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Making It To The Finish Line

Making It To The Finish Line. Making The Most Of Executives’ Time & Completing The Questionnaire. Making It To The Finish Line. You have successfully answered the Gatekeeper's questions and negotiated through objections and refusals.

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Making It To The Finish Line

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  1. Making It To The Finish Line Making The Most Of Executives’ Time & Completing The Questionnaire

  2. Making It To The Finish Line • You have successfully answered the Gatekeeper's questions and negotiated through objections and refusals. • You have convinced the Respondent to take time out of her busy day to give you her opinions. • How do you keep the Respondent on the phone and reach the finish line?

  3. Making It To The Finish Line • A completed Questionnaire • The Respondent has answered all questions in the survey.

  4. Making It To The Finish Line Objectives: • Identifying "terminate" situations. • Avoiding the question of “How much longer?” • Using standard responses to • Answer Respondent’s questions. • Reassure the Respondent. • If necessary, asking for a callback appointment to complete the questionnaire.

  5. Making It To The Finish Line Recognizing the Terminate Situation • Terminates occur when a Respondent has met the selection criteria and is qualified to participate in the study but is unable to complete the questionnaire.

  6. Making It To The Finish Line Recognizing the Terminate Situation • The Terminate situation can also be referred to as: • Partial completes/Midterms/Incompletes • Qualified refusals • Stops/Terminates • All have similar situations that occur.

  7. Making It To The Finish Line Recognizing the Terminate Situation • Most often, terminates will occur when the Respondent does not have time to finish the questionnaire. • Often this situation will be premised with questions from the Respondent. • What questions do you think the Respondent would ask?

  8. Making It To The Finish Line “How Much Longer?” • Executives and Decision Makers are busy people and most questions will deal with time concerns. The question may be phrased to you in many different ways, but the respondent is really asking: How much longer?

  9. Making It To The Finish Line Before we answer this question, first let’s look at some actions you can take as an Interviewer to avoid this question. “How Much Longer?”

  10. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?” Making It To The Finish Line • Communication Skills • In our profession you must rely solely on your voice to convey your personality to Respondents. • The ability to persuade Respondents to give of their time is directly related to the successful use of your voice and communication skills.

  11. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?” Making It To The Finish Line • These communication skills can be utilized to avoid a Respondent asking, “How much longer?” • Make the questionnaire sound like a conversation. • Be Congenial yet Assertive. • Pace. • Pronunciation. • Flow. • Inflection & Modulation. Let’s take a look at each of these in more detail.

  12. As discussed in other training modules, your delivery of the questions and the use of standard responses should be smooth and conversational. Applying a conversational tone to your interaction helps the Respondent to forget how much time he/she is spending on the phone. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?” Making It To The Finish Line Make the questionnaire sound like a conversation

  13. Delivery of the questions and standard responses should be smooth and conversational. Listen to the Respondent. React to his/her statements and questions. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?” Making It To The Finish Line Be Congenial yet Assertive • If a Respondent asks, “How’s the weather,” answer him/her appropriately. However, avoid getting familiar or involved in any lengthy conversations. It adds to the length of the survey and reduces the importance of the questionnaire.

  14. Pace starts off with your own choice. Remember, the pace should sound natural, not too rushed or too slow. Pace continues by being attentive to the Respondent, matching your pace to his/hers. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?” Making It To The Finish Line Pace

  15. Familiarize yourself with the questionnaire and the words and terms used. With correct pronunciation, you sound intelligent and increase your legitimacy. Incorrect/stumbling pronunciation decreases the importance of the survey and negatively impacts your pace and flow. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?” Making It To The Finish Line Pronunciation

  16. A stumbling flow indicates a lack of confidence and legitimacy. Familiarity with the study helps you avoid unprofessional verbal glitches. Always keep Respondent informed if you are slow at entering responses or need to correct data entry errors. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?” Making It To The Finish Line Flow

  17. Emphasize bold and underlined words. Familiarize yourself with the key words and stress them. Stressing key words helps eliminate the need to repeat questions, thus keeping the length down. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?” Making It To The Finish Line Inflection & Modulation

  18. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?” Making It To The Finish Line • In addition to your communication skills, keeping Respondents on the phone is helped by your ability to listen. • Often, getting Respondents to finish a survey has a lot to do with how they perceive you are listening to them. • Respondents must feel you are really listening to them and are interested in what they have to say.

  19. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?”: “Listening” to the Respondent Making It To The Finish Line “Now, I think you may already have answered this; but I want to be sure I heard you correctly.” Then read the question.

  20. Making It To The Finish Line • Never answer a survey question yourself. • You must ask the question. • If not, then you are collecting invalid data. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?”: “Listening” to the Respondent

  21. Making It To The Finish Line • Occasionally, between sections of the survey, thank the Respondent for his help and expertise. • Don’t do this between every section; it sounds rehearsed and not genuine. Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?”: “Listening” to the Respondent

  22. Making It To The Finish Line • Even though you have utilized effective communication skills and have shown you have been listening to the Respondent, he/she may still ask… • Respond immediately! • Respond honestly! • Reassure the Respondent! Tips to Avoid “How Much Longer?”: “Listening” to the Respondent

  23. “I didn’t realize this was going to take so long. How much longer is your questionnaire?” “It will be about 10 more minutes. I do appreciate the time you’ve spent with me. I’ll pick up the pace and go through this as quickly as I can.” Making It To The Finish Line CAUTION! CAUTION! CAUTION!

  24. “It will be about 10 more minutes. I do appreciate the time you’ve spent with me. I’ll pick up the pace and go through this as quickly as I can.” Making It To The Finish Line If you say you will pick up the pace, DO IT! If not, you’ll lose the Respondent!

  25. Making It To The Finish Line • If finishing now is not an option, offer to call back and finish at a later time/date. • You should attempt to finish the questionnaire on the initial call. • If that is not possible, you should set an appointment to complete the questionnaire at the Respondent’s convenience.

  26. If the Respondent is unable to finish the questionnaire, offer to call back to complete it at another time. “The valuable information gained thus far will not be counted unless we finish the survey.” “With your cooperation I will go as quickly as possible; or, if we can’t finish now, I can call you back at your convenience to complete the survey.” “I can’t finish it at this time.” Making It To The Finish Line

  27. “I can’t finish it at this time.” Making It To The Finish Line • You should attempt to complete the questionnaire in the initial call. Use assertiveness and standard responses to persuade the Respondent to complete the survey. • HOWEVER, you should use your best judgment. • If a Respondent is continually putting you on hold, offer to call back to complete. It is better to call back at a less busy time than chance losing the call completely.

  28. “When would be the best time to callback? Making It To The Finish Line • In addition to suggesting calling back, you should also ask: • “When is the best time to call?” • “For whom should I ask?” • “What is your title?” • “What is your direct extension?” • “What department are you in?” • Make sure to write this information down to enter into your computer.

  29. Making It To The Finish Line Good implementation of: • Voice Skills • Listening Skills • Standard Responses Will help you and the Respondent make it to the finish line every time!

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