Resources

GMR represents an actively managed panel representing many diverse groups of Consumers. Panelists are double-opted in to the research panel through various methods all utilizing high affinity based relationships. Recruitment techniques include both online intercepts as well as offline techniques depending on the target audience groups.

For most of the surveys, GENMARC uses direct invites sent to its panelist but for surveys where partners are used, IP duplication check is implemented so that respondent from single IP cannot take the survey again. This ensures that common panelist of partner and GMR panelist do not enter the survey twice and are restricted before entering the survey.

GENMARC Research is an actively managed panel, used solely for market research. Our panel is never used for Direct Marketing Purposes.

Apart from proprietary panel, GMR’s exclusive vendor network of partners allows us to provide quality completes on a Global Basis. Just a few of our audience groups include ITDM’s, small and enterprise level BDM’s, GenPop, Moms, HR, Financial DM’s, and we are developing hard to reach ailing groups and medical practitioners.

We partner with affinity groups and develop panels speaking to the audience in a way that will drive greater responses and enhanced reasons for participating in research that is not specifically incentive driven. The response driver we use is more focused on who asked your opinion vs. what you get for giving it. Additionally we work with partners who have profiled their panels in a similar manner; allowing for high targeting, solid response rates and quality responses.

Customers of GENMARC Research have successfully engaged our network to access hard-toreach groups such as young adults, males, minorities, for specific studies—our customer base consists of large numbers of Market Research firms.

GENMARC Research utilizes load balancing of survey invitations which prevents over- surveying of high-demand groups. This safeguard scientifically corrects for biases created as a result of previous sample draws during the course of normal operations. Our approach diminishes the possibility of these groups being “over-surveyed” and produces representative, high quality panel sample for our customers.

If GMR falls short to complete a project through our own panel, we reach out to our GMR Exclusive Vendor Network. These vendors are chosen and utilized when they have passed our interview screening criteria and have an ongoing success rate.

We offer the partner information to the client regarding the fielding when it is requested by them. Our SaiBase quality system, offering de-duping and other quality control measures (IP check, cookie check etc.), is in place when we are utilizing sample respondents from our preferred network.

For client-based surveys, a sample is drawn at random from active GMR members, who meet the screening criteria (if any) for the client’s study.

Once assigned to a survey, GMR members receive a notification email on either their business PC or their personal email if using their own PC. The email notification alerts them that there is a new survey available to take and contains a unique link for that individual to start the survey. Email reminders are sent to unresponsive members. If email does not generate a response, a second reminder is initiated. The usual protocol is to wait at least three days and between reminders.

GENMARC Research also operates an ongoing incentive program to encourage participation and create member loyalty.

Sample is drawn according to the specifications of the study. Sample can then be deployed in batches/replicates if required. This is controlled by the operations group, who has responsibility for all survey assignments. The sample deployment procedure is flexible enough to accommodate batches/ replicates, time zone as well as geographic staggering.

Yes, survey router is being used but only for consumer surveys.

Currently, only consumer surveys requiring basic demos are placed on router. There is no particular algorithm in place for allocation purpose as only gen-pop surveys are placed on router. It is ensured that no respondent are routed to more than 8 surveys.

As our router is in nascent stage and is used for demo basis gen-pop surveys, there are no chances of any biasness or any quality issues from employing router.

Once a survey is won, level of survey is defined from Level 1 (lowest level) to Level 5(highest level). Level 1 and Level 2 surveys are placed on router in consultation with operations manager.

GMR maintains extensive profile data, including attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, values and memberships/associations for all active members. All the key demographic and household composition information is updated on an annual basis. In addition, because we interact with GMR members outside the survey context, we have frequent opportunities to update the profiles as needed.

GMR maintains extensive profile data captured at the time of joining the GMR panel. Information we maintain our members includes:

• Age
• Household Income
• Gender
• Marital status
• Number of children
• Age of children
• Employment Status

Apart from direct invitations to specific surveys (or to a router), what other means of invitation to surveys are respondents exposed to? You should note that not all invitations to participate take the form of emails.

Panelist are invited through router and direct invites. Once assigned to a survey, GMR members receive a notification email on either their business PC or their personal email if using their own PC. The email notification alerts them that there is a new survey available to take and contains a unique link for that individual to start the survey. Email reminders are sent to unresponsive members. If email does not generate a response, a second reminder is initiated. The usual protocol is to wait at least three days and between reminders.

Respondent incentives that will be provided are described; these include two types.

• Monetary i.e.; gift cards (each survey credits your account, payouts can only be made after your account reaches a minimum of $20.00.)
• Donations to charitable organization on your behalf (panel members may choose to forego their cash payout and instead donate their survey credits to a specific charity of their choosing)

While inviting respondent through direct invite a generic invite subject line and invite text body is used that does not reveal any description of the project. When respondent is routed then also non-leading text is used like “Do you want to take another survey” with option of Yes/No.

Currently no other means of invite are used.

Our panelist incentive program is point based and incentives include two types:

• Monetary i.e.; gift cards (each survey credits your account, payouts can only be made after your account reaches a minimum of $20.00.)
• Donations to charitable organization on your behalf (panel members may choose to forego their cash payout and instead donate their survey credits to a specific charity of their choosing)

Our panelist incentive program is point based and incentives include two types:

• Monetary i.e.; gift cards (each survey credits your account, payouts can only be made after your account reaches a minimum of $20.00.)
• Donations to charitable organization on your behalf (panel members may choose to forego their cash payout and instead donate their survey credits to a specific charity of their choosing)

Panelist satisfaction is measured by evaluating customer service feedback to our panel management email accounts. In addition to annual panel satisfaction surveys panelists are encouraged to provide both positive and negative feedback via a monthly newsletter mailing. This information is confidential and is not shared with clients.

GMR provides fieldwork report that includes number of invites, starts, completes, drop- outs, quota reports, etc. for each project in real time. Other customized information can be provided upon client’s request. We also inform clients about the respondent feedback on each conducted survey.

If it is you, do you have in place procedures to reduce or eliminate undesired within survey behaviours, such as (a) random responding, (b) Illogical or inconsistent responding, (c) overuse of item non-response (e.g. “Don’t Know”), or (d) speeding (too rapid survey completion). Please describe these procedures.

GMR recognizes that data quality is a cornerstone of the whole market research industry. Based on best practices we established data quality analysis and validation techniques that we apply to every project conducted in our system. We place time duration at our end before which if the respondent completes the survey then they are considered as terminate. For other checks like random responding or any other type of vague answers, respondents are deleted from database once client provides the reason for deletion of their responses. Deletion from database is done on basis of gravity of their bad answers and depends on case to case basis.

GENMARC Research primary sampling rule is not to assign more than three survey invitations per week to panelist. Our policy is to declare panelist as inactive if they don’t respondent for 6 months. This procedure is standard across all sample sources.

Respondents can take part in maximum 12 surveys in a week out of which they are allowed to complete 4 surveys per week. This is same across all the sample sources and time frame considered weekly for such checks.

GMR engages in multiple techniques to ensure respondent identity and uniqueness.

• Ensure respondent uniqueness within your survey using multiple techniques
• IP address confirmation
• Multiple levels of cookie controls
• Survey completion time controls
• Member validation
• Consult with you on ways to ensure respondents are engaged and paying attention with your survey
  • Convergent and Divergent validity checks
  • Position check (“Please select the 3rd response below to confirm your place in the survey”)
• Physical Address requirement for incentives

We reach out to our GMR Exclusive Vendor Network for B2B sample. These vendors are chosen and utilized when they have passed our interview screening criteria and have an ongoing success rate. We offer the partner information to the client regarding the fielding when it is requested by them. Our SaiBase quality system, offering de-duping and other quality control measures (IP check, cookie check etc.), is in place when we are utilizing sample respondents from our preferred network.

The process of double opt in for Genmarc Research is that initially the member clicks a link stating that they would want to join the GMR panel. Upon joining they are asked to provide some information about themselves to assist in our profiling process. Finally they are asked to validate their membership by double opting in through a link sent to the email address they have provided. When that member has clicked on the link within this email they are then considered a double opt in member.

GMR panelists are protected under the published GMR Privacy Policy. GMR adheres to all national and international laws with respect to panelist privacy, including but not limited to the EU Safe Harbor and COPPA. GMR follows the industry standards that have been defined for Online Marketing Research and also maintains full compliance with the CASRO and IMRO guidelines for online research.

GENMARC Research takes numerous steps to secure our data–be it about our panelists or our survey results. An SOP security policy and process is in place and monitored for compliance. The highlights are:

• We separate identifying and non-identifying data into different database systems, each of which has its own defined security roles.
• Only IT and Panel Management staff with a need to know have access to personally identifying information on our panelists.
• Panelist data resides in a commercially secure data collection facility. The Panel system is fully redundant and fault tolerant.

As per the survey information sensitiveness, it can be informed to panelist about the criticality of not sharing the information with others via invite template. Apart from this we do not follow any other practice as of now.

Quality is built into the process at every level of interaction with GMR panelists and panel partners. From initial contact and profiling, participation in surveys, down to incentive fulfillment panelist data is collected and reviewed for consistency and quality.

• Throughout the profiling process, respondent data is stored in a secure centralized database. System architecture utilizes standard multi-layer design which separates the data, business and presentation layers of the system.
  • Data is backed up on a transactional level.
• Access to the backups and IT systems in general is restricted to senior IT staff, all of whom have a signed confidentiality GMR Response agreement.
  • In addition, GENMARC Research employs Optimus
• The panel system as well as profiling surveys leverages strong passwords and Digital Fingerprinting. Optimus is also utilized to enforce a strict and unique access.

GMR has a great deal of experience managing panels with sensitive audience populations, including expectant mothers, mothers with young children. GMR complies with all applicable national and international children’s privacy regulations.

We do not permit children who are under 13 years of age to become GMR members. We do not collect any Personal Information from children under 13 years of age.

As part of the registration process for new panel members, we do record name, age, and gender of each individual in the panel member’s household, which may include children who are under 13 years of age. We collect this information about the minors only if the parent or legal guardian is readily willing to share it.

Occasionally, we may send a survey to a panel member who is a parent or guardian of a child under the age of 13, which asks that the panel member to have his or her child who is under 13 answer the survey. We take all reasonable steps to ensure parental consent and oversight to such procedure by sending the survey to the parent or guardian’s password-protected email address. The information collected in response to such surveys is not combined with identifying information about the child. In every case such survey does not collect Personal Information about the child, and we comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998. We do comply with the ESOMAR standards.