Online surveys for business tendency in Slovenia Brussels

Online surveys for business tendency in Slovenia Brussels, 13 -14 November 2014 Laura Šuštar Kožuh

History of business tendency surveys April 1995 January 1999 March 2002 April 2002 • Manufacturing • Retail Trade • Construction • Services

Data collection process until May 2014 Questionnaires were sent in advance with post paid service to all reporting units Collecting data by paper questionnaires • +1 one day for fax and e-mail Missing data collected by telephone • Manual data entry (on paper and in computer program)

Challenges, barriers and goals Joining 7 different questionnaires into one common questionnaire Preparation of the received dataset to match the existing database Simplification of data collection and reduction of survey costs Abolishing paper questionnaires • Advantages: only two channels of data collection; lower costs • Weaknesses: rejection of the new method of reporting Keeping a high response rate • No more paper questionnaires • Voluntary participation in the survey

Steps of implementation Preparation of one common questionnaire Analysis of the current situation (selection of the new survey method) Preparation and testing • Questionnaire for electronic version • Questionnaire for CATI Implementation of IT solutions Preparation of guidelines and training for interviewers; preparation of FAQ

Milestones in implementation distribution of passwords and user names Informing respondents about the new way of reporting In April 2014 the last set of paper questionnaires was collected In May 2014 the electronic questionnaire was launched for the first time and CATI was activated

A new way of data collection 1 st day of the month • WEB questionnaire is open 1 st working day • E-notice is sent to the reporting units of the month on availability of the web questionnaire 6 th– 8 th day of • E-reminder is sent to the reporting the month units 10 th day of the • CATI studio is activated month

Response rate Kick off the online survey % 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN 2013 JUL 2014 AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Method of data collection % 100 39% used web 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 52% used WEB 10 0 MAY JUN JUL AVG SEP OCT 2013 Paper questionnaire / WEB MAY JUN JUL AVG SEP OCT 2014 Other (fax, phone, e-mail) / CATI

Use of the web questionnaire by activity of reporting units % 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Construction Manufacturing WEB Services CATI Retail Trade

Use of the web questionnaire by size class of reporting units % 80 70 60 Micro units less in favor of web 50 40 30 20 10 0 Micro Construction Small Medium Manufacturing Services Large Retail Trade

Reasons for not using e. STAT % 90 80 70 R 1 • We didn't have time to register 60 R 2 • We didn't receive user name 50 R 3 • We didn't receive/we lost password R 4 • We don't want to use e. STAT application 40 30 20 R 5 R 6 • Technical problems 10 • We don't have digital certificate 0 R 1 R 2 May 2014 R 3 R 4 R 5 October 2014 R 6

Outcomes Rise (slow) in using the web questionnaire Only one (long) tailor-made questionnaire Less errors in data Online survey for business tendency No more manual work Lower costs Same response rate

Thank you for your attention.