Dialing Mode

The Dialer operates in one of four basic dialing modes and one hybrid mode which is a combination of two of the basic modes. The dialing mode is specified as a CATI survey parameter in the survey authoring module. Refer to the documentation for the Forsta authoring application for details on this procedure. Once the dialing mode is specified for a survey, the dialer will only operate in this mode with this particular survey until the dialing mode is changed.

Note that "Dial mode"and "Interviewing mode" are different options. The dial mode is set up on the survey level in the authoring application, and it determines how the interviews are delivered to the interviewer. The interviewing mode is set up for each interviewer in the CATI Supervisor module, and this determines how the interviewer selects the surveys/interviews to be worked with (go to Selecting a Survey/Interview for more information).

The following dialing modes are available:

• Manual - the dialer dials only the number for the interview that has been selected manually by the interviewer.
• Preview - the CATI Interviewer Console displays information for the interviewer which must be viewed before proceeding, and the Dialer dials the number for the interview only after the interviewer has confirmed that the interview can proceed.
• Automatic - the system delivers connected calls to the interviewer, one after another, in the order specified by the Interviewing mode.
• Predictive - this dialing mode was designed to increase the productivity of the interviewers by performing "predictive" dialing. In this mode the Dialer applies various algorithms that help to deliver the required call to a free interviewer while keeping the number of failed ("nuisance") calls to a minimum. A dialer operating in this mode tracks and processes the call results, analyzes and compares the results and the interviewer's load pattern, and tries to "predict" based on the calculated statistics when the particular number should be dialed so that the interview can be delivered to an interviewer as soon as the previous interview is completed.
• Hybrid ("preview in predictive", and "preview in automatic") - this dialing mode allows efficiency and flexibility in calling rules. It allows a survey that is operating in predictive or automatic dialing to have specific calls allocated as 'to-be-preview-dialed' to ensure no nuisance dialing is performed on specific respondents. This enables the survey to run efficiently by dialing in predictive (or automatic) mode but once contact is made or once specific (arbitrary) criteria are met the respondent will no longer be called in predictive (or automatic) mode. This can reduce the risk of nuisance calls being made. In general this means that the survey is run in the predictive (or automatic) dialing mode, but when the interview marked as 'to-be-preview-dialed' is selected, the dialer is switched to the preview mode. After that interview's status is changed, the dialer switches back to the predictive mode, and the survey is then again run in the predictive mode until another marked interview is met.

The procedure for setting up the Hybrid dialing mode has some peculiarities. Unlike other dialing modes, the Hybrid dialing mode is set up in both the Forsta Authoring and the CATI Supervisor modules. The Hybrid dialing mode can be set up and will work only with surveys that have already been configured to run in the Predictive (or Automatic) dialing mode. Note that the Hybrid dialing mode is not available as the original dialing mode for a survey - this dialing mode is merely a way to use the Preview (or Automatic)mode instead of the Predictive only with certain interviews that are contained in a survey configured to run in the Predictive dialing mode.

There are three ways to set up the Hybrid mode for the survey.

Using the scheduling script

This option is available for surveys that are originally set to the Predictive or Automatic mode.

1. In CATI Supervisor, add a special rule to the scheduling script that is used with this survey. The rule must be triggered by the extended status you select as a 'to-be-preview-dialed' mark. Any extended status of an interview can be used as this mark, for example you can specify that the dial mode is switched to Preview whenever an interview with the "Appointment" status is met. The rule must contain the "Set dialing mode" action, and the Action parameter value must switch the survey to the Preview dialing mode (go to Specifying Rules for more information).
2. In the Forsta authoring application add a special algorithm to the survey. This must switch the survey to the Preview dialing mode whenever an interview marked as 'to-be-preview-dialed' is met. You can for example arrange this switch using an extra interview page that asks the interviewer to confirm switching to the Preview mode. Refer to the authoring documentation for information.

Using the sample

This option is available for surveys that are originally set to the Predictive or Automatic mode.

When you prepare the respondent sample file for upload in the authoring application, specify the appropriate dialing mode value for each interview. This must be "2" for the Preview mode and "0" - for the original mode (Predictive or Automatic). No other actions must be performed in this case.

In the Call Management window

This option is available only for surveys that are originally set to the Predictive mode.

1. Display the Call Management window for the survey which is set to the Predictive mode.
2. Set up the dialing mode for the interview (go to Setting Up the Preview Dialing Mode for an Interview for more information). No other actions need to be performed in this case.