August 17, 2011

The education system in France is quite demanding, and a rigorous program that requires nightly homework begins in Kindergarten. Parents in France begin to think (and worry) about preparing kids for school not long after they’re born, and my wife and I are no exception. Our 2-year old son will start school in three years, and we’re already thinking about ways we can motivate him to do his best in school.

This got me thinking about my work on motivation, specifically on incentives for panelists in online market research. (An area where I’m on a lot more solid ground!)

For an online panel incentive program to be effective, it must adhere to several principles. At Lightspeed Research, we are among the panel providers who believe that points systems and prize draws used together are the optimal mechanisms to deliver incentives, as they adhere closely to these principles. Most of our panels around the world offer the Lightspeed Points Program, which allows panelists to earn points they can redeem for items in the prize catalog. We believe this program is a best-in-class solution because it is:

Appropriate. The best panelists are consumers who participate in surveys because they want to share their genuine opinions on products and services. The incentive’s purpose is to reinforce the attractiveness of the survey, and to provide a token of appreciation as part of an ongoing relationship with panelists. It should not encourage panelists to take surveys to earn money. Our program awards points based on survey length and complexity, with our Panel Operations Teams working closely with clients to assign appropriate points values to surveys. The program rewards ongoing participation as it allows points to be saved up over time towards more valuable items.

Neutral. Incentives must not skew samples by drawing participants seeking samples or freebies. The best incentive programs help to ensure diversity in panel composition. Our prize catalog is standardized across all surveys in each country and rewards are unrelated to our clients’ products and services.

Diverse. A wide range of incentives should be offered to appeal equally to all demographics. The Lightspeed Research Rewards Catalog offers a large variety of items including vouchers and gift cards for restaurants, services and retailers, in addition to a variety of merchandise. It also provides an option for donating to several charities. We are excited to be adding virtual currency soon, which is an attractive option for the hard-to-reach demographic of young men and women.

Regionalized. Incentives should be attractive in every market in which they’re offered. Each country where we have a panel has its own unique prize catalog, and prizes are continuously evaluated and updated by our Panel Operations Teams to keep them relevant and attractive.

Efficient and Reliable. Because the rewards program is an integral part of the panelists’ relationship with the provider, it is important that the program be administered effectively. Our program is administered by a partner company that specializes in rewards programs. Using this approach, we provide our panelists with the best available technology and processes for ordering and fulfillment. Our partner is well-versed in shipping procedures and knowledgeable of legal requirements and restrictions in each country. Our clients benefit from these efficiencies, and we are able to focus exclusively on what we do: online panel market research. And our panelists regularly report their satisfaction.

Our rewards program has helped Lightspeed Research establish the trust of our panelists to build and maintain high quality panels in 27 countries. I just hope I’m nearly that effective at motivating my son!

Category:Panel Management, Panel Quality, Panel Retention, Survey Best Practices
Posted on August 17, 2011



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