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  • SMS Research

    Anyone received a survey call from SMS Research located at 1042 Fort Street Mall, Suite 200?

  • #2
    Re: SMS Research

    I have in the past but not recently. They're legit if that's what you're wondering!

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    • #3
      Re: SMS Research

      Originally posted by tutusue View Post
      I have in the past but not recently. They're legit if that's what you're wondering!
      My mom did their survey. I told her not to be nice to callers she doesn't know and just hang up.

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      • #4
        Re: SMS Research

        They exist, but if one does get a phone call asking you to be part of survey you can decline.

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        • #5
          Re: SMS Research

          Originally posted by Walkoff Balk View Post
          My mom did their survey. I told her not to be nice to callers she doesn't know and just hang up.
          It's also ok to take the high road and nicely decline to participate in the survey.

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          • #6
            Re: SMS Research

            Tough call. We've been called many many times. I can sympathize with those
            employed to do said surveys. Someone very dear to me did that while in college to make money and while doing so it helped to learn interesting and valuable skills to deal with people on all levels. It's not an easy job and like others have said it is legit. Having studied survey design I know how those
            surveys work and understand it's not the most pleasant way to earn money!

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            • #7
              Re: SMS Research

              Originally posted by leashlaws View Post
              [...]It's not an easy job and like others have said it is legit. Having studied survey design I know how those surveys work and understand it's not the most pleasant way to earn money!
              They're tele-marketers which tend to be the bane of our dinnertime existence! I always cut SMS callers some slack, tho', because they're local. Yep, a tough way to make a living. Gotta have thick skin.

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              • #8
                Re: SMS Research

                SMS, Omnitrak,QMark and a few others are Honolulu based employing local residents. After I was laid off from my 'real' job, I took a PT position with one of the above for 3.5 months. It's not an easy thing to do, and tutusue is right, a thick skin is needed. I was screaming to get out but was trapped there until I found another PT job as per Unemployment rules. The rejection was just too much for me, as I was used to a work environment where I could control it through my work, artistry or design, and not whether or not someone wanted to do a survey with me. We were required to complete a quota each night. Usually 2-3 per hour give or take. You cannot make someone do a survey, but the companies theory was "dial more and faster" and eventually someone will say yes. I am no longer there but I have a much more 'soft spot' for people who do this type of work and, to be honest, was flabbergasted at how people could be so rude on the other end of the line. Yes, I know they call you when you are eating or getting ready for bed (they cant call after 9 pm), or when you have company over, but they are just trying to earn a living and have some income or extra income. The people who work at these places are just like you and me. They are mothers, wives, husbands, sons and generally good people who are trying to keep afloat, send their kids to school, or earn some extra cash. Most people have full 8 hour jobs in the day and work the 5 to 9 pm shifts. If you dont want to do the survey, all anybody has to do is just say "I'm not interested thank you". Then you'd be marked as Not Interested. But the hang ups, the whisltes blown in the ear, the screaming at us to not call them again, made we wonder where common manners went. Yes, again I know we were calling you, but still... just be polite and say no thank you.

                These mostly are public opinion surveys. These are surveys that "tend" to benefit the state, or a particular island. surveys such as Honolulu Board of water, Kamehameha schools, travel industry, Health care in the islands, Hawaiian Telcom internet, or phone if it pertains to you were among the surveys adminstered. Never do these surveys sell anything. After doing it, I'd always wonder why the community was not interested in helping out with these, at the very least, help keep someone employed by just taking 5 to 10 minutes for a survey. But we're busy and we have our reasons for not wanting to participate. That is understandable.

                The Hilo side of the big island was generally the most gracious, maui was atrocious, Kaneohe and Laie were very good as well. North shore people were not interested. People of Native Hawaiian ancestry tended to want to be involved. and you guessed it, seniors as well. I dont know what the future is for these types of survey taking with people getting rid of land lines. you really are anonymous, as these numbers are randomly generated. anyway, just thought Id share my experience with this type of work. Im glad Im not doing it anymore, but there are those who have done it for years. I guess they thrive on that.

                edited to say: The above companies are considered survey takers (Marketing Surveys) and are exempt from the Do Not Call List. Telemarketers sell something and can be placed on the do not call list.
                Last edited by Kaukura; December 26, 2009, 11:32 PM.
                n'importe

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                • #9
                  Re: SMS Research

                  Originally posted by Kaukura View Post
                  edited to say: The above companies are considered survey takers (Marketing Surveys) and are exempt from the Do Not Call List. Telemarketers sell something and can be placed on the do not call list.
                  FWIW I've asked survey callers to place us on their do not call list, and I've never heard from them again. I almost never get a second call. They don't want to waste their time on us any more than we do.

                  Sure it's a nasty job, and that's why people only take the work out of perceived desperation, but no one enjoys being accosted by phone strangers. It's an invasion of privacy. (Remember when they used to ring doorbells?) This is why we leave our ringers turned off, and this is why people screen caller ID.

                  I'll offer a plug for Ward Research. Several years ago Jeff Mikulina (formerly of Sierra Club fame) was researching his master's thesis on what would motivate "ordinary consumers" to install grid-tied photovoltaic solar systems on their houses. He contracted Ward Research to set up a couple of focus groups. They used HECO's list of net-metering customers to send me a letter. (At the time there were only a couple dozen of us net-metering consumers.) We PV geeks got to sit around for a couple hours quaffing chilled beverages and sampling the cold-cuts plate while bragging discussing our reasons for going solar... and we got paid $100 for what we usually did for free.

                  Ward asked if they could add us to their list, and I get called for a focus group every six months or so. It's usually $40-$60 for a couple hours' discussion. One focus group was done by The Learning Coalition (which we eventually figured out afterward) and another was hired by a group testing out a new method to preserve powdered milk. Ward is very well organized, they run their participants through pretty quickly, and I've always enjoyed the topics.

                  Ward also offers various phone and website surveys. They don't usually pay cash but they do offer "bonus points" or other coupon-type incentives. Our teen loves getting together with her group of friends to offer their opinions.
                  Youth may be wasted on the young, but retirement is wasted on the old.
                  Live like you're dying, invest like you're immortal.
                  We grow old if we stop playing, but it's never too late to have a happy childhood.
                  Forget about who you were-- discover who you are.

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                  • #10
                    Re: SMS Research

                    I was once on a focus group for five minutes. They let me go because I knew who the mayor was.
                    Burl Burlingame
                    "Art is never finished, only abandoned." -- Leonardo Da Vinci
                    honoluluagonizer.com

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                    • #11
                      Re: SMS Research

                      Originally posted by buzz1941 View Post
                      I was once on a focus group for five minutes. They let me go because I knew who the mayor was.
                      Sounds like jury duty! I was let go because I said I don't have prejudiced against long haired men and don't always trust that the police are right.

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                      • #12
                        Re: SMS Research

                        SMS works with many of Hawaii's Advertising and Marketing agencies. My sister worked for them once.

                        I was asked to be in one of their marketing studies asking us if we'd like to see Zippy's chili, S&S saimin and other name-brand items sold at other venues. We were told to rate their suggestions as well as come up with others. I suggested they sell frozen Zippy's chili on the neighbor islands where it's not available. I guess they took these suggestions seriously. We were paid $50 for our time and we left with cash in our pockets after a 4-hour session.
                        Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                        • #13
                          Re: SMS Research

                          I don't mind participating with SMS (or other local surveys), except for two things: (1) they always call at the worst times, and (2) I can't tell if they're really legit -- they could be a scammer trying to trap personal info. So, I always just politely refuse and hang up.

                          Just wondering, is there a reason why they don't send surveys by mail or email/website? I would definitely participate in those.

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                          • #14
                            Re: SMS Research

                            Originally posted by Sharilyn View Post
                            Just wondering, is there a reason why they don't send surveys by mail or email/website? I would definitely participate in those.
                            I don't know, but I'd bet the response rate is far higher on the telephone than it is via USPS mail or email/web. For one thing, the latter two are opt-in, whereas the phone is a little more opt-out in that you're already responding by answering the phone. You don't have to mail the survey form back or go to the website unless you decide you want to.
                            http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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                            • #15
                              Re: SMS Research

                              I worked the phone taking surveys for one of SMS Research's competitors in Honolulu for over 4 years while I was in college.

                              It paid better than a minimum wage service job and was more mentally engaging. Although there are alot of unpleasant aspects about the job, I kind of liked it for its flexibility (you only work when the company is contracted to do a survey).

                              Like others said, the people who work this job are all local folks trying to make a living. They are young students, mothers of all ages, and folks doing this as a second (or even third!) job trying to make a few more bucks to support their family.

                              If you don't want to do the survey, just say so, and we would "thank you for your time" (and I would wish you a nice day/evening) and hang up.

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