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The foundation of Consumerscan's services is the technology used
to capture, interpret and analyze information from surveys, comments
cards, order forms and almost any other physical data capture
mechanism. Data capture is no longer manually completed by a team
of data entry staff, where human error is inevitable. It is automated
using the latest in optical scanning hardware and software.
Samples or Census?
Our new technology has been changing the way we conduct research. Instead of sampling a group of customers, many clients are opting to increase the number of the surveys in order to augment their database marketing initiatives. We now regularly conduct research projects that involve over 100,000 surveys per year.
Using our system of electronic data capture from surveys or comment cards has four major benefits:
Through constant monitoring of our results we are achieving a 99.7% accuracy rate. This is achieved by:
- initial examination of each form to eliminate "stray marks" - e.g. a respondent may write N/A across an entire section
- programming the software to detect "strike-outs" and bring them to the attention of the operator for on-screen selection of the appropriate response
- comparison of open-ended responses (e.g. a numerical code assigned to a respondent comment) to establish tables. If a discrepancy exists the software provides information that enables the operator to locate the form and re-evaluate the information.
There are two major avenues for cost reduction from older scanning methodologies now in use, through the Consumerscan technology.
- The flexibility in survey design removes restrictions caused by special inks, paper type, weight and size and accepts innovative and attractive layouts not available previously. No special printing processes are needed!
- Due to the speed and accuracy of the system and the advanced technology embedded in the new scanning equipment & interpretation program, the fees for data capture, tabulation and results presentation make the fees for this component extremely low.
Our scanner captures responses from surveys:
- as small as 2" x 2" up to 11" x 17", from any type of paper (fax to cardstock to newspaper)
- in any layout, including surveys not designed for scanning
- completed in any language, including Asian and Cyrillic
- completed in pen, pencil, markers, etc. with as little as 1% of the box being filled in
- printed in any color
- that are multi-paged
- duplicated on copier machines, from faxes and from e-mail
- from both sides of any paper
- that are handwritten or pre-printed in both alpha and numeric format
- that are oriented in any manner on the page
Our scanner captures any number of responses from both sides
of an 8½ " x 14" survey at about 3000 surveys per hour. The software
then interprets the captured data and brings up any questionable
results on screen for operator verification within 10 minutes
of the reading stage. Reports and analysis are generated and e-mailed
to the client on a daily, weekly, monthly, etc. basis, depending
upon client need.
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