Access to information is always available, but collecting it requires patience and hard work. To collect your data, there are different types of services available in the market to help you. What you need to know is to differentiate between the services you need from unnecessary ones.

Data Collection is a process of collecting and measuring information on different variables of interest in a systematic way that allows one to answer stated research questions and evaluate its outcomes. If you are conducting research, you require statistics and information from various sources, and data collection services are helpful for this purpose. But first, you need to learn what data collection’s purpose is.

Purpose of Data Collection

1. To obtain information.
2. To keep a record of that information.
3. To make decisions about important issues.
4. To pass information to each other with ease.

Advantages of Data Collection Services

The advantages of data collection can be numerous, and the services are broadly classified into two types. When you have a unique problem at hand, and no related research is done on the subject, then you need to collect new data. This method is called primary data collection service.

1. Primary Data Collection Service

Primary data is the one that is collected for the first time by the researcher, and it is collected with the aim of getting a solution to the problem at hand. It is compiled from a field under the supervision and control of an investigator. It is useful for current fields of study as well as future ones. When the researcher himself is trying to collect data for his particular purpose from the sources available, it becomes what we call primary data.

For example: if you want information about the average time spent by the employees in a cafeteria during lunch break across companies. There is no public data available for these. But you can collect the data through various types of methods like,

1. Surveys
2. Taking interviews of employees
3. By monitoring the time spent by employees in the cafeteria.

How Primary Data Collection Works?

Observational method: Observational method, as the name itself suggests, is based on observation that is keen and scientific in nature.

Interview method: The interview method is a direct method of data collection services based on interviews. It is the essential method of data collection service.

Questionnaire: this is an important and very popular method of data collection. This is adopted by individuals, organizations, and the government. It is a set of questions.

Significance of Primary Data Collection Service

1. Reliability: Data collected used a primary data collection service is reliable and trustworthy

2. Availability of a wide range of techniques: we are able to collect data in multiple types of ways, for example, structural and non-structural data collection services. We can create a vast database using a primary data collection service.

3. Control: in this data collection service, we have the autonomy to have control of the narrative and create the data to assist our problem at hand.

Limitations of Primary Data Collection Service

1. It is costly.
2. It is time-consuming.
3. It requires a large amount of data to complete.

The second method is to use the data which is already available or collected. This method is called a Secondary data collection service.

2. Secondary Data Collection Service

Secondary data is that data has been collected by another person for their purpose and was already published. They are in the shape of finished products. For example, this data can be found on open source websites such as Kaggle, gap minder, news articles, government censuses, magazines, and so on. This method is called a secondary data collection service. It is less time-consuming than the primary method.

Sources of Secondary Data Collection Service

1. Internal data Source: It means the collection of the data internally, from within a company—for example, sales analysis, sales report, invoice analysis, and accounting records, etc.

2. External data source: It means the collection of data from an external source as in outside the company, for example

1. A library by doing a literature review.
2. Yearly reports of trade associations.
3. Commercial papers.
4. Website’s data collection.

Methods Used For Secondary Data Collection

1. Interview method: a method of collection of data in which one person asks questions to another person. It can be conducted live or telephonically.

Significance of Secondary Data Collection Service

2. Economical: we do not have to spend much money on this type of data, and it has easy availability

Faster: We get the result faster using secondary collected data service as compared to the primary one.

Useful in Exploratory research: useful when studying something in detail.

Survey Design for Data Collection Services

Good Questions: Writing good questions could be considered a form of art. It requires a significant amount of hard work and practice.

Play of words: A small innovation in your content can produce new results. Words such as could, should and might are all used for the same purpose but can produce a 20% difference in agreement to a question. Words such as prohibit or action, they represent control or action, also produce similar results.

Referential questions: Questions should always reference their context, and out-of-order questions should be avoided. A funnel approach should be used, generic questions should be included in the introduction of the questionnaire, and specific ones towards the end, demographic or geographic questions should also be included.

Non-overlapping categories: Multiple choice answers should be unique in order to provide different choices. Overlapping options can frustrate the responder and interpret. And the questions should be precise.

Avoid confusing/unfamiliar words: Asking about industry-related terms can be confusing for responders. Make sure that the audience understands your language, terminology, and question.

Do not force questions: Privacy is an important issue for people. Survey questions about income, family income, status, religious and political beliefs, etc., should be avoided.

Dichotomous questions: Dichotomous questions are questions used containing predefined choices, for example, Yes or No, Male or Female, etc. The options in that question fully cover the respective domain of the question asked.

Avoid the use of long questions: Long questions increase the time for completion, which generally leads to an increase in the survey dropout rate. MCQs are tough to understand and lengthy, while open-ended questions are the shortest and simplest to answer.

The Takeaways:

Your data required for research work is of value which should not be ignored. An efficient collection of data allows you to do your research work with excellence.

To get your data collected by a professional within your business budget, there is no better place to look for than “Pulse Marketing.”

Pulse marketing agency was founded in 2021. It employs a team of highly qualified marketing professionals. Their mission is to promote their clients in their business marketing successfully. Their services include Digital Advertising, Public Relations, Graphic Design, Marketing services, Audio Visual production, and much more.