web

The mobile-web survey technique can be dispatched through a few different channels. The technique that GeoPoll uses most often combines SMS and web-based surveying. In order to collect data through this mode, an SMS text is blasted to potential respondents. The users who receive survey invitations are directed to a webpage where they opt-in to complete the survey.

There are two other ways to dispatch mobile web surveys—through email and through advertisements. SMS, email, and advertising are each tools used to accomplish the same goal, which is to drive potential participants to follow a link to an internet survey and then, hopefully, complete that survey.

Benefits

• The advantages of the mobile-web method surround increased capabilities
  • Users can receive pictures and videos
  • Surveys are not limited to 160 characters per question
• Inexpensive to conduct

Drawbacks

• Reaches higher socioeconomic classes because it requires users to have Internet connectivity via mobile or a data plan

Mobile Application

Mobile applications require users to have an Internet or data connection, a smartphone, and the application already downloaded on that smartphone. The user is notified of available surveys and can complete the surveys through the mobile application. The resulting data is then collected by the research company for review.

Web connectivity and smartphone ownership is essential in this mode, which makes mobile applications best for collecting responses from wealthy, young, or urban people.

Benefits

• Typically, a great choice for established markets

Drawbacks

• Challenging in emerging markets due to limited smartphone ownership and web connectivity
• Without proper controls in place, responses can skew towards young or urban respondents

Choosing the right mode

There are a few significant determining factors that impact the mode of data collection best fit for a particular project: literacy rate, demographic and socio-economic targeting, cultural context, budget, and timeline.

Although it seems straight forward, literacy rate is one massively important factor that often gets overlooked in mobile research. Literacy rates of the area of interest should be taken into consideration when deciding the mode for a project. If literacy rates are low, spoken word surveys may be the best research method.

Cultural context is another factor that should be researched before choosing the best mode for a project. The culture of a country can be extremely granular depending on the market. Within one country in Africa, for example, there are many different communities which have their own definition of what is acceptable or normal. Survey participants in some cultures may not feel comfortable answering questions aloud about sensitive topics and would be more engaged through SMS.

Budget and timeline are also large determinants of which mode is best fit for a project. Modes like IVR and CAPI often take longer to complete than SMS, for example. Budget can also be a factor when considering sample sizes. A mode with a lower cost per participant would be a great choice if a project required surveying extremely large populations, for example.

Get In Touch

GeoPoll experts understand that conducting research via mobile is nuanced. GeoPoll conducts surveys via all of the methods mentioned above, and has a large panel of respondents around the world who organizations can conduct mobile-based research with. Our previous experience conducting multi-modal mobile research is wildly helpful for getting the desired results from a research project, while ensuring you get the most value for your spend. Contact us here to speak with an expert about your research needs and learn how GeoPoll can help.

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Customer satisfaction research metrics

To begin, we will touch on how customer satisfaction is measured quantitatively through surveys. There are three common metrics that are used by companies to measure the level of customer satisfaction: Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Effort Score (CES), and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT).

Net Promoter Score is the most popular measure of affinity to a brand, however NPS surveys do not provide much additional detail on consumer perception of your specific brand. A NPS survey will simply break up a group of past customers into three categories—promoters, passives, and detractors—and then calculate a score that indicates overall attitude surrounding the brand. Although the data collected from Net Promoter Score calculation can be wildly useful, supplemental consumer research can provide additional constructive insight for a brand.

Customer Effort Score is a metric that measures and quantifies how difficult it was for a customer to complete a task. Using CES to measure consumer attitude can shed light on the ease of interaction with anything surrounding your brand. One good example for where Customer Effort Score could be useful is surveying a customer immediately following an interaction with a representative in the customer service department. CES calculation will quantify user experience in a constructive manner.

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) is a metric used to measure how happy a customer is with what they purchased or the services they received. In order to avoid bias that may skew resulting data, a survey that is conducted to research customer satisfaction should be performed anonymously, most often through pen-and-paper or digital avenues such as online or mobile-based surveys.

Customer satisfaction survey design best practices

Likert scale

Many customer satisfaction surveys prompt participants to answer questions on a Likert scale, which provides anywhere between five and nine answer options on a rating scale, with the middle point being a neutral response. This response type is commonly used in surveys, regardless of the topic, to quantify attitudes on a subject. In the case of customer satisfaction surveys, a Likert scale question may look like the following,

“Please respond to the following statement: The product I purchased today functions as I anticipated.

1- Strongly disagree 2- Disagree 3- Neutral  4- Agree  5-  Strongly Disagree”

The varying scale on which participants respond allows for researchers to categorize the degree in which someone feels positively or negatively about a topic. Likert scale questions also always provide a neutral answer choice as to not polarize the attitudes that are gathered through the research process.

Multiple choice questions

Many survey questions can be successfully designed as Likert scale questions but, unlike with Net Promoter Score questions, there is flexibility in questionnaire design for general customer satisfaction research. Standard multiple choice questions are another useful tool when developing a research survey. Demographic information such as age, gender, race, education level, and location is often collected via multiple choice questions, and additional custom questions can also be formatted as a multiple-choice or select-all-that-apply question.

Open-ended questions

Depending on the survey mode, open-ended questions are a way to break away from gathering strictly quantitative research. Providing space for free-form feedback will allow for more detailed, and potentially constructive, responses.

Keep your goals in mind when designing questions

Write the customer satisfaction survey strategically. If the goal of the survey is to determine customer satisfaction with in-store retail experience, ask specific and probing questions about store layout, fitting rooms, atmosphere, and service. If the goal of the survey is to determine why purchases through the web are much lower than in-store, ask questions about awareness of the online store and the website user experience.

Only questions that will directly quantify customer perception on topics that the company would like to know more about should be included in the customer satisfaction survey.

Customer satisfaction surveys in emerging markets

GeoPoll is an expert in gathering survey data in emerging markets. When conducting customer satisfaction research in African countries and other regions which often speak multiple languages and dialects, survey designers must pay special attention to language, literacy rate, and cultural context. Background research should be conducted before survey design to ensure questions are clear for their intended audience, and any translations should be thoroughly vetted for clarity. In addition, researchers should consider the mode they will conduct the survey through (online, SMS, phone calls, etc) in relation to the audience they are looking to reach.

GeoPoll regularly works with leading brands to provide them with fast, high quality customer satisfaction survey data in niche markets around the world. Using our unique mobile survey methodology, GeoPoll can reach extremely targeted audiences and survey them weekly, monthly, or quarterly to demonstrate the health of your brand over time. Contact GeoPoll to set up a custom survey today.

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During this time, a man named Patrick Meier was studying the potential of digital maps for crisis response. After the earthquake struck, he became involved in the relief efforts. SMS texts were sent out by aid organizations to inform affected people of safety procedures. Eventually, people in distress were encouraged to text a special number if they needed rescue. Patrick and other volunteers wadded through the influx of these messages and did their best to prioritize need. The responses allowed volunteers to map out where people were alive and trapped under rubble, as well as map out which hospitals and pharmacies had accessible supplies. Patrick used this information to create a digital crisis map of the scene that helped to save many lives.

Despite overwhelming efforts, there were hundreds of thousands of lives lost that year in Haiti, yet the learning experience was incredibly valuable for future crisis response. Throughout the rest of this post, we focus on a variety of best practices around SMS message communications following crisis and mobile communications platforms like GeoPoll.

Best Practices

Do not send redundant SMS messages

In any crisis situation, there can only be one leader. It is important to avoid amplifying chaos in an already hectic environment. Aid organizations can be most helpful if they partner with each other. Instead of multiple organizations blasting SMS texts with safety information, a united front should be established. The people in the affected area should only receive one message about each relevant piece of information.

Clearly identify sender

When sending safety information via SMS messages, be sure to identify who the information is coming from. Including a reputable organization name in the messages builds trust around the SMS communications, and encourages the distressed individuals to respect the information provided to them.

 Allow people to unsubscribe to alerts

Allow people to unsubscribe to SMS safety alerts. It is possible that not everyone within the radius of an affected area needs to see the alerts—and some will wish not to receive them. Provide opt-in or opt-out options for SMS blasts.

Set up a way for people to make complaints

Allow for responses to be sent back to the aid organization. During the Haiti earthquake aftermath, a new response number was eventually created for people to send in requests for help, demonstrating the importance of SMS alerts having two-way communications streams.

Although there will be a flood of incoming messages, the messages can be organized and prioritized as quickly as possible. Messages can provide the information needed to lead rescuers to exact locations for rescue missions with probable outcomes—which is much more effective than digging through fallen buildings for a chance at finding someone.

Incoming messages can also allow for a broader understanding of the state of distress. The scope of the crisis and geographic area affected by the disaster can be determined quickly through the data provided by two-way communication with the individuals in need.

Research literacy rates

Keep in mind the level of education in the affected area. If literacy rates are low, simple and straightforward language is very important for communicating. Avoid complex sentence structure and words. Use simple words in short clear sentences. With very low literacy rates, voice calls with recorded messages may be the most effective way to contact individuals.  GeoPoll offers multiple modes of mobile communication, including SMS, CATI and IVR voice calls.

Determine the correct language and dialect to use for messages

Depending on the location and radius of the affected area, there may be more than one language spoken. Make sure to speak with experts about the languages and dialects that are spoken by the people before sending messages.

Create crisis response plan before disasters occur

Be prepared for whatever may occur. Make sure to have a comprehensive plan in place before a disaster or crisis erupts and identify potential partners who can assist you. Sending mobile communications requires technology and connectivity with mobile network operators which can take months to build – platforms including GeoPoll have already-built platforms and partnerships which allow for the immediate deployment of mass communications.

Also, train all available future responders in advance. Prepare the individuals who may be pulled in to work on the aid effort with the preliminary plan of action—this includes training on who all of the relevant points of contact are, training on general procedure, and training on hierarchal communication structures.

Develop a rough guideline for crisis communication messages with team leaders beforehand. Every second counts in a crisis so have clearly communicated messages already drafted and ready to send with only momentary notice. If this planning phase is done well it can help your organization avoid mistakes when lives are at risk.

Plan to have people on-the-ground supplementing information that is sent via SMS

Information sent through SMS text is limited to a short character count. Realistically, SMS updates will only provide the individuals in need with vital information. Planning to dispatch aid workers to the area who have additional information can help organize some of the inevitable chaos spreading through a devastated area.

Do not distribute personal information gathered through the SMS aid process

Organizations often collect personal information during the aid or disaster recovery process including phone numbers and names. This data must be protected using secure procedures. Make sure to partner with trusted organizations like GeoPoll who have policies in place to ensure personal identifiable information is secure.

Moving forward

The use of technology in disaster response is fairly new, and society will learn more about the most effective ways to use SMS technology in crisis as time moves forward. In the meantime, inefficient practices are bound to accidentally arise out of necessity. This will provide additional insight into how to continue improving. However, it is important to always keep the fundamental principle of aid— “do no harm”—in the forefront of our minds throughout the learning process.

GeoPoll regularly conducts surveys that collect vital data and can send communications through one-way and two-way messaging via multiple mobile modes. Our database of over 240 million people in more than 60 emerging markets allows aid organizations to quickly reach targeted populations in specific areas, or GeoPoll can send messages to aid beneficiaries and other individuals when provided with phone numbers.

Contact us to learn more about how GeoPoll can help your organization help others.

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South Sudan is the newest widely recognized country in the world, and is also one of the world’s poorest countries, with over 80% of the population living on under $1 a day. According to the UNDP, 43% of the total population is severely food insecure, however the issues with food security in South Sudan are getting worse. Five years of civil war in the area has left more than half of the country completely reliant on humanitarian aid. According to the World Food Program, at the beginning of 2018 the levels of hunger and malnutrition reported were at a historic high. Although organizations like the World Food Program are working to combat the starvation, there are many challenges to face. Lack of infrastructure and political conflict in the country make it difficult and dangerous to reach communities with life-saving food. Additionally, the approaching rainy season will create more challenges for reaching the starving people in South Sudan with food aid. For these reasons, it is more important than ever to understand the issues with food security in the country.

Given GeoPoll’s experience with conducting food security and agriculture related surveys, in early June 2018 we ran a remote mobile survey to gather information that could help assess food security concerns across South Sudan. Due to high levels of illiteracy in the country, this survey was conducted using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI), in which live interviewers call mobile phones from a call center. In only three days, GeoPoll was able to collect 100 survey responses which shed light on the current food security situation in the country. While this study was exploratory in nature, the results show a high level of food insecurity and demonstrate the need to conduct further research in the area.

Survey Methodology

GeoPoll utilized CATI surveys to gather on-the-ground data on food insecurity in South Sudan. The survey ran for three days— May 31^st, June 4^th, and June 5^th—of 2018. GeoPoll was able to reach respondents in all of the 10 states of South Sudan. The questionnaire asked respondents to provide information about three different time frames—the past 7 days, the past 30 days, and the past 6 months—as well as general questions about demographics and food security in the respondent’s communities.

Results

The survey data collected indicates high food insecurity in South Sudan. Respondents largely indicated that there are limited food supplies and high food prices. The majority of food markets around the country are operational yet are struggling to provide enough provisions to feed their communities. Results suggest that increased demand for the available fare is driving prices up beyond what is affordable for the majority of the respondents: 96% of the people surveyed reported that in the past six months they have not had enough money to purchase food and other basic needs, and just under half of the respondents reported that more than 80% of their communities are lacking enough food to eat because of widespread loss of food stocks, lack of income, or lack of job opportunities.

Results highlights

Question: How many households in your community are lacking food due to widespread loss of food stocks, lack of income, or lack of livelihood opportunities? Would you say…1) more than 80 percent, 2) between 50 and 80 percent, 3) between 50 and 20 percent, 4) less than 20 percent.

Results:

Respondents overwhelmingly reported that people in their communities have insufficient quantities of food due to widespread loss of crops, low income, or low job opportunity. 47% of respondents replied that more than 80% of their communities are suffering. Only 4% of respondents could say that less than 20% of their community was struggling. The results from this study indicate that the majority citizens of South Sudan are currently struggling with hunger.

Question: In the past 30 days, how many days did your household reduce the number of meals eaten in a day due to lack of food/money? (Reply number of days from 0-30).

Results:

The majority of the individuals surveyed responded that every day within the past 30 days their household skipped meals due to lack of food sources and money. 11% of respondents reduced the number of meals exactly half of the time period. However, 13% of respondents did not report any reduction of daily meals and 12% of respondents only had to reduce daily meals once within the past thirty days.

The polarized results from this survey question could be due to a small sample size. Further research could allow for more comprehensive understanding of this topic.

Question: What is the food status like in your community? (open ended response).

Results:

http://https://public.chartblocks.com/c/5b33a7181ea0f69e26669279?t=8e458f754f89456

33% of responses indicate that food is currently very expensive in their community. Only 1% of the people surveyed suggest that the status of food in their community is healthy—and those respondents only see the status of food in their community as okay because they are receiving food from aid organizations.

Conclusions 

GeoPoll’s area experts are confident that food insecurity in South Sudan is likely due to on-going conflict and political instability in the country. Respondents to GeoPoll’s recent survey reaffirm that the level of food insecurity in South Sudan is widespread and significantly impacting the lives of the majority of citizens in the area. The results from this recent exploratory survey establish need for future research on food security in the region, and demonstrates that CATI is a worthwhile method for collecting such data remotely.

Due to the conflict and violence that is plaguing South Sudan, remote data collection was essential for this project. Face to face data collection would have been almost impossible. Mobile data collection through CATI was essential because it allowed for information on the country without the need to send on-the-ground researchers into remote and conflict-ridden areas of South Sudan. Fortunately, GeoPoll has vast experience in conducting food security and agriculture-related research across sub-Saharan Africa. To learn more about our experience in food security, please contact us.

The post Food Insecurity in South Sudan, A GeoPoll Study appeared first on GeoPoll.

In the US and Europe, data collection methods are well-established and market research is a multi-billion dollar industry, but lack of infrastructure has prevented traditional research methods, such as face to face or phone interviews, from succeeding in emerging countries. However, over the past decade there has been a growing demand for better data from countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and new technologies such as the mobile phone have enabled more research to take place. Collecting data from around the world is now more possible than ever, but researchers must understand the fundamental differences in conducting research in emerging markets versus in the developed world.

Considerations for Collecting Data in Emerging Markets

While mobile penetration is high across many emerging markets and internet usage is growing, landlines are extremely scarce, and desktop computers are not used by a large portion of the population. In Africa, recent data indicates that mobile accounts for over 60% of total internet usage, while desktops account for only 34%. This statistic varies widely by country, and in less-developed countries in Africa or in rural areas, mobile accounts for even more of the total internet share.

Traditionally, market research in emerging markets has been scarce, and studies that are completed have been done so with face to face methods that can be costly and time-consuming. The growth in mobile phone and smartphone usage in the past decade has changed this by enabling mobile-first research methods such as remote text message surveys, automated or interviewer-led voice calls, and mobile web surveys. When collecting data through mobile surveys and other mobile methods, researchers must be aware of the following best practices for conducting research in emerging markets:

Language and Wording Considerations:
Many emerging markets have multiple official languages and hundreds of regional dialects. Make sure to research the most common languages in the specific area you are collecting data from, and be open to running your questionnaire into more than one language. Wording for each question is also important, and should be tested before the full project is started. For example, GeoPoll has found that the best way to obtain respondent age is to ask “In what year were you born?”

Questionnaire Length:
When collecting data via mobile phone, overall questionnaire length and the length of individual questions is imperative. Questionnaires should be kept short and simple, as many respondents will be completing surveys on basic feature phones. GeoPoll recommends a total questionnaire length of 15-20 questions, for a 10 minute survey. If being sent by text message, questions and answers should fit within 160 characters. It is recommended that longer surveys are split into multiple surveys that can be run as a panel over several days.

Mobile Data Usage:
While marketers are often interested in testing messaging via photo or video sharing, in emerging markets the high cost of mobile data/internet usage must be taken into consideration. Images should be optimized so they are low in size while still being high enough quality to view, and videos should be limited to no more than 2 per survey. GIFS are a good alternative to videos, as they are small in file sizes while still containing multiple frames of content.

Compensation:
Compensation should be considered for all respondents, both to demonstrate that researchers value the respondent’s time and to improve response rates. Mobile airtime credit and mobile money are common and well-received forms of compensation in many emerging markets, and compensation levels can start at around $0.50 for a short mobile-phone based survey. If you are running a mobile survey, check that your survey provider can provide a direct incentive quickly deposited into the respondent’s account.

New technologies have opened up many possibilities for conducting research in emerging markets, but you must be aware of the nuances around data collection in these areas. GeoPoll is a full-service market research company with an active panel of respondents in more than 60 countries, and a robust multi-modal mobile survey platform. To speak to a GeoPoll expert about your data collection needs, please contact us today.

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This short article attempts to highlight three key factors that market research and insights providers can use to get out from the shadows and carve out our fair share of sun: The how, the what, and the why.

How can market research companies innovate like the big platforms and their ecosystems?

While they have been buzzwords for some time, agile and incremental systems development remain just as key for market research innovators today as they do for the latest technology start-ups.  Being agile means prioritizing shipping products collaboratively with clients, and doing so in structured loops that are responsive to emergent challenges and opportunities.  It means rapid prototyping and continuous deployment and calculated risk-taking.  Incremental development also means starting with smaller budgets, and following with multi-client subscription projects.  The “how” might not be the most obvious place to start an article like this, but without the “how” there is no way to achieve a “what” that matters.

What can market research companies do to keep up with changing technology?

Today there are thousands of devices running hundreds of versions of dozens of operating systems, and they are all coming on and offline able to collect and transmit market research information.  What are market researchers to do?  The solution is stepping backward and stepping forward at the same time.  Let me explain.

What are the lowest common denominators still in mobile technology?  Voice and SMS.  Integrating solutions that can still reach every device are key to keeping up.  This is also key for minimizing selection biases when people can only be reached by conventional mobile methods. That’s stepping backward.

Simultaneously, market research must step forward by leveraging the new capabilities that modern communication technology brings, including the Internet, email, mobile applications, and over the top messaging (like Whatsapp), amid a myriad of nearly endless (although not all endlessly lucrative) sensor technology options.  Combining the old and the new in a credible and logical fashion so that everyone can be reached and results are comparable is key.

Why must market researchers differentiate themselves from platform companies and their ecosystems?

While platform companies like Facebook and Google have earned the wary trust of consumers through free products and services, the drawback is in individuals sharing deeply personal information and trusting these groups to be responsible with it.  There are some fissures in this implicit bargain which are starting to show, as demonstrated by the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal, among other recent events.

This access to personal data is why it’s so critical that market research industry associations like ESOMAR continue to distinguish market research practices from platform practices. The market research industry, including companies like GeoPoll, abide by a set of ethics in the management of personal information. Not marketing or trying to sell services to survey respondents is critical for ongoing trust and honesty in market research.

The research we do is our How, What is the way we conduct research, and Why is to make sure we act responsibly with the personal information to which we are entrusted.  With the arrival of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May, it is not only morally critical but legally critical to make sure our ethical codes around data use remain strong and adhered to.

The post How Market Research Can Innovate with Integrity in 2018 appeared first on GeoPoll.

With the advent of wireless communications in the 1970s, it has now been 45 years since mobile phones first came to be. As mobile technology has advanced, Africa has become one of the biggest beneficiaries of this technology, by constantly redefining its use and creating new applications with which mobile can solve everyday problems. Along with banking and communications, market research is one of the fields that has benefited from this widespread mobile connectivity, but mobile research in Africa still looks very different than it does in more advanced regions.

Tablets and smartphones are common in Europe in the US, but in Africa smartphone penetration is still low: While South Africa has 34% smartphone penetration out of all mobile subscribers, Kenya and Ghana are around 15%, and other countries are lower. That is exactly why simple short messaging service (SMS or text messaging), which can be found even in the most basic mobile phones, remains King when it comes to conducting surveys in Africa.

Below are some of the reasons why SMS surveys remain one of the most effective modes of data collection in Africa. For more information on other modes of data collection and how to identify the best research provider to you, refer to our article on the international marketing research process.

Benefits of Using SMS Surveys for Data Collection in Africa

1. Fast data turnaround

Compared to other data collection methods such as face to face, SMS collects data very quickly and can upload results in real-time, which allows for faster data analysis. Fast data collection is crucial when studying product placement or measuring an ongoing marketing campaign.

2. Ease of response

Participants to the survey can respond to questions at their convenience and on their own phones.

3. Increased access

Due to the nature of the mobile phone which respondents take wherever they are, be it in remote or urban areas, in home or out of home, respondents are reachable for a survey no matter where they are located. This is particularly important as many of these respondents are hard to reach through face to face or internet survey methods.

4. Few device barriers

The respondents do not require a smartphone or have internet (mobile data) to receive or respond to surveys.

5. High response rates

Mobile surveys have high daily response rates depending on the time of day compared to other means of data collection. This is mostly due to the proximity of the phone to the respondent and the ease in which they can take the surveys from wherever they are.

6. Error minimization

Although this might not be the standard for all mobile research agencies, the GeoPoll surveying platform can automatically verify answers are in the expected range and prompt respondents to correct invalid when responses are typed in via the phone keypad.

7. Incentive availability

Even without smartphones, SMS survey tools such as GeoPoll allow participants who take SMS surveys to receive airtime credit upon survey completion. This ensures that survey participants feel valued for their time and that clients are able to get insights faster.

8. Low or no cost to respondent

If the survey solution provider you use has partnered with a mobile network operator, there are often no charges incurred by respondents for participating in an SMS survey. GeoPoll has partnerships with over 85 mobile network operators which allow us to send free-to-the-respondent SMS messages.

GeoPoll has partnerships with over 85 mobile network operators which allow us to send free-to-the-respondent SMS messages.

GeoPoll has been conducting SMS surveys in Africa for over 5 years, and we also facilitate mobile web, mobile app, Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing, and other survey modes. We have a team of experienced researchers and analysts who are able to advise you on the best data collection method based on your research objectives. To learn more or ask questions about an upcoming research project, please contact us today using the form below.

The post Why SMS Surveys are Still King in Africa appeared first on GeoPoll.

1. The Objective. With any research study, the most important first step is identifying the primary purpose. Clearly laying out the objectives and the information needed at the end of the study helps narrow in the focus. Keep it simple and targeted to start and build then from there.
2. The Audience. After identifying the “what” for your study, the next major thing to think about is who you are trying to reach. At GeoPoll, we have an existing database of more than 200 million users indexed by key demographics such as age, gender, and location. These mobile subscribers often serve as the sample for the research we conduct. However, some clients are looking to reach a more targeted group of people, such as project beneficiaries.  In these cases, clients can provide GeoPoll with the mobile numbers of a select group, provided they have permission to contact those individuals. Sometimes our partners find collecting the mobile numbers of beneficiaries or other groups is easy; other times, it is a time consuming process that needs to be accounted for when determining the timeline for launching mobile surveying activities.
3. The Frequency. The appropriate frequency for engaging the target audience in mobile surveys varies. Sometimes quick snapshots or needs assessments are all that is needed. Other times, on-going monitoring over several months better serves the overall objective. GeoPoll conducts thousands of mobile surveys each day, and we have learned that frequency matters. As far as respondents go, there is usually a learning curve at the onset of a data collection project – the more you engage in mobile surveying, the better respondents understand the process, expectations, and outcomes of the engagement. At the same time, there is a need to be mindful of the respondent experience and cognizant of potential user fatigue. We find that, with the right balance, conducting surveys on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis allows for more granular data which can be disaggregated to see specific points in times as changes occur. This long-term tracking has not traditionally been done in development projects and can add immense value to your research.
4. The Limitations. The goal of mobile surveying is not necessarily to replace face-to-face surveys, and mobile surveying and traditional surveying methodologies can often work together to overcome limitations of each method.  For example, GeoPoll recommends a mobile survey consist of 15-20 question per module. This means that keeping questions targeted and simple is critical, particularly since you will be reaching respondents of varying backgrounds. Despite this, complex survey instruments can be adapted to the mobile phone. We have worked with multiple partners on surveys with 80+ questions, breaking the survey instrument into modules and sending one module at a time. Whether you choose this method, or combine mobile surveys with face-to-face research, mobile is an incredibly useful tool to complement other forms of data collection, and additionally can serve as a valuable mechanism for data triangulation.
5. The Data. Last but not least, how the data will be used is perhaps the most important of all. This can be as simple as what format the data will be presented in – GeoPoll can provide raw datasets in several formats, or build an online dashboard which visualizes data and can be shared with donors and local project staff. Beyond the nuts and bolts of transmitting the data, thinking about how it will fit into the broader decision-making process is critical when launching mobile data collection activities. For example, is there already an existing process in place where decisions are made based on the data? Is there buy-in needed from government counterparts or local partners as data is collected? Regardless of the intricacies of your project, timing the data collection to coincide with reporting timelines and/or decision-making processes will ensure the data is used in a meaningful way, whether it be helping projects make course corrections, or conducting an evaluation after a project has concluded.

Interested in reading more about GeoPoll’s work with development organizations? View our case studies page, or click below to contact us.

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