Experimental Study on Improving the Response Rate of Parking User Survey

Abstract

A decline in response rates in social surveys has been observed that is partially attributed to a rise in refusals. To enhance the reliability of survey outcomes, various strategies must be explored for boosting response rates. However, the available research on the correlation between face-to-face survey conditions and response rates remains inadequate. This study investigates the impact of different survey conditions on the response rates of face-to-face interview surveys for parking users. The survey conditions included variables such as the gender of interviewers, whether the survey target was informed about the survey organization (a university), and whether interviewers wore armbands representing the survey organization. The survey, conducted in December 2022 in downtown Kumamoto, Japan, engaged 247 participants out of 471 potential respondents. The findings reveal a 25.4 percentage point increase in response rates when participants were informed about the survey organization, and a 14.6 percentage point increase when female interviewers were involved. These outcomes offer valuable insights for designing effective and efficient interview surveys.