HomeMy WebLinkAboutBraun Research Proposal_CM_2025_031
Proposal CM 2025_03
Public Opinion Polling Services – Professional Services
Prepared for:
City of Diamond Bar
California
By:
Braun Research, Inc.
February 24, 2025
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Cindy Miller, M.B.A.
Vice President and Managing Director
Braun Research, Inc.
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
cmiller@braunresearch.com
City Manager’s Office
City of Diamond Bar, California
CM 2025_03
PlanetBids Vendor Portal
February 24. 2025
Hello!
Many thanks, indeed, for the opportunity to bid on such an exciting study for the City of Diamond Bar,
California. This study that is on offer for bidding is quite an interesting and unique one, and we are
delighted to be part of the proposal process.
We understand that the City of Diamond Bar (‘Diamond Bar’) is that of a planned community dating back
to 1956. The city has grown, over the years, to be one of the most beautiful in terms of a place to live,
work and play. Indeed, back in 2016, the high school in Diamond Bar was ranked by U.S. News and
World Report as one of the best.
The beauty of Diamond Bar, surely, was threatened in recent weeks by the devastating California
wildfires. Though many areas were destroyed, Diamond Bar was spared.
As of January 27, the city management of Diamond Bar issued a Request for Proposal for research with
residents to discuss services related to budget priorities on parks, infrastructure and facilities to inform on
upcoming ballot inclusions for public voting.
The focus of this current Diamond Bar research (such that has not been undertaken since 2016) is that of
a survey questionnaire – in three languages: English, Chinese (Mandarin) and Korean. We know that this
research involves our responsibility for sampling and analysis as well as the design and consultation of
the questionnaire itself. The results need to be those that Diamond Bar can use to inform the afore-
mentioned ballot, and Braun Research will be responsible for the report of these results.
The following pages reflect our recommendations and pricing for this study.
Thank you again!
Sincerely,
Cindy
Cindy Miller
;
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The Study:
Overall:
➢ The results of the 2025 Diamond Bar survey will help inform ballot inclusions regarding
infrastructure and other areas in the city;
➢ Languages will be English, Chinese (Mandarin) and Korean (Braun Research will be responsible
for translation and uploading of translations into our survey program – and we will send the
translations to Diamond Bar to review);
➢ Braun Research will be responsible for programming and hosting of the survey on our proprietary
platform (we will send the survey link to Diamond Bar to review);
➢ We plan to use sample that will allow us a 95% confidence level with usable results;
➢ Potential revenue measures are slated to be an outcome of this survey, reflected in resident
opinions; with these results, we expect to review and recommend on support and level of revenue
to be generated.
➢ The survey itself we suggest should be about 20 minutes.
➢ We plan to write and deliver a full report on polling results, our findings, any challenges as well as
things that worked well, and submit our summary and recommendations to Diamond Bar once the
fielding has concluded and data have been finalized. This report will be sent and given to all
relevant stakeholders.
Approach and Sampling:
Because Diamond Bar has a little over 57,000 residents (57,177 per the RfP), we know that this study will
be a tricky one to execute online via a panel. In our experience about 3% of the population overall is
panelized. When we look at 3% of Diamond Bar, for instance, that number is quite small. When factoring
in response rates, the number is smaller still (not to mention those who do not acknowledge an email for
an online survey). We are geography and sampling experts, and are very keen to watch statistics as well
as sample for appropriate respondents. This will be based on the screening. Thus, though, if the
screening is too specific, we will need to keep track of completes + ter minates and look at the results
without terms in the end.
That said, while response rates are quite low for any phone survey (some as low as less than 1%), we
suggest a mixed methodology – phone, online, email and text-to-web. We are not placing any sort of
restriction on the method. It will be what we need to do to accomplish the task. We suggest N400 as a
sample size. We will utilize vetted phone sample that includes landline, cell and some email addresses
from Data Axle. With this sample we will contact residents via landline as well as cell but will also reser ve
a certain proportion (to be determined) for text-to-web / ttw. Also, in our experience ttw works well with
hard-to-reach populations. Additionally, with any emails, we will send an email to some respondents with
a link or QR code so that these individuals can try to take the survey that way. And, for any we can find
with our panel (which will be very limited), we will take advantage of that route as well. We will use what
we can to maximize response rates.
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/diamond-bar-ca#:~:text=About,was%202%20cars%20per%20household.
Additionally, we expect that the Chinese/Mandarin and Korean completes will come mostly, if not all, from
online or ttw. We also think that, because response rates for respondents who speak these languages are
low (much lower than even in English), we anticipate just a handful of in-language completes.
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We understand that this survey will be that of a baseline. If things go well, and results are optimal, we are
hoping that Diamond Bar will partner with us on future waves. We can discuss a discount on future
waves.
We will meet with Diamond Bar and the team on a regular basis to update the team on survey progress.
We will be available for any needed meetings – including the kick-off.
Lastly, in terms of any optional services, we anticipate some open-ended responses in the questionnaire
that will require coding (and editing/review).
We do not have an organization chart, but we do have a list of key personnel and their respective roles
(listed at the end of this document).
We have not yet selected a subcontractor, but we can furnish a bio upon request if we are selected at the
main vendor for this study.
We are providing a certificate of insurance in the format we have available.
In terms of a timeline we can begin at any time. We think that the entire study – from conception/design of
the questionnaire to final analysis/report, will take about 15-20 weeks. The length of interview will be
about 15 minutes (longer in language). Also, length will vary online/ttw and will be a bit shorter than that
which is via phone.
Please find projects and references below:
1. Have done multiple tracking studies for a company in St Louis, Missouri, on geographic areas
within Missouri, Oklahoma and other neighboring states that are small in area, relatively. We
surveyed people 25+ about their respective health insurance and employed phone, online and
ttw.
(This contact is out of the office, but I know she will give approval to us to use her as a reference.
I can send the exact contact info separately).
2. We have surveyed in small communities also in Missouri and Louisiana about business issues
facing residents – again, using all methodological approaches – with people 18+. We have also
interviewed other challenging audiences (such as thought leaders) with this client.
Caroline Thomas | Vice President, Analytics
KRC Research
(202) 585-2921 (office)
cthomas@krcresearch.com
3. We have interviewed residents 18+ in Georgia regarding municipal services (reaching these
respondents via phone).
Theresa A. Wright, Ph.D.
Carl Vinson Institute of Government | Associate Director
Survey Research and Evaluation Support
University of Georgia
201 N. Milledge Avenue | Athens, GA 30602
Office: (706) 542-9404 | Fax: (706) 542-9301
tawright@uga.edu | www.cviog.uga.edu
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4. We have interviewed across languages – including English, Mandarin Chinese and Korean – and
we have expert translators who can help with translating surveys/back-translating.
5. We have screened and interviewed Csuite execs for a major food organization – the sample size
was small, and we were able to complete this study successfully.
https://www.nceo.org/employee-ownership-blog/new-nceo-research-shows-benefits-being-esop-
food-industry
6. And we have managed successful data collection with numerous hard-to-reach b2b respondents
across industries – both on a large and small scale. We know how to maintain relationships with
respondents on the phone, and we know how to maximize response rates to complete the study.
Quality Control:
Throughout the recruitment process our Quality Control Department will review all data, check for
accuracy, check for respondent honesty and review data throughout fielding to be sure that we encounter
no surprises. At the end of this Statement of Work, we have placed more information about our Quality
Control Department and the thorough checks/review we employ on every study. We have also included a
special section related to our online QC efforts. We check for duplicate IP addresses (removing any
duplicates), flatliners (e.g., those people who give the same rating to scale questions in succession), and
bad open-ends (for instance, if the question asks, what, specifically, do you like about chocolate ice
cream, and we see a response of ‘good,’ we will flag that). We do not typically toss a case for a bad open-
end in and of itself; we actually look at this in conjunction with the rest of the respondent’s data before
deciding about retaining or tossing.
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Study Investment ($):
We utilized our vast experience with online, conference, and ttw research to arrive at our costs. Our costs
include:
Costs:
Baseline survey: costs include:
Programming (15-20 minute survey via ttw/online/email)/hosting 3-4 days
Account/project management thru course of study
Data collection (N400 across three languages and multiple methodologies) cpi = $150.00 thru course of study
Fee for multi-language interviewing thru course of study
Translation 5-6 days each language (concurrenty)
Sample management, design thru course of study
Sample procurement (including respondents across languages)5-6 days
Data progressing one week
QC review of survey, data, quota targets and open ends thru course of study
Analysis and Reporting 3 weeks
Final Report and Presentation to the City of Diamond Bar (Suggest via Zoom or similar platform)2 weeks, 1 day for presentation)
Include any anticipated out-of-pocket costs such as personnel time and travel expenses to complete this research project. per day
Optional:
QC coding of open ends one week
Tabulations one week
Programming (15-20 minute survey via ttw/online/email)/hosting $2,500.00
Account/project management $6,700.00
Data collection (N400 across three languages and multiple methodologies) cpi = $150.00 $60,000.00
Fee for multi-language interviewing $3,000.00
Translation $5,000.00
Sample management, design $6,500.00
Sample procurement (including respondents across languages)$6,000.00
Data progressing $3,000.00
QC review of survey, data, quota targets and open ends $3,000.00
Analysis and Reporting $10,000.00
Final Report and Presentation to the City of Diamond Bar (Suggest via Zoom or similar platform)$8,000.00
Include any anticipated out-of-pocket costs such as personnel time and travel expenses to complete this research project. $1,000.00 per day
Total for entire study $114,700.00
Optional:
QC coding of open ends $2,000.00
Tabulations $2,000.00
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General Payment Terms:
We typically send our invoice once fielding is concluded, but we will invoice based on a schedule that is
amenable to the team (i.e., based on the schedule in the RfP). Payment is due within 30 days from the
date of billing which corresponds to the needs of the City of Diamond Bar. We will refer to the City of
Diamond Bar contract number, include accurate pricing info/contract and include any documents/agreed -
upon materials from the study.
Please note that, per our legal counsel, while we are happy to propose on this study and have reviewed
the consulting agreement, the final consulting agreement would need to be reviewed before officially
signing.
The City of Diamond Bar, California Braun Research, Inc.
By:____________________ By:___________________(Cindy Lynn Miller, M.B.A.)______
Title:_________________ Title __Vice President and Managing Director______
Date:__________________ Date:___24 February 2025__________
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Braun Research:
As a tree grows in nature, there is no one right way for the truck to form, the rings to concentrate around
the core, for the branches to spread, or for flowers to form. Just as a tree is free to grow as it should, so
we think the same for opinions and perspectives. There is no right answer. There is no one right way of
thinking. There is no one point of view. We look at all the twists and turns of a tree in nature and marvel at
its beauty amidst its surroundings. With survey research data we approach consi deration of results and
analysis of these results similarly. We revel in the way in which branches of data stem from the core and
provide new ways of thinking and doing. Each data point becomes a different hue and flower to behold.
(Cynthia Miller, https://braunresearch.com)
In a recent 2025 Hallmark Channel movie, ‘the Perfect Setting,’ some gem makers were walking through
the city of Antwerp, Belgium, and the lead character was taking this woman thru town. He pointed out two
stroopwafel shops literally across the stone alleyway from each other. Both looked alike, and both sold
these products. Both had flowers in their windows. One had a line of people, one did not. One had cute
packaging showing, and the other did not. Those were the obvious differences. The main difference , he
said, is that the shop (with the line) cleaned their windows every 20 minutes. The point that the main
character was making is that the shop made the customers salivate and ‘come back for more.’ This is
what Braun Research does every day. We clean our glass, we make things new and exciting, and we
delight our clients every day. We have enjoyed repeat business in the form of ongoing partnerships
throughout the years, and we are proud of our accomplishments as well as contributions to clients’
respective bottom lines. We are also proud of our interactions with respondents and relationships we
build on every phone call – relationships that translate into successfully-completed surveys. We also field
online and text-to-web/ttw, and our reputation using these methods translates into respondents who are
ready, willing and able to take the time to complete online. If we sold stroopwafels, we would be making
fresh batches every day. We are like the person at the window with the cute packaging, and the client has
come to the window to purchase. Our perfect phone call, perfect study, and perfect survey is the
perfectly-delicious, and clearly-visible stroopwafel.
****
Braun Research was founded in 1995 and has completed more than 12,000 projects worldwide for
businesses and consumer studies.
Our goals are to be data collection experts; we aim to be smarter than the average data collection firm
when it comes to study design, sample design, and tabulations such that what we do stands up to public
scrutiny and internal testing.
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We have always done field-and-tab work, but we have been expanding over the years to offer consulting
and reporting: consulting on survey design and questionnaire design; reporting in terms of methodology
and analytical or qualitative reports. Braun Research works for many clients including public relations
firms, but also governments, religious organizations, other research firms and many educational and non -
profits. We execute surveys that are frequently designed for public and press coverage. We employ our
own methodologist. We do not engage in analytics, but we are sampling, protocol and survey execution
experts worldwide. Our niche is to provide a global expertise to our clients without the overhead of
offices and burgeoning and expensive senior staff. We do this through careful vetting and partnerships
we have developed over many years.
Our objective is to do more than simply collect data. We strive to know the universe of our mission – be it
geographical (regions and demographics) or population. For example, if we sample physicians, we know
in advance how many physicians there are, their respective geographic distribution, the number of
physicians in group or individual practice, the number who are office-based or hospital-based or even
engaged in research-only work. Our client base includes many research firms with insufficient data
collection capacity and many other firms including religion institutions, education facilities, governments
and agencies and think tanks.
Our Quality Control (QC) Department is our ‘Jewel in the Crown,’ and our commitment to Quality Control
is unwavering. From our perspective Quality Control must pervade everything we do and is a given when
ensuring study results that are accurate, sound and actionable for decision-making purposes. To this end
we fully adhere to the techniques and standards developed by professional research organizations
including AAPOR, CASRO, CMOR, ESOMAR, and AMEC.
Our QC Department checks tabulations, reviews quotas, checks script outputs, trains interviewers, tests
surveys before we go into the field, monitors phone interviewers, does verifications (10% of completed
interviews), and briefs the team on best-practices.
Memberships/Adherence to Industry Standards:
Braun Research is a well-respected firm employing techniques and standards approved by various
survey research academic organizations and other affiliations such as ESOMAR (the governing market
research body for international research), AAPOR (American Association for Public Opinion
Research) and MRA/CMOR (Market Research Association/Council on Marketing and Opinion Research)
and CASRO (Council on American Survey Research Organizations).
Citations in the Media/Our web site:
Our work can be reviewed on our updated website https://braunresearch.com. This site includes articles,
white papers, and more information about our expertise.
In addition, on this same site, are links to articles written by Braun Research Managing Director, Cynthia
Miller. Some of these articles have been written for AMEC (www.amecorg.com) and another, which is a
white paper (given as a presentation at a conference) was written for ESOMAR (www.esomar.org).
***Highlights of our capabilities, including Sampling Knowledge, Quality Control, International as well as
Domestic Experience, Field Successes, Qualitative/Qualitative Recruiting, and IT/Security Protocols we
follow are highlighted in the pages that follow:
*****
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Sampling and sample design:
In the United States, consumer samples can be readily compared to the US Census and business studies
can be compared to various databases including Dunn & Bradstreet, Hoovers, US Census, the Small
Business Administration and other sources that offer us a confident-filled view of the universe we are
sampling.
Outside the United States, these informational sources vary in reliability and usefulness. Our objective is
to use multiple information sources and weight them, average them or otherwise require more
corroboration before utilizing them as the backdrop of our study design.
The preparation of any survey in any country should never simply be the first several hundred qualified
persons saying “yes” and cooperating with our interviewers. Unless we are confident that the right
numbers of surveys are completed across a variety of matrixes, we won’t start.
The steps:
• Who are we interviewing?
• How many qualified respondents are there?
• How are these respondents divided?
• What is the geography?
• How and when should they be contacted and interviewed?
Without the necessary information, we simply would complete interviews. We require substantial
information about the breakdown of businesses by various categories. This information includes size by
revenue, size by employee, public vs. private, industry, and other facts unique to each country. For
example, in the United States, we specifically look at women and minority owned as well as former
military owned businesses.
Braun Research: International Data Collection Capabilities:
Braun Research international data collection capabilities are an addition to our domestic strength. In
addition to our domestic work, Braun provides many of our same clients with oversight and execution
internationally on qualitative and quantitative data collection. Cynthia Miller has international research
experience across industries and methods.
Our international work is built on the same principles that make our domestic work strong. Prevention!
In everything we do, we are wired to expect proportional representative samples, and we do everything
we can in advance of a project to avoid the element of surprise.
If you have a survey to perform in Kopenhagen or Kuala Lumpur, we don’t simply call various vendors for
the cheapest price – we call our partners in the region. Below will be additional information on our
philosophy and how we built this network over time.
We have particular capabilities in terms of translations and uploading these into survey programs. For the
sake of efficiency we have a special form into which translations are placed. Once we have a final
approved and programmed survey, we require translations be incorporated into the Excel template that
we have. The programmer takes the Excel translations and uploads those into the program as a relatively
seamless process.
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Vendor-Partners and Vetting:
Regardless of whether telephone or Internet methodology, we take all of the vendor -partners we select
through a rigorous vetting process. How we choose vendor-partners matters to us.
This process begins with assessing the vendor-partners’ respective capabilities – by coordinating
conference calls with each vendor-partner team.
We send each of our contacts a detailed set of questions to be answered about their company and
capabilities. Through this open communication process, an honest and open question-answer session,
we are able to assess specific important areas to us, about a partner’s capabilities, including but not
limited to:
• Quality and Professionalism of Work
• Understanding of market dynamics, industry and subject matter
• Ability to do the work (re: methodology, cost, etc.)
• Location and ideal geographical/language coverage
• Relationship, reliability and responsibility (i.e., will this partner live up to its reputation on paper or
online?)
• Communication and teamwork (i.e., will we find these in our partner?)
Vetting our partners is not an easy process but a necessary one we have perfected over the years. We
know what you are going through in selecting a partner for Ketchum – we go through the exact same
thing with our partners. We definitely understand.
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Assessing Data for Accuracy:
Quality data collection does not just stop at the vendor selection process. Just because we have selected
a partner who is the best and most appropriate one for our needs for a particular project, does not mean
that we do not have constant oversight or are not constantly engaged in the process from start to finish.
Although Braun Research is a data collection firm, as mentioned, we are hybrid and during the entire
process of your working with us, you are provided many value-added offerings.
One of these offerings is a crucial one for the study – that is ‘assessing data for accuracy.’ To us, that is
not just a phrase. How do we do it?
• We have a call with and prepare a detailed document for our partners – both methods of
communication outline the details and specifications of a study. We ask a lot of questions about
the respondents and market so that we can help guide our clients on the screener and survey as
well as the methodology (before we even start).
• We gather statistics from our partners to use as our guide in each country; these statistics are
used as our basis by which we measure the results of our interviewing.
• From these statistics, we establish quotas.
• Throughout the field we compare our progress on statistical measures gathered and are sure we
are in balance, based on where we need to be.
• Finally, we execute survey with our careful overnight (more about this to follow in the section
‘International Oversight.’).
Additionally, we also like to say that we do not operate in a vacuum. Braun Research is a well-respected
firm employing techniques and standards approved by various survey research academic organizations
and other affiliations including those with whom Braun is an active member, including ESOMAR (the
governing market research body for international research), AAPOR (American Association for Public
Opinion Research) and MRA/CMOR (Market Research Association/Council on Marketing and Opinion
Research) and CASRO (Council on American Survey Research Organizations).
Braun’s services on behalf of other research firms are up to standards required by various professional
associations where Braun enjoys membership, and in some cases, participates actively. Paul Braun is a
member of the MRA/CMOR committees on response rate improvement and in launching a seal of quality
for the industry. Paul Braun is recognized as a leader in the field by colleagues who asked him to serve
on these committees. He has served as President of the New Jersey Chapter of AAPOR, and he is
currently serving on AMEC in North America. Cindy Miller is a current AAPOR member.
International Oversight:
We appoint a project manager and field manager who coordinate your studies from a central location,
following all protocol for international studies via ESOMAR as well as local polling regulations.
Additionally, one of our team members, Cynthia Miller, speaks three languages (English, French, and
German) and has good communication skills in two others (Spanish and Italian). She has managed
complex multi-national studies – qualitative and quantitative, has a good eye for detail, and is an expert
in-depth interviewer. She studied in Germany and is familiar with many markets on a first -hand basis.
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You name it…we can do it. French. German. Afrikaans. Russian. Mandarin or Cantonese Chinese.
Japanese. Swahili. Dutch. English. We have interviewers in any language you want. Further, in any of
our family of firms we appoint a native speaker who is comfortable with the subject matter and sample
universe. We also look at our work across countries. That will be a key point of consistency as we share
knowledge when we go into the field.
We can execute in-person and telephone interviews. We can complete email and web-based studies,
and we can apply any sampling methodology you need in line with what is possible locally. Those will be
discussions we will have with you sharing the knowledge we glean from our local-country family.
We parlay our philosophy and approach to training when we conduct international research as well. Our
project manager, field manager and quality control department listen to interviews (via phone or can do so
via Webcam to ensure that the research instrument is being administered according to design
specifications. When interviews are on-site, we have asked for copies of the interviews (with notes) so
we understand what other potential influences there are in these data. On quantitative in-person jobs, we
have typically created a link – interviewers go into the field with laptops, and the survey (with the open
link) resides on the laptop. The interviewers might go to a hotel or another site (where respondents come
to take the survey with the interviewer).
Once the interviews have concluded, data are uploaded to our main programming group to review.
Lastly, we have also had digital recordings of interviews – we can and do check/verify our international
work in those ways as well.
Our study team organizes regular meetings with contacts at our partners – English-speaking primarily but,
when we know/understand a language (e.g., French) along with our partner in France, for example, we
have conducted some conversations in native languages with a translator for those who do not speak
French. We always have a kick-off meeting to jump-start the project, and, depending upon the timeline,
we might hold meetings every week or every other week. Again, this depends upon the needs of the
study.
Translation and Cultural Aspects:
In the area of languages and translation, we ensure that any survey or topical guide is translated by a
local-country native speaker. As a requirement we place on any study, this native speaker will also be
familiar with appropriate jargon related to the industry and country. We will also be back-checking the
translation to be sure we have captured the essence of the meaning of each question.
We manage the cultural aspects in the context of obtaining facts from our vendor-partners. Our oversight
and communication with our partners remain consistent – whether we conduct studies via in-person/face-
to-face, telephone, online, postal mail, or some other methodology.
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We work with each of our partners to gather the relevant detail we need concerning cultural differences
within markets – this could be within/across a country as a whole, within regions or provinces within a
country, and/or could also be within a city. Some of the nuances we have uncovered at play on various
studies through the years have truly been fascinating:
• Gender issues in the Middle East:
o We have noticed that, in this area of the world – particular exemplified when conducting
face-to-face research where females may not take a survey by themselves. If we are
targeting Mothers in Saudi Arabia, because of cultural and religious reasons, a male must
always be present.
o The same goes for the interviewer. A female cannot conduct an interview with a male not
known to her. If we have a male respondent, we have to have a male interviewer. And,
likewise, if we have a female respondent (where a male is present), we need to have a
male and female interviewer together.
• Prescribing patterns of physicians – GPs vs. Specialists:
o Across countries, when working on research with physicians, for instance, we ensure to
design our screener to account for the prescribing patterns of doctors in a particular
country. Within a country the minimum number of insulin prescriptions per week is
noticeably different for GPs vs. Specialists, as it often is across countries.
• Seniority issues:
o In many countries in Asia, it is typical for relatively junior-level respondents to defer to
their more senior-level counter-parts. For example, if we are conducting a focus group of
doctors in Japan, we would never combine junior- or senior-level doctors in the same
group, despite the fact they might have the same therapeutic focus. So doing would
mean that the senior-level doctors would do all of the talking, but, additionally, the junior -
level partners would feel awkward and, likely made to feel embarrassed if they were to
speak.
• Scale differences:
o In many countries scales and anchors as well as responses to scale questions need to
be monitored carefully. For example, in East Asia (such as China), respondents have a
tendency to gravitate toward the middle of a scale when responding. In Western
countries (such as German and France), respondents are more comfortable using the
extremes of a scale.
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Online Panels:
We typically use Pure Spectrum to recruit and complete online. Pure Spectrum is a platform that
integrates with panel partners globally to send sample and functions on a ‘supply and demand’ principle,
along the lines of basic economics. Pure Spectrum does not own any of these panels but uses a network
of ‘buyers’ and ‘suppliers’ to connect each together via digital ‘bridges.’ Buyers seek answers to
questions such as ‘what is your opinion of X?,’ ‘in which of the following stores do you shop on a
weekly basis?,’ or ‘for which candidate did you vote in the 2020 General Election?’ Pure Spectrum uses
multiple ‘bridges’ to connect people via the marketplace and a special, proprietary, programming
technology. Buyers, such as ad agencies, market research suppliers and consulting houses, are instantly
connected with millions of suppliers or respondents. Buyers are paired with respondents so that, instead
of looking for a needle in a haystack amongst these millions, the Pure Spectrum technology allows us to
target and complete with respondents we need with pinpoint accuracy. We still screen for qualified
respondents, but the process of finding those potential respondents to be screened is made efficient with
this special ‘bridging’ software. Users set the price for their participation, and buyers will know what they
need to pay to complete a study. This is an open marketplace much like one would find in the old squares
of Europe.
Approximately 13.4 million panelists exist in the United States, and this figure includes people under 18.
Pure Spectrum has millions of respondents, but the number of new respondents added yearly is tricky
metric and tied to a few things -
• The extent to which our suppliers are recruiting into their panels
• New suppliers being added to the Marketplace
• Suppliers responding to increased demand in the Marketplace
In terms of compensation, that is really decided by the individual panel; most offer monetary
compensation. Those offering points are based more so outside of the United States.
We leverage Pure Spectrum for academic research – whether polling the general population, nationally-
representative samples, or a targeted demographic.
Indeed, because of its access to millions of online respondents, Pure Spectrum allows us to survey
specific demographics needed for political polling, and results of studies using Pure Spectrum technology
and the platform have been published in different studies .
And Pure Spectrum is also a platform for companies that want to inform ad strategy, develop content
ideas, etc.
A Special Section about Online Surveys:
Online surveys offer unique challenges to ensure quality and honesty. For most surveys, email blasting
to panelists are unchecked and depend on the first responders to complete a survey. Further, there are
abuses in many panel companies where people sign up under multiple names, and even live in other
countries!
The established procedures being used for the best possible results in online surveys are always being
reviewed. There are several companies where panelists are drawn from random telephone samples and
recruited to participate in periodic surveys for cash and prizes. Even with this seemingly-reasonable
starting point, our concerns include the proportional balance of the sample, the number of surveys a
respondent completes or starts, the frequency the respondents are solicited, and how often the panel
company reaches into competitor databases to complete low incidence projects.
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We also employ particular quality control measures on online surveys such as:
• Thorough IP address checks
• Seeking flatliners/looking for respondent fatigue. Question choices should be mixed. Grid
questions can let respondents slip into a mode of similar or patterned answers. Break grids up
with an open ended.
• Monitoring digital fingerprinting
• Checking for speeders
• Recommending design of questions to eliminate respondent fatigue
** Below is a link to our survey demo in case you would like to review an example online survey link:
https://ws.int-research.com/demosurvey/survey.cgi
Please note that Paul Braun has written his perspective on the current environment of online surveys and
how they are being employed more and more. A ‘sampling’ of that text is below:
Online Studies
Online surveys offer unique challenges to ensure quality and honesty. For most surveys, email blasting
to panelists are unchecked and depend on the first responders to complete a survey. Further, there are
abuses in many panel companies where people sign up under multiple names, and even live in other
countries!
The established procedures being used for the best possible results in online surveys are always being
reviewed. There are several companies where panelists are drawn from random telephone samples and
recruited to participate in periodic surveys for cash and prizes. Our concerns include the proportional
sample balance, number of surveys a respondent stops/starts, frequency of respondent solicitation, and
frequency of the panel company to draw upon competitor databases to complete low incidence projects.
Unlike telephone surveys, online surveys generally attract more males than females. Further, the number
of respondents over the age of 60 are disproportionally thin versus their population. Some panel
companies have achieved some balance by providing seniors with a limited action internet-ready device
at the panel company’s expense. Still, for general population surveys, seniors are solicited repeatedly
far more than their younger counterparts.
Over the last several years conversations have been started through the media and, indeed, within
national conferences (such as that of AAPOR) regarding putting the science behind online data collection,
though there are no immediate plans fully to support projecting studies collected online being presented
in the media.
Many leading media and corporate entities do not recognize online surveys as a projectable method of
data collection, but some online surveys compare nicely to similar telephone surveys. Braun Research is
an active participant in these discussions to help mark the way forward.
No one panel directly controls all panelized respondents. More than half of all respondents are members
of multiple panels, and, typically, on average, six percent of that population will be panelized. That
population is generally younger, more connecte d, slightly less than average income and has other
underlying differences (slightly higher unemployed/uninsured) and more liberal.
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Telephone Capabilities:
We have over N=200 telephone interviewers, and, even prior to the pandemic, they have been all working
remotely. We have adopted and adapted to a remote phone-field scenario, and this has proved
successful for us. Our supervisors are able to monitor interviewers from a central system/platform , and
interviewers as well as supervisors/monitors can do everything from a home environment they could do
from an in-office environment. In fact we might almost say that we are even more productive now, as the
team works from the comfort of their respective homes. Some of the key points to emphasize about our
phone team are below:
• Monitoring occurs on all projects in the field. Our phone team has a monitoring staff for each shift
(day and evening);
• Interviewers are thoroughly briefed prior to calling;
• Our staff is capable of phone (landline and cell) polling/interviewing, focus group recruitment,
qualitative interview recruiting; and in-depth interviewing;
• We maintain an efficient dialing system, using our proprietary software, with sample adjusted on
demand to ensure quotas stay on track; and
• Complete disposition reports are available daily by request since our system is aligned across
locations and teams.
We know times have changed, and we also realize that we are witnessing, in real time, a declining
response rate, overall, amongst respondents across the spectrum. Our interviewers are fully -trained to
meet these challenges and are able to find and keep res pondents on the phone in a professional,
efficient, and friendly manner.
Our interviewers are also capable of handling text-to-web / ttw work, and ttw has proved quite productive
for us (similar and on par to cell work) when we need to find hard-to-find respondents. Please see more
about ttw/SMS in the next section.
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SMS Recruiting:
We have been using SMS recruiting to go from cell to online with some successes even getting response
rates with 3-4%. Some more information about the SMS text approach is below:
On an average day, consumers check their text messages more than any other app on their
phones.*
59% of text recipients open messages within the first five minutes of having received those
messages.*
85% of text recipients open messages within the first thirty messages. *
SimpleTexting.com, Nielsen, Salesforce.com, Pew, and even the Vermont State Government **,
to name only a few of the many, have all contributed insight into an approach that, while
commonplace amongst age groups for communication today, is enjoying a boost in the world of
market research. That boost is metaphorical but also real. As companies that conduct surveys
with multiple respondent groups, we have witnessed declining response rates over the years –
with telephone, online, as well as mail methodologies. People do not answer their phones with
the same enthusiasm as they once did; and the proliferation of email and postal mail is so
voluminous that much of this is deleted or tossed, respectively. When considering the phone,
screening calls by letting unknown callers go to voicemail is the norm. And manual cell phone
dialing is so cost in-effective that research buyers often cannot afford to design a study with the
proper percentage of cell phone users (despite the almost 100% coverage of cell phones). E nter
SMS and Peer-to-Peer (PTP) text messaging. Under Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regulations, using an
auto-dialer to reach cell phone respondents is illegal. Not so with the PTP a pproach. In fact PTP
can cover multiple birds with one stone – because texting involves human interaction, it is a fully
TCPA-compliant form of non-commercial contact with personal conversations ***. With its wide
coverage SMS survey technology can reach a broad coverage of audiences. And SMS or PTP
offers a low-cost alternative to CATI. Declining response rates over the years have wreaked
havoc on costs per interview especially when trying to reach particular audiences – those in small
geographies, on customer lists, key opinion leaders, teens or parents of minors, those with rare
diseases, or even special electoral constituencies. Because of its reach, because text messages
appear to be checked with increasing frequency on phones, researchers can reap benefits of
better response rates and, potentially, quicker fielding times. One interviewer can text thousands
of people daily and have real conversations to drive respondents to take a survey online. Text
messages have a higher engagement rate than does email or phone according to use cases.
With pricing based on the number of messages and usage, benefits of SMS technology far
outweigh costs for this new-era, alternative mode of research.
* https://simpletexting.com/text-message-marketing-report/
** https://shso.vermont.gov/sites/ghsp/files/documents/Worldwide%20Texting%20Statistics.pdf
*** TCPA = Telephone Consumer Protection Act
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Respondents:
We have interviewed a wide array of respondent types, both domestically and internationally in the
healthcare field: GPs, specialists, patients, nurses, caregivers, insurance carriers, and policymakers.
These have also included CSuite executives, stakeholders and Key Opinion Leaders in finance, pharma,
biotech, and other industries.
We have successfully conducted two waves of multi-state legislator studies for which we needed to recruit
and interview legislators via phone about some issues pertaining to energy policy.
We have also interviewed recruited high-level business leaders in the healthcare industry via phone,
email and LinkedIn to take an online survey about various pertinent issues these business leaders face
every day amidst a sea of competition.
As mentioned earlier, we are capable of recruiting for qualitative work. Cindy Miller has conducted a
number of focus groups and in-depth interviews (her specialty is that of healthcare) and is on board for
your project should you need some expert moderation/interviewing.
Whenever we work with legislative and policymaker respondents, we know that we must be extra careful
with sample. While we treat all sample like gold, we recognize the heightened importance of legislator,
KOL and policymaker sample. Not only that, we know that we must tread gingerly when we are making
calls or sending emails. We ensure confirmation, we remain unbiased, and we are always professional
and friendly. We study the industry and the respondents so that we are aware of those whom we are
calling – and of the topic of the study. It is also important not to aggravate gatekeepers or respondents.
So rather than call into a number too many times with too much frequency, we try to limit our B2B calls to
no more than six per number. Cindy has run all of our legislator and policymaker studies and is fully -
versed in the channels and process. We also have many great team members who have run other KOL
and CSuite studies.
Reporting:
Our typically-requested deliverables are those of data files (which can be in any form you like and can be
weighted if you choose, depending upon the study) and cross -tabulations.
We can also supply daily marginals or toplines included in any study budget.
We are happy to supply a budget for a full or summary methodology report; or, if you prefer, we can do a
fully or summary final report/analysis. Cindy Miller is our expert report-writer, so she can work with you
and your team on what you might like.
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Braun Research, Inc.: IT Policy and Protocols
Braun Research securely stores all data with personally-identifiable information (PII) such as sample files
and survey data on our servers for the duration of the study. We will only share data containing PII
through a secure site and will not share any data containing PII by email. Encryption and access controls
should be applied to protect data both in transit and at rest Braun will delete all data containing PII
following the study’s completion within a timeframe specified by your team.
Further, if required, email communication, in general, for the duration of a project, is limited, for any
studies that mandate strict security requirements. Additional details about our security protocols can be
found below:
Highlights of the updated Security Policies/Procedures/Practices include:
❖ Informational Security: Strengthened measures to safeguard sensitive information and critical
systems against unauthorized access, data breaches, and cyber-attacks. This includes enhanced
encryption protocols, access controls, and regular security audits.
❖ Business Continuity: Comprehensive strategies and protocols to mitigate risks and maintain
operational continuity during unforeseen events such as natural disasters, cyber incidents, or
other disruptions. This encompasses robust backup and recovery procedu res, contingency plans,
and workforce training initiatives.
❖ Acceptable Use: Clear guidelines and expectations regarding the appropriate use of
organizational resources, systems, and networks. This covers aspects such as internet usage,
email communications, software installations, and the handling of sensitive data to promote a
secure and productive work environment.
❖ These updates underscore our commitment to prioritizing security and fostering a culture of
awareness and responsibility across the organization. We encourage all employees to familiarize
themselves with the revised policies and actively participate in upholding our collective security
posture.
The updated policies outline our approach to managing personal and sensitive information responsibly, in
compliance with relevant regulations and industry best practices. Key highlights of the revised Privacy
and Data Protection Policies include:
❖ Data Collection and Usage: Clear guidelines on the collection, storage, processing, and sharing
of personal data, always ensuring transparency and lawful processing practices.
❖ Data Access and Security: Enhanced measures to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and
availability of data, including access controls, encryption, and regular security assessments.
o Passwords:
▪ Employees are responsible for creating strong, unique passwords for their
accounts and for storing them securely.
▪ We require that passwords be updated on a regular basis; and
▪ We ensure passwords are never shared. If there is a need to exchange
password information, it happens verbally.
❖ Data Retention and Disposal: Defined protocols for the retention and disposal of data in
accordance with legal requirements and business needs, minimizing the risk of unauthorized
access or data breaches.
❖ User Rights and Consent: Procedures for facilitating individual rights requests, including the right
to access, rectify, or erase personal data, and obtaining consent for data processing activities
where applicable.
❖ Third-Party Data Processing: Guidelines for engaging third-party service providers and partners,
ensuring they adhere to the same standards of data protection and privacy that we uphold
internally.
❖ By adhering to these updated Privacy and Data Protection Policies, we demonstrate our
commitment to respecting privacy rights, earning the trust of our customers, and upholding our
ethical obligations as custodians of sensitive information.
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Additional notes/protocols:
❖ Software Updates: All software and systems must be kept up-to-date with the latest security
patches and updates to mitigate vulnerabilities and reduce the risk of exploitation.
o Physical Security: Physical access to IT resources, including servers, networking equipment,
and storage devices, should be restricted to authorized personnel only. Visitors should be
escorted at all times in sensitive areas.
❖ Reporting Security Incidents
o Employees must report any suspected security incidents, including unauthorized access,
data breaches, or lost/stolen devices, to the IT department immediately. Prompt reporting is
crucial to mitigate potential damage and initiate appropriate response measu res.
❖ Compliance and Enforcement
o Violations of this IT policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of
employment or legal action, depending on the severity and impact of the violation.
❖ Policy Review and Updates
o This IT policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. Updates
will be made as necessary to address changes in technology, regulations, or organizational
needs.
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OUR PRINCIPAL TEAM
Cindy Miller is Vice President and Managing Director of Braun Research, Inc,.and will be the
main account contact for this study. Cindy has worked in international marketing research, marketing
and business development. Through Braun Research, she has been a board member of the
Pennsylvania-New Jersey Chapter of AAPOR. She is also a member of International Association for
the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC). Before joining Braun Research in
August of 2010, Cindy worked with various full-service research firms, including TNS Healthcare,
Biovid, Braun Research, and ORC International. Cindy has an M.B.A. in international marketing and
advertising from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. She has a B.A. in
economics from Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana, and she speaks French and German. She
has written, published and presented for both AMEC and ESOMAR, the World Market Research
Association. Email: cmiller@braunresearch.com.
Paul Braun is the President of Braun Research, Inc. Before founding Braun Research in 1995,
Paul's years of professional experience included fourteen (14) years with a major political and
corporate research firm in New York City, where he was Vice President of Operations, and one year
with Response Analysis in Princeton, NJ. On April 20, 1999, Paul A. Braun was elected President of
the New Jersey Chapter of American Association for Public Opinion Research better known as
AAPOR. The local chapter has over 100 members and the national organization has over 2,000
members. Paul is in our Princeton, New Jersey, office; he remains a member of AAPOR and has also
been a member of the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of
Communication (AMEC). Email: pbraun@braunresearch.com.
David Oshman, Senior Vice President of Client Relations, has worn many hats over the course of
his employment with Braun Research. Dave joined Braun Research in 1998 and has since held
several positions of increasing responsibility including, CATI Programmer, Office Manager, and
Payroll Administrator before finally becoming Senior Vice President of Client Relations. David is
located in our Princeton, New Jersey, office. Email: doshman@braunresearch.com.
Winston Campbell is the Senior Vice President of Internet Operations of Braun Research,
Inc. Winston is responsible for all aspects of web-based surveying operations for the
organization. Winston has been in the market or survey research industry since 2001 and, also, in
2001, joined Braun Research, Winston worked extensively in the data management and processing
procedures for the online Wall Street Journal site at Dow Jones and Co. At Braun Research Winston
oversees the infrastructure, security, develo pment, and maintenance security of the many web and
database hardware servers/devices as well as the software systems and web surveying
applications. Winston has B.S. degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science from Rutgers
University, NJ. Winston is located in our Princeton, New Jersey, office. Email:
wcampbell@braunresearch.com
Michael Stranc is C.O.O., Chief Operating Officer: Michael joined Braun Research in 2007 as an
interviewer and quickly excelled. His profound knowledge in data processing and his ability to drive
results have significantly contributed to the success of the department and the company as a whole.
In his new role as C.O.O, Chief Operating Officer, Michael is responsible for overseeing and
strategizing the efficient processing and utilization of data to enhance our operations and support
decision-making processes. Michael was tutored by the late Shayne Poole, one of the founding
executives of Braun Research, Inc. mstranc@braunresearch.com
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Shaun Handwerk is the Senior Vice President of Operations and Field Direction within Braun
Research, Inc. He has managed our office, field team and Pensacola Phone Center. He oversees
operations and is responsible for our online fielding team. He is an instrumental asset, as he is
involved in every department to ensure smooth running of the team as well as functions across the
company.
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Sylvia Turner is the Vice President of CATI Programming within Braun Research, Inc. While at
Braun Research she has been a Call Center Interviewer, Call Center Supervisor, Assistant Call
Center Manager, CATI Programmer, and Director of CATI Programming, before being promoted in
2015 to her present position as Vice President where she supervises the CATI programing
team. Sylvia is responsible for creating and maintaining computer programs by converting written
questionnaires based on the client's needs into programming languages using market research
software. She is also responsible for sample and quota management/setup, testing forms thoroughly
to ensure they meet industry QA standards, and maintaining ongoing communication
interdepartmentally throughout the life cycle of the project. Sylvia received her MBA from the
University of Phoenix, in Phoenix, Arizona. She is currently located in Statesville, NC. Email:
sturner@braunresearch.com
Jaree Gallagher is Vice President and Quality Control Director of Braun Research, Inc. Jaree
has been with Braun Research since 2000. In her role she oversees the data collection for telephone
and online surveys. The Quality Control department ensures the quality of the study from the time the
department receives the questionnaire until the final data is delivered to our clients. Jaree attended
Wayne State College in Wayne, NE, in Computer Studies; she has vast experience with Microsoft
Office Suite and Telescript (our CATI system). Jaree has expertise in qualitative and quantitative
studies. Jaree is located in our Norfolk, Nebraska, office. Email: jgallagher@braunresearch.com