The Nightmare of Distributing Questionnaires

Couple months ago, I collected data for my Phd thesis through distributing questionnaires for target respondents (that were construction firms Malaysia).

Among the various methods of distributing questionnaires, I opted for phone call.

Seemed like telephone operator, so stressful on every phone call 

In case you wondered how’s the life to call the respondents, here’s the conversation overviews. 

#1

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. I need your help to fill my academic questionnaires about my research.

Respondent: Yes

Me: The questionnaire is about human resource management practices, organizational culture and environmental responsibility of this organization.

Respondent: Sorry, I had no times as I busy with a project currently.

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#2

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. I need your help to fill my academic questionnaires about my research.

Respondent: All the staff are gone already. No people in this organization anymore.

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#3

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. Please put me through human resource department.

Respondent: Human resource people have emergency leave today.

Me: All of them take emergency leave today?

Respondent: Yes.

Me: Thank you. I’ll call back on next few days.

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#4

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. I need to talk to human resource department.

Respondent: The line is engaged. Can you call back later?

Me: Yes. I’ll.

(After 15 minutes)

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. Please transfer my call to human resource department.

Respondent: They’ve meeting right now.

Me: It’s okay.

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#5

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. I need your help to fill my academic questionnaires about my research.

Respondent: This’s the very small organization. You better look for other big organizations.

Me: No, you’re one of the big organizations. You fit my requirement to fill the questionnaire.

Respondent: No, that’s all.

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#6

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. I need your help to fill my academic questionnaires about my research.

Respondent: Uhmmm

Me: The questionnaire is about the organizational culture

Respondent: Could you email to me. I was busy at the moment.

Me: What’s your email address?

Respondent: abcdefg@yahoo.com

Me: Thank you

(It ended up I failed to send to the respondent due to wrong email address despite I double checked it)

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#7

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. Please put me through human resource department.

(The call successfully connect to the human resource department)

Me: Isn’t human resource department?

Respondent: Hmmm

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. I need your help to fill my academic questionnaires about my research. It’s about human resource management practices and environmental responsibility of this organization.

Respondent: Why me? You should clear who you should ask to fill the questionnaire.

Me: I need the help from human resource department. And you already confirm with me, you’re from human resource department

Respondent: you should go back to University again to ask them teach you how to communicate.

(The respondent then off the phone rudely)

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#8

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. I need your help to fill my academic questionnaires about my research.

Respondent: Just email to me.

Me: May I know your emails address?

Respondent: You’ve got my contact number but you don’t know my email address?

Me: I’ve but I want…

(The respondent after that turned off the phone before I finish talking)

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#9

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. Please put me through human resource department.

Respondent: What’s regarding?

Me: I need your help to fill my academic questionnaires about my research.

Respondent: Isn’t the survey form?

Me: Yes.

Respondent: Normally we don’t entertain the questionnaire.

Me: Okay.

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#10

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. Please put me through human resource department.

Respondent: Yes, speaking.

Me: I need your help to fill my academic questionnaires about my research.

Respondent: Did I know you?

Me: No. You wouldn’t help a stranger to fill the academic questionnaires?

Respondent: Yes

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#11

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. I need your help to fill my academic questionnaires about my research.

Respondent: Will you help me to do my work?

Me: Sorry for disturbing you.

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#12

Me: I’m Tay, a university student. Please put me through human resource department.

Respondent: Yes, speaking

Me: I need your help to fill my academic questionnaires about my research which is about environmental responsibility of this organization

Respondent: Your tone of voice is very stiff. You need to be friendlier because you ask the favor from others.

Me: Thank you for your advice. I’ll improve myself next time

Respondent: Don’t worry. I’ll entertain you. Just email me your questionnaires with details about your research and your university letter.

Me: Okay.

(The respondent rang up me again next day)

Respondent: Aren’t you Tay?

Me: Yes, I’m

Respondent: I’ve been glance through your questionnaire and your questionnaire is not suitable to fill by me. Project manager is the best person to know about you area. Later I’ll send the questionnaire for the project manager and CC to you.

(months by months I never seen any single email that CC to me)

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Above rejection conversations demotivated me. I always felt hopeless, depression and stressful. Indeed, it’s a physical and mentally stress.

I believe my “tulan” (means angry in Hokkien) face was like this 

They’re not only filling up the questionnaire but also informed me they’re done and send the best wishes for me.

I did appreciate and grateful to them.

Besides that, my parents expressed their concern by asking my progress almost everyday.

“Today you call how many organizations?” “How many responses you get today?”-The questions frequently asked by parents when they’re in home. 

Papa considered as the hero in my data collection journey. He once told me “when there’s a will, there’s a way”. You’ll achieve success in one day.

Forgive and forgot the respondents that don’t understand your research significance. Kick them out of your mind and work hard to achieve your goal.

It really boosted my confidence and energy level.

Unlike Papa, Mama just brainwashed me the organizations’ natural actions in refusing to fill the questionnaires because profit minded and self-benefit issue.

So, she advised me to pray hard. I did and it included her as well. She prayed day and night to let me pass through this hardship. 

Similarly, Dr Tan (Phd supervisor), Miss Wong (former colleague), Chik Fei (a friend) also asked my progress too.

They’re all good and I can’t ask for more. Having them was the blessing.

In conclusion, few months distributing questionnaires made me realized that it’s not an easy task. It highly needed the cooperation from the organizations.

Without their cooperation, we forced to choose other business sectors. It required to amend the research proposal that took 1/2/3/4 years to prepare.

It wasted time and cause the research can’t complete on time. Cannot complete research on time means no scholarship came in. It certainly created the students’ burden like me.

I sincere hoped the organizations will consider the researchers’ situations and difficulties like me in the future. I belief “人与人之间多份体谅和理解，就能成就很多事“

The researchers were not going to sell the reveal information on the questionnaires to the third party. We just wanted to contribute to the body of knowledge.