Hi, my name is Chelsea and I have been a recruiter with Headway for over a year and half. I have been one of the main recruiters on intercept projects for the last year.

AND

My name is Maggie, I have been recruiting for Headway for a year now. I have mainly recruited for RetailData (Market Research) and VMS (Vendor Management Systems). I have also recruited for intercept projects.

Recently, we were given the opportunity to perform the tasks of a data collector and conduct surveys for the Custom Intercept Solutions project in a local sporting goods store in Fayetteville, NC.

We were both incredibly excited to go into the field and finally see everything firsthand. It was a great opportunity to go through the whole process, from the initial onboarding to the submission of the data at the end of the day.

Let’s start with…

The Basics

What is Intercept Interviewing?

Intercept interviewing is a form of Market Survey Research; Data Collectors are sent to intercept customers while they are leaving an establishment and ask if they would be willing to take a survey on their experience. For the most part, surveys take 5 – 7 minutes. As a reward, customers receive an incentive of some type. This is generally either a store coupon or gift card.

What is expected of you as an Intercept Interviewer?

You are expected to randomly select customers to complete the survey in exchange for an incentive. You must be professional and friendly at all times and remain unbiased as you collect your data.

Getting Started

Once you apply and are interviewed for the position, there is a possibility that you will be offered the role! If an offer is extended, you will need to go through an onboarding process which includes filling out electronic documents and completing an I-9 Verification. You will also be required to complete online training and participate in a training conference call. Other ways to get ready include: Making sure you are able to comply with the required dress code (our project required khaki pants) and making sure you complete a test survey on the tablet provided.

During our data collection, we picked up on some great tips for anyone that hasn’t done something like this before.

Protips:

Arrive Early!

Even if you are familiar with where you are going, you should arrive early. Since you are a remote employee, you will be asked to take a selfie with your teammate that displays the store logo behind you as proof you are on site and also that you are complying with the dress code. In addition to sending a selfie and confirming with Headway you are on site, you will also need to pick up your incentives, split them up for the day and give your teammate his/her iPad. It’s better to arrive early and feel prepared to start your shift on time instead of rushing and feeling stressed out.

(Chelsea) I arrived around 15 minutes before my shift was supposed to start. While I think this was an okay amount of time to be prepared on the second day, I would suggest arriving 20 – 25 minutes before your first shift on the first day.

The first and last survey will be the hardest

Maybe it’s nerves, the natural order of things, or just a combination of both, but we both found the hardest survey to ask for was the first and the last of the day/shift. We feel like the best advice we can give on this is just to be patient and remember that the worst thing someone can do is say no. People are not normally going to be rude and if someone is snippy, just shake it off and realize that it has nothing to do with you. Stay positive and keep smiling!

Most People will be Friendly

While there were a few people that were less-than-friendly, we found that the majority of participants were nice and personable. Many people are used to being approached nowadays and you will find that some are quick to turn you away. One of the nice things about CIS Intercept projects is that the project will almost always include an incentive for the customer’s time. This incentive can be critical for turning a “maybe” into a “yes.”

If we felt like a customer didn’t want to take the survey, we just smiled and mentioned the incentive, while at the same time letting him/her know that the decision was theirs to make. It’s never necessary to be pushy or overbearing at any time. Finally, be sure the customer knows the survey will last about 5 – 7 minutes.

Pack Light

While the training will suggest that you establish a “Home Base”, we highly suggest keeping the bag as light as possible and keeping it on your shoulder for the duration of your collection. The store had a lot of foot traffic and we found that the easiest place to intercept customers was in the breezeway. In that particular location, there really wasn’t a place where we could put the bag without it being in the way, or within view at all times. While conducting a survey, it is much too easy to have your attention diverted and, believe us, you don’t want that bag going anywhere!

Stick with it!

Our data collection was only for two days, and we both freely admit that our feet and even our arms were sore by the end of the first day. Although embarrassing to admit, the arm soreness was the result of awkwardly holding the iPad out to allow the respondent to see. We survived, despite our aches and pains, and we can’t emphasize enough just how important it is to commit to your project completely and stick with it! Before you even accept this type of position, remember that this is a job were you will be standing on your feet for up to eight hours a day. If you aren’t 100% sure you can handle that physical demand, don’t agree to do the job. Knowing your limitations is extremely important.

Lastly, here are some quick tips to get you through your data collection:

1. Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes. (Your feet will thank you later!)
2. Keep a water bottle handy so that you can stay hydrated.  You will be doing a great deal of talking so keep water to sip on between surveys so you can stay comfortable.
3. Stay in communication with your partner! Coordinate your break times so the store is always covered for data collection. Exchanging cell phone numbers is a great way to stay in touch, especially for checking in when arriving on site in the morning or in the unlikely event of an emergency.
4. Remember that the questions must be asked exactly as they are written on the survey. While you can’t explain or elaborate upon them, you can repeat them as many times as necessary. (We are always mindful of data quality and are always looking to preserve and protect it.)
5. Try your best to stay out of the way. In no way do we want to interfere with the normal course of business and the customers, and especially the store employees, will thank you!
6. Keep smiling – The best way to get someone to participate is to be friendly!

Article contributions by Chelsea Vick and Maggie Medina