A Note to Our TSE Service Clients

TSE Services is committed to supporting our members through these difficult times. We want to reassure you of our goal to honor commitments without interruption during the ongoing COVID-19 virus pandemic.  Our team will carefully monitor this highly unpredictable situation and communicate any impacts that might affect business or create disruptions in project schedules in the coming weeks. 

So far, local and statewide “shelter in place” orders appear to have actually increased participation rates in member feedback efforts.  Based on initial data collection metrics, member participation in both telephone and online surveys have shown slight increases in participation since the COVID-19 outbreak hit America.  This finding should help ease fears that the pandemic would cause member participation in market research projects to drop significantly.

Starting Monday, March 16, TSE Services began a mandatory work from home policy. This directive has been initiated to minimize face to face interactions.  Rules have also been instituted to limit and monitor travel incurred by employees and members of their households along with policies for self-quarantine.

Below are actions we have taken regarding ongoing projects:

• Member Satisfaction Tracking Survey: TSE Services is working closely with our data collection partners, Data Decisions Group and SSRS to maintain uninterrupted online and phone data collection, analysis and reporting.  While online data collection has grown rapidly over the past three years, we rely on phone surveys for about 50% of member feedback.  As such, TSE Services is monitoring our call center partners to make sure member feedback is collected and that interviewers are able to complete their jobs in a safe and healthy environment. During the pandemic, our data collection partners are increasing their use of at-home interviewing systems to ensure business continuity and data security controls. We are also monitoring survey response rates during these challenging days to make sure participation in this study remains consistent with historical averages.  Programming, quality assurance, analysis and reporting can be performed remotely, and the team expects business as usual should the remote working situation continue for an extended period of time.
• National Survey on the Cooperative Difference:  TSE Services and Touchstone Energy Cooperatives are working closely with Bellomy Research to monitor survey implementation on this important project.  The planning team continues to monitor staffing and data collection workflow as the situation warrants.  Many of the same protocols put into place with the Member Satisfaction Tracking Survey are also in play with the National Survey on the Cooperative Difference. 
• Online Focus Groups:  TSE Services’ employs a cloud-based market research online community software platform that lets staff complete these important qualitative projects anywhere.  We do not anticipate any concerns associated with completing our online qualitative discussion groups.    

We look forward to fulfilling your research needs through the remainder of 2020 and beyond!