Still On My High Horse - and no signs of getting off it yet.

I am still miffed about the underhanded way that acefieldwork choose to conduct their surveys.
There are no two ways about it; I was lied to.

I DO SURVEYS, I'm on several online survey panels, I very often don't meet the required 'criteria' therefore am not suitable for a particular survey - mostly because I'm not responsible for any of the smaller, demanding, noisy people that seem to rule the world.

The surveys I do complete are done honestly. Advertisers do need to know if their adverts are reaching us and if we actually notice what they're advertising.

I am probably not the best survey panellist, I don't read newspapers, I get all my news online. I don't see adverts on the Internet at all unless I wish to, as I use 'Ad Muncher'. A wonderful program I tried and paid for that was worth every penny.

The only adverts I do see are on TV and there they make one HUGE error, I never, ever hear them and I'm sure I'm not the only one. The advertising is so loud compared to the programs that I'm ready with the remote in my hand as soon as I judge the adverts are starting and press the mute button.

Doing online surveys can be quite informative, in fact it's probably the only way that advertisers influence me in any way. I've even learnt which are the healthier crisps to buy, not particularly by believing everything advertisers say but by rummaging amongst the crisps on the shelves and having a look after completing a survey (the advertisers weren't fibbing but I'm a sceptic).
I'd never even heard of 'Sustainable Harvest', now because of online surveys about tea and coffee I have and so looked into it further.

These are just two examples of Market Research that in my opinion have got it right, there are lots of other examples I could mention but don't really have time at the moment.

I get paid for online surveys - not for myself, everything I earn goes to charity. Some of the Market Research Companies do it that way anyway and let you choose which charity you want to help. Others are set up so you can claim the money or goods if you want. But it's the charity option for me - I'm no Saint, it's just easier and I'm known for being idle ...

Had my phone Market Research 'Interview'

Huh, am even more grumpy now, the lady on the phone was very nice, that really pi**ed me off, I wanted an argument!

When I said I was prepared to answer any questions on the program which was crap; but none on any advertising, she just said 'well you're refusing to do the interview which is up to you'.

I said that 'I wasn't refusing but I would only answer questions on the program on the DVD and I wanted to know why we were being treated like idiots when we're not (well not all of us) and that I'd been lied to'.

She was still NICE to me!! She must have had practice, I couldn't be nice to someone who spoke to me like I spoke to her, she went on to ask if I wanted to speak to a supervisor.
I didn't as I was busy, up to my eyebrows in glue, sticking my nieces wedding card together (will moan about that later - but it is a masterpiece)

So I just said 'no, I want no more to do with it and if they wanted me to answer questions on adverts then they should have said so, instead if sandwiching them between a 'pilot' episode of crap and saying that they wanted my opinion on that!'

She went on to say (nicely - bitch!) that that was the way they had to do it and she'd just put me down as a refusal.

Oh my God, I'm high on glue! and my exclamation mark key has nearly worn out!!

The Rocky Laporte Show - with ADVERTS

I'm a sucker for people coming up to me in the street with a few questions,
first off -'have you got a working DVD player?' - 'good, it'll only take 5 minutes now and 30 mins later and I'm not trying to sell you anything and for your time you'll receive a £5 Boots voucher'.
That was ok, my feet were aching, I sat on a bench while the 'I'm not trying to sell you anything' lady filled in my details. Then I had to look at a booklet and say which coffee, shampoo, perfume, kitchen towel, foundation make-up, conditioner, boxes of chocolate, fabric softener, savoury snacks, air freshener, mascara and marmalade I would like to receive if I won one of their lottery baskets (worth up to £100 in total)

Of course to enter this 'Lottery' I was given a DVD to watch (on my working DVD player), I couldn't watch it on my laptop or computer it had to be DVD player and I wasn't to fast forward or rewind, apparently it was a new pilot show that they wanted MY OPINION on (obviously my opinion is important, but I already know that). It was described as 'a bit like Friends'.

Anyway I dutifully watched the DVD with an open mind but alas not at the time I said I would because I hadn't yet returned from my marathon trip into Nottingham (will moan about that later)

It was utter crap, Rocky Laporte is possibly? a good comedian but he's no actor. There was canned laughter every 3 seconds but I never laughed once.

THERE WERE ADVERTS IN THE MIDDLE!!

I started to smell a rat but persevered with the DVD as I was in a bit of an 'all or nothing' mood.
I even found myself taking note of the adverts, something I would never normally do in a million years.
I then had to fill in a 'programme evaluation' sheet - I didn't mince my words!
Then and only then, I had to open a sealed plastic envelope - S**T! it was the same booklet I'd had before - coffee etc.

I'm now waiting for my telephone interview, between 2-4pm, do you think I'll be a nice little sheep and do it properly?
WHAT? for a probable non-existent £5 Boots voucher and the chance of winning their equally non-existent lottery?
Anyway To receive my voucher I had to follow all the instructions and I failed at the 1st stage which was 'enjoy the program'





'Market Research' - they expect us to be honest with our answers why can't they be equally as honest with their questions instead of treating us like morons?

Rant over ...