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CATI market research agency

Quantitative market research agency
CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing) market research uses information technology to support the collection of data by phone. Interviewers follow a computer-guided script to ask questions and input responses in real time. This method allows for efficient and accurate data collection, and rapid data delivery. A CATI survey tends to better than an online survey if you need to collect responses to a significant number of open-ended questions, although the cost per complete tends to be higher. For B2B surveys, CATI can also provide a higher degree of certainty about who the respondents are.
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Three women conducting CATI research from a call centre

When is CATI research used?

CATI is widely used for market research, public opinion polling, customer satisfaction surveys, health studies and academic studies, particularly when you need a high degree of confidence in the profiles of the survey takers, while still preserving a level of anonymity which is difficult to achieve with face-to-face and online video interviews. The main challenges for CATI are the continuing decline in response rates due to the reduced use of fixed line telephones and increasing levels of call screening by phone users. and the consequent increase in the cost per complete for CATI compared to online surveys.

How do we deliver CATI market research?

To deliver effective and scalable CATI market research, we agree clear objectives with our clients, design concise questionnaires, use robust CATI software and work with skilled and vetted interviewers. We provide a research process that complies with data privacy and 'cold calling' laws and maintain rigorous quality control when carrying out our CATI surveys.

CATI market research clients

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UK CATI market research agency

As one of the UK’s leading CATI research agencies, FieldworkHub can give you access to a variety of CATI audiences across the UK. We can help you design a survey to take advantage of the unique features of CATI research, recruit CATI participants, interview them via telephone and finally deliver the raw data with the option of analysing and reporting on the data as well.

UK CATI research on TV news consumption

TV news studio between news bulletins with TV cameras, backgrounds ands and lights visible

Briefed by our client on the end goal of the project – to gather a greater understanding of UK international news consumption habits and patterns, and to gauge how the client was perceived against competitors – we were first asked to advise on a suitable methodology for the study. While we considered online surveys or intercept-style data collection, we decided that given the breadth of the study, a CATI approach would yield the best results. We also decided to break down the target number of completes by region, to ensure that the final sample was broadly representative of the national audience for TV news.

Number of UK participants:
500
Research countries:
Research audience:
Research industry focus:
View Study

International CATI market research

As a leading international CATI research agency, we deliver B2B and B2C studies across North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and Australasia. Our Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing fieldwork services include research planning, participant recruitment, telephone interviewing, and detailed data analysis and reporting.

International CATI research with printer decision makers in the US and Germany

Commercial printing press in action

An international management consultancy firm asked FieldworkHub to assist them with research to understand the biggest needs and pain points with current software solutions used by commercial and packaging printing companies. The client was keen to understand how perceptions vary between Europe and North America, as well as between larger and smaller companies.

Number of international participants:
50
Research countries:
Research audience:
Research industry focus:
View Study

What are the different types of computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) research?

CATI consumer research

CATI consumer surveys are surveys are used in consumer behaviour studies to understand purchasing habits and preferences, and for product/service feedback. These surveys help businesses tailor their offerings to meet consumer needs effectively.

CATI public opinion polls

CATI helps measure public opinion on political issues and candidates through political polls, and assesses views on social topics like healthcare and education via social issues surveys. These polls inform policy decisions and political strategies.

CATI customer satisfaction surveys

Post-purchase CATI surveys evaluate customer satisfaction after a purchase, while service experience surveys assess the quality of customer service interactions. These insights help B2B and B2C companies improve their products and services to enhance customer loyalty.

CATI health surveys

Epidemiological studies use CATI to collect data on health behaviours and conditions, while health attitude surveys understand public views on health policies and practices. The research supports public health initiatives and policy-making.

CATI academic research

CATI is used in behavioural studies to investigate human behaviours and attitudes, and in sociological research to explore social structures and dynamics. These studies contribute to academic knowledge and inform social policies.

CATI B2B research

Industry trends surveys identify trends and challenges within specific industries, while client feedback surveys collect opinions from business clients about products or services. These insights help companies improve their B2B offerings.

What are the benefits of CATI for B2B market research?

CATI in B2B research typically offers high data quality than an online survey, and lower cost than face-to-face interviewing. It is particularly suitable for niche audiences that may be hard to target using online panels. It can handle complex surveys, and can achieve better response rates than an online survey. CATI is flexible, secure, and also allows for more in-depth probing than an online survey, thereby helping to deliver more robust insights.

What are the benefits of CATI for consumer market research?

CATI benefits consumer research by providing accurate and relatively fast data collection, ensuring high data quality with automated consistency checks. It can handle complex surveys and is more cost-effective than face-to-face interviewing. CATI achieves higher response rates than many online surveys, ensures data security, and allows for the collection of deeper and more nuanced insights, making it a reliable method for understanding consumer behaviour and preferences.

Key benefits of CATI market research

Rapid data collection and real-time data entry streamline the research process.
Automated consistency checks and reduced interviewer bias ensure accurate and reliable data.
CATI handles intricate branching and skip patterns, suitable for detailed surveys.
More economical than face-to-face interviews, especially for large or dispersed samples.
Instant availability of data for quick analysis and timely decision-making.
Typically achieves better response rates than online surveys, especially in specific demographics.
Easily adaptable to changes in survey design or respondent profiles, providing versatility.
Secure storage of data ensures confidentiality and compliance with data protection regulations.

CATI market research FAQ

The response rate for a CATI survey is often higher than it is for an online survey and you have a greater degree of certainty about who has actually completed the survey. Respondents tend to be more engaged when talking to a live interviewer over the phone than when typing responses on a computer screen and this can result in more detailed and accurate information gathering, particularly if you need to collect responses to a number of open-ended questions. The downside of CATI research is that it requires a longer timescale than an online survey and the cost per complete is typically much higher for a given length of survey.
The time required to deliver a CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing) study varies based on several factors, including the study’s complexity, sample size, and how easy it is to indentify and contact the target participants. However, a typical CATI study takes a few weeks from the time the questionnaire and sampling requirements are finalised to the delivery of the final resuls. Here’s a breakdown: Programming and testing: 3-5 days; Recruitment, training and scheduling of interviewers: 1-2 weeks; Sample selection and fieldwork/data collection: 1-4 weeks (depending on sample size and response rates); Data processing and analysis: 1-2 weeks.
A fieldwork agency in a CATI study handles sample recruitment, questionnaire programming, and interviewer training. They manage data collection, ensuring quality control and adherence to the script. The agency also schedules calls, processes and cleans data, and provides progress reports, ensuring efficient and accurate study execution.

It was an absolute pleasure working with FieldworkHub. They were extremely smart and professional, sharing great market specific insights to help us drive out project strategy from the start and made the entire process easy and reassuring. The recruits were spot on for our audience and the facilities they partnered with were great. We look forward to working with FieldworkHub again in the future.

Tyler McDonald
Senior ManagerGolin

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