About Us : Why Pacific?

Certainly there are many data collection firms around the country from which to choose. While it's interesting to know that a firm will "go the extra mile," or that they are "the best in the business," we market researchers, data lovers that we are, are generally looking for more substantive reasons. Here is our brief case for what differentiates Pacific, and a brief explanation of why other firms are choosing us.

Communication

It's no coincidence that a market research firm should consider communication a top priority. We view communication as the key ingredient in engendering and maintaining successful relationships with our clients. As our clients tell us again and again, we “play it straight.”

When we provide you a bid, we'll let you know if we have areas of concern, or foresee difficulties. If so, we'll make suggestions on how best to address those issues.

As a project launches, we'll carefully watch sample, questionnaire length, incidence, and make sure the project is running as planned. If it isn't, we're quick to let you know, and to help you decide how to move forward. The last thing any client wants is to discover a problem halfway (or all the way, for that matter) through a project.

Technology, calling capacity, competitive prices; all of these are important considerations in choosing a data collection firm. However, if your vendor isn't on top of exactly where your project stands, and if they aren't sharing their concerns with you or maintaining open communication, the rest is window dressing. Pacific's responsive, honest, and frequent communication with our clients is the primary reason they entrust us with their work time and again.

Experience

Each year, Pacific provides data collection services for hundreds of research projects, including straightforward customer satisfaction surveys, quick turnaround political polls, complex mixed methodology projects, sophisticated conjoint studies, rigorously monitored legal projects, and multi-country and multi-language projects, among others. Our clients include venerable national research firms, Fortune 500 companies, boutique consulting and research firms, advertising and public relations agencies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.

We'd love for you, our prospective client, to climb down off that fence and say hello to our current clients. Please ask us for references; it might be the easiest way for you to find out more about what it's like to work with us.

Quality

Programming and questionnaire review

In addition to using the most sophisticated CATI software, CfMC, and the most sophisticated online survey software, ConfirmIT, one of Pacific's strongest assets is our crackerjack programming team. Our clients often tell us that they appreciate the extra quality controls, and that we provide a wealth of important feedback.

When we first receive a questionnaire, the programming department pores over the survey, thoroughly checking the logic, skip patterns, language, quotas, and other important details. Simultaneously, the project department vets the questionnaire, quotas, and sampling approach to make sure the objective and methodology are clear.

By the time a project is actually programmed, the majority of our questions and concerns have been hammered out. Once the code is written, the program is tested multiple times, by two separate Programmers and a Project Manager. At this point, clients have the chance to test the program as well, to make sure it meets their expectations.

By the time the project enters the field, it's been through the ringer, so to speak. This level of attention is not a given in our industry, and our clients appreciate the strong and thorough feedback that they receive.

Telephone Interviewing

Maintaining a staff of professional telephone interviewers, implementing proper training, keeping quality high, tracking anomalies, and having fun all at the same time is a near Herculean task. However, at Pacific we're up to it. Why? In part, because everyone at Pacific, from the Managing Directors on down, started their research careers as telephone interviewers. We know how to create an environment that helps interviewers thrive, we know exactly what ingredients go into a quality interview, and all of us expect and demand that level of quality.

Interviewers are hired after a series of English, writing, typing, and reading tests, as well as a one-on-one interview. Once hired, interviewers are put through an eight hour training, giving them a strong interviewing foundation. We cover a brief survey of the research industry, proper interviewing techniques, non-bias techniques, non-biased and thorough probing, and of course respect and courtesy towards respondents.

Once interviewers are ready for the phones, they are paired with both a veteran interviewer (to model) and a monitor (who both coaches and evaluates them).

For each new project, we have a separate training. Interviewers have time to read through each question, test all possible logic paths, and practice with a supervisor before live interviewing begins.

Finally, all interviewers participate in a continuing education process, with regular training sessions on topics including voice control, open ends, and refusal conversion.

Monitoring and Validation

Our Monitors wear two hats: coach and supervisor. Each day, Monitors listen to approximately 15% of all interviews conducted. As coaches, they evaluate each interview they listen to, and then present interviewers with both a written evaluation and have a conversation about ways to improve their performance. In their supervisory role, they listen for missed questions or responses, check data onscreen against the respondents' answers, and keep an eye out for anomalies or red flags.

In addition, we validate 15% of all surveys. After the completion of an interview, we “re-interview” a random selection of respondents to ensure that they were properly screened and qualified, check to make sure the interview was conducted with the proper respondent, and scan for any irregularities. For legal or other specialized projects, we can validate at a higher rate (up to 100%).


Intro News Why Pacific? Professional Affiliations	About Us : Why Pacific? Certainly there are many data collection firms around the country from which to choose. While it's interesting to know that a firm will "go the extra mile," or that they are "the best in the business," we market researchers, data lovers that we are, are generally looking for more substantive reasons. Here is our brief case for what differentiates Pacific, and a brief explanation of why other firms are choosing us. Communication It's no coincidence that a market research firm should consider communication a top priority. We view communication as the key ingredient in engendering and maintaining successful relationships with our clients. As our clients tell us again and again, we “play it straight.” When we provide you a bid, we'll let you know if we have areas of concern, or foresee difficulties. If so, we'll make suggestions on how best to address those issues. As a project launches, we'll carefully watch sample, questionnaire length, incidence, and make sure the project is running as planned. If it isn't, we're quick to let you know, and to help you decide how to move forward. The last thing any client wants is to discover a problem halfway (or all the way, for that matter) through a project. Technology, calling capacity, competitive prices; all of these are important considerations in choosing a data collection firm. However, if your vendor isn't on top of exactly where your project stands, and if they aren't sharing their concerns with you or maintaining open communication, the rest is window dressing. Pacific's responsive, honest, and frequent communication with our clients is the primary reason they entrust us with their work time and again. Experience Each year, Pacific provides data collection services for hundreds of research projects, including straightforward customer satisfaction surveys, quick turnaround political polls, complex mixed methodology projects, sophisticated conjoint studies, rigorously monitored legal projects, and multi-country and multi-language projects, among others. Our clients include venerable national research firms, Fortune 500 companies, boutique consulting and research firms, advertising and public relations agencies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. We'd love for you, our prospective client, to climb down off that fence and say hello to our current clients. Please ask us for references; it might be the easiest way for you to find out more about what it's like to work with us. Quality Programming and questionnaire review In addition to using the most sophisticated CATI software, CfMC, and the most sophisticated online survey software, ConfirmIT, one of Pacific's strongest assets is our crackerjack programming team. Our clients often tell us that they appreciate the extra quality controls, and that we provide a wealth of important feedback. When we first receive a questionnaire, the programming department pores over the survey, thoroughly checking the logic, skip patterns, language, quotas, and other important details. Simultaneously, the project department vets the questionnaire, quotas, and sampling approach to make sure the objective and methodology are clear. By the time a project is actually programmed, the majority of our questions and concerns have been hammered out. Once the code is written, the program is tested multiple times, by two separate Programmers and a Project Manager. At this point, clients have the chance to test the program as well, to make sure it meets their expectations. By the time the project enters the field, it's been through the ringer, so to speak. This level of attention is not a given in our industry, and our clients appreciate the strong and thorough feedback that they receive. Telephone Interviewing Maintaining a staff of professional telephone interviewers, implementing proper training, keeping quality high, tracking anomalies, and having fun all at the same time is a near Herculean task. However, at Pacific we're up to it. Why? In part, because everyone at Pacific, from the Managing Directors on down, started their research careers as telephone interviewers. We know how to create an environment that helps interviewers thrive, we know exactly what ingredients go into a quality interview, and all of us expect and demand that level of quality. Interviewers are hired after a series of English, writing, typing, and reading tests, as well as a one-on-one interview. Once hired, interviewers are put through an eight hour training, giving them a strong interviewing foundation. We cover a brief survey of the research industry, proper interviewing techniques, non-bias techniques, non-biased and thorough probing, and of course respect and courtesy towards respondents. Once interviewers are ready for the phones, they are paired with both a veteran interviewer (to model) and a monitor (who both coaches and evaluates them). For each new project, we have a separate training. Interviewers have time to read through each question, test all possible logic paths, and practice with a supervisor before live interviewing begins. Finally, all interviewers participate in a continuing education process, with regular training sessions on topics including voice control, open ends, and refusal conversion. Monitoring and Validation Our Monitors wear two hats: coach and supervisor. Each day, Monitors listen to approximately 15% of all interviews conducted. As coaches, they evaluate each interview they listen to, and then present interviewers with both a written evaluation and have a conversation about ways to improve their performance. In their supervisory role, they listen for missed questions or responses, check data onscreen against the respondents' answers, and keep an eye out for anomalies or red flags. In addition, we validate 15% of all surveys. After the completion of an interview, we “re-interview” a random selection of respondents to ensure that they were properly screened and qualified, check to make sure the interview was conducted with the proper respondent, and scan for any irregularities. For legal or other specialized projects, we can validate at a higher rate (up to 100%).
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