Taking Surveys Old School
By vikingswest
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
United States
March 9, 2022 9:58pm CST
I can remember a time when you could get a job surveying people. It paid enough to live on if you were willing to spend all day setting up in malls or grocery stores. I found it best to stay in one location but sometimes went door to door. I kept track of all the people that agreed to take the survey and turned it into the office. They sent me a weekly check.
I sometimes asked questions about foods or products and some were just public opinion questions.
I was doing surveys for a shampoo company and found that people were reluctant to respond. 20% of the people didn't respond at all and 80% responded with What in the hell are you doing in my shower?!?
That part wasn't true but I thought it added flavor to another dull discussion.
So. Have you ever done surveys with real people?
18 people like this
15 responses
@MommyOfEli2013 (84023)
• Rupert, Idaho
10 Mar 22
Haha! Thank you for the laugh! No...Ive never surveyed people in person
3 people like this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
It's not something I'd want to do today. Because people.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
10 Mar 22
Not in the shower... wait... uhm... once. 
And at the mall once, years ago.
And at the mall once, years ago.2 people like this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
I was about 20 at the time and I could show up whenever I wanted and they sent me out.2 people like this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
@DaddyEvil
You use an etch a sketch in those wet areas, another old school technique lost to history.
There were times when I had a line waiting to answer questions and other times, hours would go by without anyone wanting to talk.
I avoid people taking surveys unless they offer a prize of some sort.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
10 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 If I'm remembering correctly, we were in the shower for a long time... There were a lot of questions... How she kept the paper dry, I'll never know.
My first wife loved to find out what the surveyors were asking about. She always stopped and talked with them. The rest of us just told her what store we'd be in so she could find us when she was done. 
If I'm remembering correctly, we were in the shower for a long time... There were a lot of questions... How she kept the paper dry, I'll never know.
My first wife loved to find out what the surveyors were asking about. She always stopped and talked with them. The rest of us just told her what store we'd be in so she could find us when she was done. 1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (89873)
• Arvada, Colorado
10 Mar 22
Yes I remember those jobs too..very well.
I used to love working in malls
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (89873)
• Arvada, Colorado
11 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 I miss malls how they used to be, I often worked in them.
1 person likes this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
I loved it at first but it got old after a while. Malls were the perfect place to set up.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (471421)
• Switzerland
11 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 - I love to talk to strangers, because it is interesting to know exactly what people think.
1 person likes this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
12 Mar 22
@LadyDuck
Yes. In person exchanges reveal a lot more than an online discussion. You can't read body language on a computer screen.
1 person likes this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
The difference was instead of intruding by phone or email, people walked up to me willingly. I got to learn a lot about people that way.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41444)
• United States
10 Mar 22
No, I've done surveys on line, but not in person.
2 people like this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
It was fun at first but that wore off pretty quick.
I have done a few online surveys but never got anything of real value by doing them.
2 people like this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
@1creekgirl
I will sometimes buy a product after eating a sample. I used to eat samples a lot but not as much now.
Samples disappeared for a couple of years but I'm seeing more of them lately.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (41444)
• United States
10 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 I guess the closest thing to that job I've done was doing product demos (samples) at Walmart. It was a fun job and I found out I could actually sell stuff!
2 people like this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
It was fun at first. The best interviews were with couples that didn't agree on things. It got heated at times
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203422)
• Nashville, Tennessee
10 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 Oh I can imagine that was some moments to remember.
1 person likes this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
12 Mar 22
I didn't pay on the spot, I took their names and addresses and they were sent the reward.
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
12 Mar 22
I rarely went shopping in a mall. It was a great place to find people willing to take surveys though.
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
I had some hilarious answers. Couples that didn't agree was always the best. I KNOW they got into a fight on the way home lol.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (102927)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
10 Mar 22
I have never done surveys person to person. Only making telephone calls to potential voters when I was in college around 1980.
1 person likes this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
They gave me an option to do phone surveys too but in person paid better.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (102927)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
10 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 That is fine with me since I am introverted.
1 person likes this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
People were surprisingly open and willing to share their likes and dislikes. It was fun for a short time but it got repetitive after a few months.
1 person likes this
@Adie04 (17360)
•
11 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 Yup, surveys. That's its advantages and disadvantages though. I myself have answered surveys and vice versa, so I feel you.
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
It was fun for a while but it became a chore. I quit for a job picking and shoveling frozen earth in Minnesota winters if that says anything.
1 person likes this
@Hytton03 (5451)
• Philippines
10 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 yes that's fun surveying people. And love to talk different people we can have friends, in that job. 
.
.1 person likes this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
12 Mar 22
I wonder if you treated it differently because it was an assignment.
It paid my rent and bills for the month.
@SophiaMorros (5044)
• Belews Creek, North Carolina
10 Mar 22
I do surveys over the phone for major agricultural and heavy equipment companies. I'm not entirely sure those qualify as real people...some days I am not convinced that I qualify as a real person. In fact, I have been asked at least twice if I was a recording .
.@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
Hahahah. I can just hear you saying... Yes, I assure you I am a real person lol.
Tough way to do surveys, I'll bet.
1 person likes this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Mar 22
@SophiaMorros
A person will end up using a standard approach for everyone and it sounds like it's being read. I think phone surveys would be harder than in-person surveys.
A person will end up using a standard approach for everyone and it sounds like it's being read. I think phone surveys would be harder than in-person surveys.@SophiaMorros (5044)
• Belews Creek, North Carolina
10 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 I think my response was more along the lines of. "Gosh, clearly I have been doing this for WAY too long!!!"
