Last updated: 10/07/2024
1. WHAT EXPERIENCE DOES YOUR COMPANY HAVE IN PROVIDING ONLINE SAMPLES FOR MARKET RESEARCH?
In 2024, a new market research project was launched by 5 professionals from the worlds of mathematics, sociology and the internet, creating a new market research institute called MásMétrica, offering clients a comprehensive research solution based on their online panel and IT applications that enables the collection and analysis of information through online surveys as part of a global market research solution.
Within a few months, MásMétrica became a widely recognised research institute in Spain, with a clear focus on quality in its studies and dedication to its clients.
At MásMétrica, we continue to work to provide our clients with a comprehensive solution for opinion studies, from defining objectives and indicators to measure, through to the analysis of information and delivery of reports, solutions and recommendations — based both on our proprietary panel and on databases of clients, users, employees, etc. belonging to our own clients, with extensive experience gained from thousands of projects carried out over the years by each of the partners and employees of this company. Our aim is to continue providing intelligence and analysis to our clients, delivering information to the highest quality standards through our panel and other information sources, recruiting new panellists through multiple channels and media, using MásMétrica's double information validation system, which requires the panellist to confirm their registration not only by email via a double opt-in validation, but also by mobile phone via an SMS code. In this way, we prevent fraud or bias and obtain more reliable and representative samples. We strive to deliver the best possible quality in information collection.
SAMPLE SOURCES AND RECRUITMENT
2. PLEASE DESCRIBE AND EXPLAIN THE TYPE OR TYPES OF ONLINE SAMPLE SOURCES FROM WHICH YOU OBTAIN RESPONDENTS. ARE THESE DATABASES, ACTIVELY MANAGED PANELS, DIRECT MARKETING LISTS, SOCIAL NETWORKS OR WEB INTERCEPT / RIVER SAMPLING?
The MásMétrica panel is sourced through multiple media and channels. This prevents panellists from having a particular profile that could bias their responses when asked about a specific topic. In order to prevent a user from registering more than once, we require an exhaustive registration process, which includes email validation via double opt-in, and user validation via an SMS code sent to a mobile phone.
MásMétrica's recruitment process includes several quality control steps to ensure that participants are unique, thereby preventing duplication or fraud:
1. At MásMétrica we have agreements with various partners who hold extensive and up-to-date databases. These partners are mainly online portals, general and/or specialist service providers, retailers, online communities, etc. This multi-channel approach allows us to recruit a wide range of sociodemographic profiles. Users of these databases receive an invitation email from the owner of the database with which they are registered, allowing only one registration per panellist.
2. This method ensures that registrations are fully engaged with the activities of our partners, and that they voluntarily wish to join the MásMétrica panellist community through such an invitation.
3. After agreeing to join the MásMétrica panellist community and accessing the panel registration site, a single registration form is requested containing personal and sociodemographic information, which the panellist must complete as mandatory.
4. After completing the registration process and accepting the legal terms and privacy policy, the panellist receives an email with a link they must click, through a double opt-in process.
5. Following this process, an SMS is sent to the panellist's mobile phone in order to validate the code and thus complete the registration process for the MásMétrica panel.
6. Only once the SMS code has been validated — that is, at the final step of the MásMétrica panel registration process — does the user become a MásMétrica panellist. Should a user not complete the entire process, they will be considered a registrant (not a panellist) and will remain in this status for a 7-day grace period awaiting validation. If they do not validate their registration by entering the SMS code within this period, their registration will be completely deleted.
• The MásMétrica panel is used exclusively for market research purposes.
• MásMétrica applies all available security measures to prevent third parties from accessing its systems.
• Panellists have a team of professionals available to answer their queries, both by phone and by email.
• Panellists have a personal user area with all their information, where they can view, modify and rectify their data, as well as cancel their subscription.
• The panellist's email address is only used to send survey invitations. MásMétrica does not send emails for any other purpose (advertising, etc.).
• Email communications from MásMétrica are always clear and direct, always come from the same MásMétrica email address and always use the corporate identity.
• MásMétrica periodically requests updates of panellists' personal information and removes potentially fraudulent, inactive or hyperactive panellists.
• MásMétrica removes panellists whose responses are inconsistent (e.g. open-ended questions).
• MásMétrica carries out in-home product testing, which helps identify potentially fraudulent users.
3. IF YOU PROVIDE SAMPLES FROM MORE THAN ONE SOURCE: HOW DO YOU COMBINE THE DIFFERENT SAMPLE SOURCES TO ENSURE THEIR VALIDITY? HOW CAN THE PROCESS BE REPLICATED OVER TIME TO PROVIDE RELIABILITY? HOW DO YOU HANDLE THE POSSIBILITY OF FINDING DUPLICATES AMONG RESPONDENTS FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES?
MásMétrica uses samples from other providers when studies involve a very low incidence rate that makes it impossible to cover the required number of interviews using the MásMétrica panel alone.
In such cases, MásMétrica informs the client in advance of the need to conduct interviews with other providers, as well as the number of interviews and the profile required from those providers.
Finally, all MásMétrica panellists carry a cookie that prevents them from accessing surveys when other providers are used, thereby preventing possible duplication.
4. DO YOU USE YOUR SAMPLE SOURCES EXCLUSIVELY FOR MARKET RESEARCH? IF NOT, WHAT OTHER PURPOSES ARE THEY USED FOR?
The MásMétrica panel is used solely for market research. Panellists only receive invitations to market research surveys, and only from MásMétrica.
5. HOW DO YOU SOURCE HARD-TO-REACH GROUPS ONLINE?
Thanks to multi-channel recruitment, we can reach complex profiles; however, on occasion the requirements for such profiles are so specific that we need the assistance of other external panels or providers.
If the sample viability of a project cannot be guaranteed, the client is informed of this prior to the start of the project.
6. IF, FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT, YOU NEED TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR SAMPLE(S) WITH SAMPLE(S) FROM OTHER PROVIDERS, HOW DO YOU SELECT THOSE COLLABORATORS? IS IT PART OF YOUR POLICY TO NOTIFY THE CLIENT IN ADVANCE WHEN YOU USE AN EXTERNAL PROVIDER?
Should the collaboration of an external provider be required, the client is always informed in advance, before the project begins, and their approval is obtained for this purpose. Whenever external providers are involved, the client is always informed of the profile to be surveyed and the number of interviews to be conducted.
MásMétrica will always work with panel providers who, like MásMétrica, use their panels solely for the purpose of conducting market research and maintain the same level of quality required of MásMétrica.
SAMPLING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
7. WHAT STEPS DO YOU TAKE TO OBTAIN A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE TARGET POPULATION?
Samples are selected at random from panellists who meet the project requirements. In this selection, cross-quotas are generally applied in the first instance — that is, a quota sample is selected based on the project definition in a crossed manner (e.g., gender, age group, region), with subsequent checks to ensure that the selection quotas are met, in a simple manner for each selection variable. To achieve this, quota control measures are applied to prevent an excess or deficit of interviews for each category, always maintaining randomness in the selection process, thereby promoting an optimal sample selection frequency.
The MásMétrica panel itself is not representative of the Spanish population; however, this quota-based selection ensures representativeness in terms of the selection variables used. MásMétrica uses quotas derived from the INE census, crossed by gender, age group and region.
8. DO YOU USE A SURVEY ROUTER?
No, invitations to MásMétrica surveys are sent exclusively via invitation emails; router technology is not used.
9. IF YOU USE A ROUTER: PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR ROUTER'S ALLOCATION PROCESS. HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH SURVEYS ARE MOST SUITABLE FOR EACH PARTICIPANT? ON WHAT BASIS ARE PARTICIPANTS ASSIGNED TO SURVEYS?
Router technology is not used.
10. IF YOU USE A ROUTER: WHAT MEASURES DO YOU TAKE TO PROTECT AGAINST OR MITIGATE ANY BIAS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF A ROUTER? HOW DO YOU MEASURE AND REPORT ANY DEVIATION?
Router technology is not used.
11. IF YOU USE A ROUTER: WHO SETS THE ROUTER PARAMETERS IN YOUR COMPANY? IS THIS A DEDICATED TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL PROJECT MANAGERS?
Router technology is not used.
12. WHAT DATA DO YOU STORE ABOUT RESPONDENTS' PROFILES? HOW DO YOU DO IT? WHAT DIFFERENCES APPLY BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT SAMPLE SOURCES? HOW IS IT KEPT UP TO DATE? IF YOU DO NOT STORE RELEVANT PROFILE DATA, HOW DO YOU MANAGE LOW-INCIDENCE PROJECTS?
During registration on the MásMétrica panel, panellists are asked for personal information and various basic sociodemographic variables (gender, date of birth, full address, etc.). This allows us to hold information associated with each panellist across more than 15 variables, which the panellist can update at any time from their user area.
If a client requests a survey with a low incidence based on variables not previously captured in the panel, this information is collected during the first modules or questions of the survey.
13. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR SURVEY INVITATION PROCESS. WHAT OFFER DO YOU MAKE TO RESPONDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN INDIVIDUAL SURVEYS? WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU PROVIDE ABOUT THE PROJECT ITSELF DURING THE PROCESS? APART FROM DIRECT INVITATIONS TO SPECIFIC SURVEYS (OR TO A ROUTER), WHAT OTHER METHODS OF INVITING RESPONDENTS TO SURVEYS MIGHT YOU CONSIDER? PLEASE NOTE THAT NOT ALL INVITATIONS ARE SENT BY EMAIL.
MásMétrica's own market research technicians are responsible for sending email invitations to panellists to participate in surveys. All survey invitations include:
1. A clear and easily recognisable subject line about a new survey and its incentive.
2. A clear and transparent message indicating the existence of a new project, mentioning a general topic without revealing the specific subject of the research.
3. The approximate duration of the survey, the incentive for completing it and the conditions indicating how long the survey will remain active.
4. A general subject without revealing the specific topic, so that panellists can contact MásMétrica's panellist support team with any queries or issues.
5. A unique link to access the survey.
6. An email with the general terms and a link to access their user area, which allows them to view, modify or rectify their data, or even unsubscribe.
14. PLEASE DESCRIBE THE INCENTIVES YOU OFFER RESPONDENTS FOR PARTICIPATING IN YOUR SURVEYS. HOW DO THEY DIFFER BETWEEN SAMPLE SOURCES, BY INTERVIEW DURATION OR BY RESPONDENT CHARACTERISTICS?
MásMétrica rewards its panellists for completing surveys with direct monetary incentives, which are credited to their PayPal account once fieldwork is complete and the reliability of responses has been verified.
The specific incentive is determined by the complexity and duration of the survey. Panellists are always informed of what they will receive if they complete the survey honestly and reliably. Payment is made within a few hours of the fieldwork closing, which fosters a relationship of trust between panellists and MásMétrica.
15. WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU NEED ABOUT A PROJECT TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE FEASIBILITY ESTIMATE USING YOUR OWN RESOURCES TO CARRY OUT THAT PROJECT?
In order to provide an accurate feasibility estimate for a project, the following information is required:
1. The number of completed surveys required, as well as the profile of those surveys.
2. The filters, length and specific aspects of the survey.
3. The duration of the fieldwork.
4. Any other additional information or project details.
Once feasibility has been assessed, the client is informed of the project timelines and milestones. If we are not 100% confident in the viability, we prefer not to proceed and inform the client accordingly.
16. DO YOU MEASURE RESPONDENT SATISFACTION? DO YOU PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO YOUR CLIENTS?
At MásMétrica we measure panellist satisfaction with surveys through a Likert-scale question whenever our clients request it, as part of our transparency policy. This gives us a clear view of tolerance and opinion regarding the length of the questionnaire, types of questions and the average time of a survey. In addition to this indicator, at MásMétrica we establish other panellist satisfaction indicators for a project, such as average time spent, dropout rate, and any queries or issues relating to the survey.
17. WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU PROVIDE TO YOUR CLIENT AFTER THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE?
Before fieldwork begins, MásMétrica provides the client with a link to the programmed questionnaire so they can carry out all the tests they wish to run, exactly as the respondent would see it.
During the project, once fieldwork has begun, the client is provided with a real-time results link where they can closely monitor responses with detailed statistics of all kinds, and where they can see in real time the number of panellists starting the survey, the dropout rate, the disqualification rate, and the completion rate. They can also view the question-by-question statistics for all items and variables in the survey in real time.
Subsequently, once the project is closed, MásMétrica delivers to the client:
• Word or PDF document with the survey used.
• A document with the technical summary and methodology, which includes the fieldwork dates, research objectives, sample used, sampling error, sample selection, quotas used, invited sample, sample characteristics and response rate.
• A raw data file exported record by record with all the survey variables and the panellist's sociodemographic variables (with no personal data of any kind).
• Upon request, statistical segmentation tables and a full results report.
DATA QUALITY AND VALIDATION
18. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DATA QUALITY CONTROLS?
The MásMétrica market research technician responsible for project management is accountable for the quality of the information through exhaustive controls based on the following points:
• Measurement of the time taken to complete the survey.
• Measurement of the time taken on a specific question in the survey.
• Consistency of responses, both open-ended and within the overall context of the survey.
• Consistency between possible duplicate or similar questions.
• Control through the possibility of including trap questions.
19. HOW OFTEN CAN THE SAME PERSON BE CONTACTED TO PARTICIPATE IN A SURVEY?
At MásMétrica, we apply an internal policy to prevent the professionalisation or saturation of panellists, which consists of sending no more than 4 surveys per month to the same panellist.
20. HOW OFTEN CAN THE SAME INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATE IN A SURVEY WITHIN A GIVEN PERIOD?
As mentioned above, at MásMétrica we apply a policy to prevent the professionalisation or saturation of panellists, avoiding invitations to more than 4 surveys per month, regardless of whether they respond or not.
21. DO YOU STORE INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL DATA ABOUT RESPONDENTS?
MásMétrica collects information about panellists in order to verify that their participation in surveys is genuine and honest, analysing behaviour at an individual level to ensure this is the case, and withholding the proposed incentive if any type of fraud is detected. However, the information shared with our clients does not under any circumstances include personal data that could identify panellists.
22. DO YOU HAVE A PROCEDURE TO CONFIRM THE RESPONDENT'S IDENTITY?
MásMétrica has an exhaustive panellist registration process that makes fraud and/or duplication during the recruitment process extremely difficult (double opt-in process and registration confirmation via SMS).
23. PLEASE DESCRIBE THE "OPT-IN FOR MARKET RESEARCH" PROCESSES FOR ALL YOUR ONLINE SAMPLE SOURCES.
Once a panellist registers on the MásMétrica panel and accepts the legal terms and privacy policy, they receive a registration confirmation email, which they must accept in order to verify their identity and confirm that they are the owner of the email address used to register.
24. PLEASE PROVIDE A LINK TO YOUR PRIVACY POLICY.
MásMétrica meets all security requirements in accordance with data protection legislation. All MásMétrica panellists must accept the legal terms and privacy policy in order to register.
25. PLEASE DESCRIBE THE MEASURES YOU TAKE TO ENSURE DATA PROTECTION AND SECURITY.
MásMétrica's databases are hosted on Amazon Lightsail, Amazon Cloud, meeting all security requirements. All information transmitted over the internet is always encrypted. The panel data is backed up every night.
26. WHAT PRACTICES DO YOU FOLLOW TO DECIDE WHETHER IT IS APPROPRIATE TO USE ONLINE RESEARCH WHEN PRESENTING COMMERCIAL DATA OR CONFIDENTIAL CLIENT MATERIALS TO RESPONDENTS?
In these more sensitive cases, MásMétrica implements the following security measures:
• Disabling the right mouse button to prevent content from being copied by clicking.
• Removing browser controls to prevent printing, navigating back, and going to a specific point in the questionnaire.
• Displaying single-play videos, preventing them from being viewed again.
27. ARE YOU CERTIFIED BY ANY QUALITY SYSTEM?
No. At MásMétrica we believe the best certificate is the quality, transparency and excellence of the work we deliver to our clients every day, who demonstrate their trust in MásMétrica with a very high recurrence rate of nearly 95% loyalty.
28. DO YOU CONDUCT ONLINE SURVEYS WITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE?
MásMétrica does not allow individuals under the age of 14 to register on its panel. Furthermore, should we wish to carry out a project involving under-14s, we will always request the express consent of their parents and require them to be present during the online interview.