Frequently Asked Questions

How does the research panel work?

Once you sign up to be part of our research panel, you will be asked some profile questions about you. The more questions you answer, the greater your chance of being picked for a project. When we have a project, we generally send an email with a link to a pre-screening questionnaire. You simply complete the online screening survey, and if you qualify to take part, one of our highly trained staff will contact you, check your responses, and then book you in for the group discussion or individual interview.

What types of research do you do?

Mostly focus groups, in-depth interviews, online questionnaires, and website usability assessments. We also have a mystery shopping arm, which you can sign up to here. Sometimes we are looking for people to participate in interviews for the media, including TV, radio and news websites / papers. You can choose which projects you do, or do not wish to participate in.

Will I always qualify for the research?

Not always. Every project has specific criteria, which you must qualify for before you are invited to take part in the focus groups or individual interviews. The more screening surveys you complete, the better the chance you have of qualifying to take part and being selected to take part

How much will I be paid?

This depends on each project. We consider how long it takes, whether travel is involved, and whether there are any follow up questions. Focus groups generally pay $80+ online, or $100+ face to face. We always tell you how much you will be paid when we invite you to participate. We don’t generally pay people for completing the screening questionnaires.

How will I be paid?

Generally by cash (at a face to face event) or bank transfer (online), but some of our government clients request that people are paid in gift cards that cannot be redeemed for gambling, tobacco or alcohol.

When will I be paid

Face to face groups can be paid after the group has taken place if the incentive is paid in cash. Gift card can also be provided at the completion of the group. Electronic food vouchers or eft’s are processed once a week

Is there a limit to the number of times a person can participate in focus groups or interviews?

Our clients all have different participation requirements. Some have no restrictions on how many focus group or individual interviews a person can attend, whilst others restrict participation to once or twice a year.

What equipment do I need to take part in the research?

For face to face focus groups, you do not have to provide any equipment. If you are selected to take part in an online, or virtual group, you will need to have a laptop, pc or tablet, a mic, speakers and camera, and a good internet connection. This should be done in a quiet location, free from distractions

Can I bring my family and friends?

In some instances, it may be possible to bring along a family member or a friend as long they also pass the screener and qualify to take part in the research. We will always advise you if you can bring along a friend or family member during the confirmation call to you if you qualify to take part.

Is my personal information, including my bank details, safe and confidential?

Lonergan have a very stringent policy on which staff member has access to participant bank details. Only specific staff have access to participant bank details. Once your incentive has been processed by EFT, the bank detail are deleted permanently from our servers. If you do happen to take part in additional sessions, we will request your details again. Lonergan has very stringent data protection procedures, and we will shortly gain ISO27001 (information security) accreditation.

What happens if I change my personal details

You can log in at any time and update your details. You may also request to be removed from our database at any time

How is confidentiality handled

Lonergan Research complies with all Privacy Acts relating to Market Research and we are also fully accredited to ISO 20252. Our privacy policy and confidentiality statement concerning data collection can be accessed here.