Telephone survey research for library managers

Purpose - To explore and evaluate the evidence about the value of using telephone surveys, especially in market research for a library. Design/methodology/approach - A critical summary and review of the literature in this field. Findings - This paper demonstrates that there are five major reasons for using this method of surveying customer preferences: response rates are higher; data can be analysed sooner; the cost of surveys is lower than alternative methods; calls can be monitored for quality; and the telephone offers the benefits of spontaneity. Practical implications - The paper contains extensive information on "best practice" of telephone surveying including designing the questionnaire and conducting the interview. There is information on getting a representative sample, plus coping with "no answers", unlisted numbers and answering machines. Originality/value - Library managers with a commitment to using innovative techniques for market research will find telephone surveys offer a useful and cheap alternative to other survey methods. No previous paper has examined the use of, and the value of, telephone surveys in libraries.