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Information for CFD Survey Participants
Thank you for participating in this important and ongoing research program!
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• What is this survey about?
• How did you get my number?
• Why should I do this?
• How will the data be used?
For answers to these and other
questions, see our FAQ! |
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The Consumer Financial Decisions (CFD) program at SRIC-BI is currently conducting its biennial survey of financial decision makers (survey administered by Readex Research). If you received the survey questionnaire, but would like to know more about our company and the survey before responding, please read on.
Thank you for participating in our ongoing national study of consumers and their financial needs. Our program started in 1978, and every two years we ask thousands of people to fill out and return our questionnaire. By providing us with your attitudes and experiences, you have the opportunity to influence and improve the financial products and services that are available to households across the United States. Additionally, many respondents tell us that, by filling out this questionnaire, they learn more about themselves and their financial situation.
Please be assured that we will keep your responses absolutely confidential. We take this pledge of confidentiality very seriously. Your name and address will never be connected with your responses. In the 30 years that we have been conducting this survey, we have never breached our confidentiality pledge to any respondent, and we continue to take steps to make sure that we never do.
We are not trying to sell you anything, and you will never be contacted by anyone selling anything as a result of your participation. The combined answers of all respondents to the survey will be tabulated, analyzed, and used for writing reports and advising financial institutions about the attitudes, needs, and experiences of consumers. Here at our web site you can see examples of reports, statistical tabulations, presentations and newsletters that use responses from surveys conducted in previous years.
If you have further questions, comments, suggestions, or concerns, please feel free to contact us (jgray@sric-bi.com). We believe that your participation and that of others will help to improve financial products and services to meet the needs of households across the United States better.
Again, thank you for participating in this important and ongoing research program.
| Frequently Asked Questions |
- What is this survey about?
The purpose of this survey is to learn about people's attitudes toward financial products and institutions, and to understand how people use, save, and invest their money. Its goal is to help improve the products and services that financial institutions provide for people like you.
- How did you get my number?
This survey is conducted every two years using a national sample of randomly generated telephone numbers. That is, we start with telephone exchanges and randomly make up the last numbers.
- Why should I do this?
In just the past two years, people's financial situations have changed a lot. The stock market keeps going up and down, many people have a lot of debt, and some people don't know if they have enough life or health insurance or if they will have enough money to retire. Your answers will help financial institutions make new products and better serve people's needs. Also, answering the questions may give you insights into your own financial situation – what's available and what you might do differently. And, we will give you $12 for participating.
- Who is sponsoring the survey?
CFD, the Consumer Financial Decisions group of SRI Consulting Business Intelligence (SRIC-BI) sponsors this study. SRIC-BI is a business partner of SRI International (formerly, the Stanford Research Institute). The study has been conducted every two years since 1978.
- How long is the survey? How long will it take me to fill it out?
The time needed to fill out the questionnaire varies. Our goal is to be as comprehensive as possible, so the more complex your finances are, the longer it will take you to fill out the entire questionnaire.
- How will the data be used?
The data are used by a wide variety of financial organizations (such as banks, credit unions, mutual fund companies, insurance companies, brokerages, associations, and universities) to help them better understand the needs of people like you and design products and services that people like you want and need to manage your money and your life more effectively.
- Who will see my responses?
Your answers will be combined with the responses of all other respondents to build a picture of what American households are doing with their money. Respondents' names and addresses are kept completely separate from all responses. After we've finished collecting the data, your name and address will be destroyed. In the 28 years of conducting this study, we have never had a breach of confidentiality. No one's name and address has ever been released.
- I don't know a lot about finances. I don't have any investments, loans, money, etc.
In order to get an accurate picture of all American households, we need answers from as many different types of people as possible. Your opinions and answers are important to us. This is your chance to let financial institutions know what you want and need. If you don't participate, the results of the study may not include the opinions and experiences of people like you.
- How do I know you're not selling something?
This is a very large and important research project begun in 1978. We have continued to gather this type of information from consumers right up to today. We do not want to sell anything to you. We know that consumers like you would never agree to participate in this important research if we had any other purpose than to collect information.
- Am I going to have to do this again? Or more of these types of surveys?
No. Once you agree to participate in this study, we do not ask you to participate in any other survey. Someone may call you to verify an answer or to fill in some important missing information in your returned survey, but we definitely will not ask you to do any other survey.
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