Survey fraud is a big concern in the research and insights world — but what if the bigger threat to data quality isn’t bots at all?
Jennifer Reid, Co-CEO at Rival Group (the parent company of Rival Technologies and Reach3 Insights), recently shared her perspective in Greenbook. Her article, “Losing Insights to Boredom, Not Bots: Poor Respondent Experiences Are Killing Data Quality,” is a wake-up call for the industry: yes, fraud detection is essential, but we can't stop there.
As Jennifer puts it: “The biggest threat to data quality is not always fake respondents. It is real ones who are bored, fatigued, or simply not engaged.”
Fraud has been stealing the spotlight lately — especially after the Op4G and Slice indictment, which raised major concerns about the integrity of research data. Industry groups, vendors, and brand researchers have doubled down on fraud detection. Associations like the Market Research Society have even called data quality an “existential issue” for the industry.
But here’s the kicker: even after you weed out click farms and bad actors, there’s still a problem. Many people are rushing through surveys with little thought, simply trying to get to the end.
“Fatigue, boredom, confusing flows, or a sense that their responses don’t matter—these are all quiet killers of good insights,” Jennifer explains. “And the worst part is, these problems are fixable. We just have to start caring enough to fix them.”
So the real question becomes: how do we design surveys that respects participants and inspires more authentic, thoughtful responses?
Jennifer shares four practical strategies for boosting engagement and improving data quality:
Dry, test-like surveys don’t cut it anymore. Chat-style formats that feel like natural conversations make research more intuitive, especially on mobile, and lead to better insights.
“Mobile-first, chat-style formats go a long way toward making the process feel intuitive and enjoyable, and that shows up in your data,” Jennifer says.
In one of our recent research-on-research, one respondent summed it up perfectly: “It feels like I’m actually talking to a person…I like it and it’s not like I’m just filling out a quiz in the back of a school classroom.”
Nobody enjoys long, repetitive surveys. NO ONE!
That's why Jennifer recommends being ruthless: if your draft survey takes more than 10 minutes to finish, it’s too long.
And if you’re running a top insight community platform, don’t waste time asking questions you already know the answers to. Use profile data to your advantage.
Better questions lead to richer responses. Rival’s own research shows that traditional surveys average just 10 words per open-end. Switch to a more conversational approach and you’ll get about 25. Add AI probing and that number jumps to 48. Ask for video feedback and you can get an average of 78 words per response.
When a respondent zones out, speeds through a survey, or just clicks buttons to get to the end, that data is still technically 'clean' by many standards. But let’s be honest, it’s not data that is thoughtful.
That’s not just more content—it’s more nuance, more emotion, and more context. And in an era where AI is powering analysis, quality inputs matter more than ever.
People want to know their voices are valued. Jennifer suggests simple things like sharebacks, thank-you videos, or updates on how their feedback influenced decisions.
These gestures build trust and keep respondents engaged—especially in ongoing insights communities or market research panels.
If you’re serious about improving data quality and building stronger trust with participants, here’s where to start:
Audit your surveys for length, tone, and flow. Would you personally complete them? If not, make them conversational.
Test conversational formats to see how they impact completion rates and engagement.
Measure thoughtfulness, not just LOI or completion. Rival’s Thoughtfulness Scoring, for example, quantifies the depth and richness of open-ends.
Invest in relationships. Treat respondents as partners in research, not just data sources.
Fraud prevention will always matter—but stopping there means overlooking the bigger issue. As Jennifer reminds us: “We lose more insights to boredom and burnout than we do to bots. It’s time we start designing with that in mind.”
For organizations committed to better data and deeper customer relationships, rethinking the respondent experience isn’t optional anymore. It’s a competitive edge.
Looking to learn more? Check out best practices and see how companies like John Deere, Coca-Cola, Kellanova and Time Out are already using it in our ebook, 9 Conversational Research Principles.
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