Business respondents often have limited time and specialised responsibilities. A workable CATI plan needs to account for both the audience and the demands of the interview.
Define involvement rather than relying on titles
A job title can help recruitment, but it does not always reveal purchasing authority or relevant experience. Screening should assess the respondent’s role in the decision being studied.
Company size, industry, geography, product usage, and recent involvement may also matter. Agree which criteria are essential before fieldwork begins.
Prepare interviewers for the context
Interviewers need a clear explanation of the study, the screening criteria, and relevant terminology. They should understand how to clarify approved questions without leading the respondent or changing their meaning.
A briefing should also cover how to handle uncertainty, appointment requests, and situations where a respondent does not qualify.
Plan for appointments and callbacks
Some professionals can participate immediately; others need a scheduled time. Fieldwork plans should account for respondent time zones and the availability of the roles being recruited.
Callbacks should follow the agreed contact approach. Recruitment and interview scheduling need coordination so that participants receive consistent information.
Monitor the right measures
Track progress against the sample and quotas, alongside eligibility outcomes and interview issues. A low qualification rate may indicate restrictive criteria, unsuitable contact sources, or a need to clarify the audience definition.
Changes should be discussed with the client rather than introduced without agreement.
Review delivery in context
Quality review can include completeness, routing consistency, eligibility checks, and other agreed measures. No single check should be treated as a complete assessment of interview quality.
Closing
B2B CATI works best when the audience definition, interviewer preparation, and delivery plan support the same research objective.