Category: MSG

“Hope for the best, prepare for the worst”: salvaging the client list

On By MSG BloggerIn Genesys, MSGLeave a comment

You’ve probably heard the story before. It begins, “The study started with a client list….”

I can’t tell you how many times I had a client call and tell me that. The stories follow a pattern. The client says it’s a great list and you should be able to easily complete the study with it. Sounds great, right?

Here comes the plot twist. They forgot to tell you the list is 4 years old and hasn’t been touched since. Oh, and by the way, only 30% of the records have a phone or email address. Suddenly, easy street is filled with potholes.

This isn’t the end of the story, and it can have a happy ending. A sub-standard client list can be rescued with these investigative approaches and performance enhancements: Continue reading ““Hope for the best, prepare for the worst”: salvaging the client list” →

Using this software? Your data is NOT secure!

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Almost every week I hear in the news about another data compromise, whether it be a large corporation having their customers credit cards and personal information stolen or even computer hacks rumored to be effecting the election. Personally, it is very scary thinking about myself and my family’s data getting into the wrong hands.

If I was managing a large database of panelists or other sensitive data which my business relies on, I am not sure I would sleep well at night knowing that there may be many different potential access points for this information to be exposed or accessed by someone else.

I was speaking with one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies recently and was told that the use of “brand x” survey platform has been 100% forbidden to use moving forward with the potential of losing a job if you are caught using this off the shelf tool. Continue reading “Using this software? Your data is NOT secure!” →

Sports Adventure in the UK

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It’s been my dream for quite a while to visit the UK.  I’ve been following tennis since I was a kid, as well as Premiere League soccer the past six years.  I finally decided to bite the bullet and take a solo trip to London last week.

I took the red-eye out of philly and landed at Heathrow airport 7:30am.  The first day was spent sight-seeing and catching up on some sleep, since the passenger next to me decided to use me as a shoulder rest the entire flight. Continue reading “Sports Adventure in the UK” →

4 Surefire Ways to Increase ABS Response Rates Without Breaking the Bank

On By MSG BloggerIn Address Based Sample, Genesys, MSGLeave a comment

So you found the perfect sampling source with nearly 100% coverage and the ability to reach cell phone only homes with address based sample.  One can expect to get the completes needed but realistically what type of response rate will you achieve?  How can you boost it? Continue reading “4 Surefire Ways to Increase ABS Response Rates Without Breaking the Bank” →

It’s the most wonderful time of the Year!

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No – I am not talking about Christmas…I am talking about Halloween.  Most importantly – Candy season.  For me and many others Halloween is the official season of candy, the celebration of the sweet tooth.  The season always brings up the age old discussion – what is your favorite candy?  For me the answer is simple and no candy can even come close to the number one position.  But I would like to take the opportunity to rank my personal top 5 candy choices.  Please note this is for the chocolate division only.  Perhaps in a future post we can analyze the chewy candy division (MIKE AND IKE, SWEDISH FISH!!!) Continue reading “It’s the most wonderful time of the Year!” →

How to Talk to an SME

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Craig Cardimon - MSG in a Bottle By Craig Cardimon, Senior Technical Writer

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs to the rest of you) are people, too. Terribly, horribly busy people that some of us need to communicate with.

Suppose a technical writer like myself needs to interview an SME about, say, new functionality that has been added to a company application. How would I proceed? Glad you asked! Continue reading “How to Talk to an SME” →

“Back Packs for the Homeless”

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MSG was proud to participate in the Philadelphia area’s “Back Packs for the Homeless” Campaign this past holiday season.  The Back Packs program takes gently used back packs stuffed with snacks, hygiene products, small blankets, socks, gloves and other assorted goodies and delivers them to homeless persons in and around the Philadelphia area. Continue reading ““Back Packs for the Homeless”” →

Harvard Case Study

On By Ashley HyonIn Address Based Sample, Genesys, MSGLeave a comment

MSG continually tries to build bridges to the academic and social science world by using long established contacts coupled with the will, desire and need to use its assets to assist in projects that serve the public good.  Frequently these projects involve project consultation, pro bona delivery of sample frame design and data or, as was the case with an MSG/Harvard University project a combination of all three.

In the Fall of 2014, the student’s in Professor Chase Harrison’s GVT 1010 Undergraduate Survey Research class undertook a multi-mode project to gauge the urban/suburban attitudes of residents in the Boston area.  MSG supplied not only the ABS sample but also allowed the students to consult with MSG personnel.  The result was a high response rate and statistically sound survey finding.  MSG would like to let all of academia know that we are available to work on select projects and can offer advice, suggestions and data if the project meets qualifications.

As Professor Harrison commented “MSG’s willingness to donate the sample for this project is just incredible.  I always encourage my students to use the best tools available, although I don’t always have the resources to help them use those tools, especially for things like general-population samples.  Thanks to MSG, this group was able to use a sample that otherwise would have been beyond their reach, and were able to experience what it is like to work on real-time survey with professional tools.”

Click Here for the full case study.