We have our own (Online-Acess-Panel) for which we guarantee conformity to the following quality criteria:

Recruitment

Recruitment for our panel will take place online, largely actively through broad recruitment channels (such as banners, newsletters, affiliate programs). We aim to generate as heterogeneous a panel structure as possible, as this corresponds best to the overall population. Membership requires a double opt in (filling in of a recruitment questionnaire and confirmation of membership by sending an activation e-mail). Members have thereby actively agreed to become panel members. As well as name and address, we also record information on socio-demographic details, interests, etc.

Identity checking

Payment of incentives is conditional on submission of personal bank account details, i.e. an unambiguous, checked identity (an ID card must generally be submitted before a bank account can be opened). This prevents participants from registering multiple identities in the panel.

Reliable incentive program

Participants receive money as an incentive for participating in surveys. As a rough rule of thumb, € 0.20 per minute spent on the survey is considered appropriate. Thus a respondent would receive € 1.00 for a five minute interview. The incentives are paid into the bank account named by the participant.

Active panel management

The panel is kept up to date by checking identities via submission of personal bank account details, address maintenance, checking for inconsistencies, updating profile data, etc. We actively manage our panel and achieve average response rates of 40 - 70% to e-mail invitations.

No over-testing

From communications with our participants, we know that panellists generally want more rather than fewer surveys. Nevertheless, we do not ask our participants to take place in surveys too often or to repeatedly take part in surveys on the same topic.

Covert screening

We think that open recruitment in e-mail invitations (“we are looking for people with characteristic xyz”) exercises a problematic influence on participant selection. That’s why we don’t state criteria for participation and always query screening criteria covertly.

No direct marketing

We use our panel exclusively for market research purposes. Registered participants do not receive marketing e-mails which might influence their responses. Participant’s data is properly protected and data relating to their identities is not passed on to third parties. Participant data (e.g. addresses) and results (responses) can be administered separately.

Not a consumer portal

The panel has no forums, no consumer test reports and no “bargain” area. This means that there is no tendency to become a community with a sense of identity in which people with similar interests and specific characteristics come together and interact.

Rapidity and high service quality

We react rapidly and with high quality standards to the requirements of our clients and process their projects as if they were carrying out research using their own institutional panel.

Panel size

In our opinion, very large panels with millions of members are not necessarily the best panels. Thanks to their sensible size, our panels are well managed and where necessary individually administered. We will be happy to provide you with current figures for structure and size as part of our quote.