The Time Slot feature is based on the premise that respondents behave according to a pattern of routines which is repeated on a weekly basis.
The purpose of the time slot feature is to maximize the chance of establishing contact with a respondent by systematically cycling calls through different windows of opportunity (time slots). It also serves to minimize fruitless calls during periods of the day/week when the respondent is unlikely to be reachable. You can define up to 99 different time slots.
A time slot is a grouping of time segments during a typical week. Each segment is defined by the day of the week to which it applies and its time frame (Begin/End). You create a time slot by defining its time frame, and specifying the days of the week to which it applies.
If a call-back rule is applied that has the Hours/Time Slot or Time Slot unit specified, its specified call back delay is used set the call-back date/time, and time slot constraint will be activated.
When time slot constraint is active, implementation of the next call-back time works as follows:
The call-back will be prevented from being dispatched in any time slot that has already been attempted for the maximum number of permitted times (for the current case).
For any case (respondent), when all time slots have been attempted for the maximum number of permitted times, two options are available:
Time slot constraint will be lifted for this case i.e. the case will be available for call-back as soon as its call-back date/time has been reached.
The case will be dropped i.e. it will not be called back.
Warning: It is best to avoid defining time slots with overlapping time segments. A case whose ‘Max Counter’ had been reached in one time slot will be prevented from being dispatched even if another time slot whose ‘Max Counter’ has not been reached has a similar time segment. In the event that time segments do overlap, the call will be registered only in the first matching time slot in the table.
The Time Slot page displays a table of all time slots (incorporating their time segments) that have been added. Each time slot bears its unique Time Slot number.
To add a Time Slot, click on the New button. The Delete button deletes the Time Slot currently selected/highlighted in the list. The Accept and Cancel buttons apply to any changes that you have made since editing the page. You may copy Time Slots from another project.
|
Field/Button |
Description |
|
Time Slot |
The Time Slot number. |
|
Weekdays |
Check-boxes to select the day(s) of the week to which the time slot applies. |
|
Begin/End |
Beginning and ending time of the time segments. Format hh:mm. |
|
Max Counter |
The value of the call counter at which a case will be blocked from being dispatched in the time slot. |
|
Reset on Level |
This option will reset the call counter to 0 when a new Level (associated with a case result) is reached. Levels are described in the design of INT questions. The Extended Call-back Rules describe how the case result (and level) can be automatically set based on pre-defined sequences of call results. |
|
Max Counter Override |
This feature enables the Max Counter to be replaced by an alternative max counter when the case reaches a specified Level (see 'Reset on Level' immediately above). Several levels, with their max counters, can be specified.
|
|
Scattering Distribution |
Controls the portion of the Time Slot available for randomly setting the call-back time. For example a 4 hour Time Slot with a scattering of 75% means that the call-back can be randomly placed within the first 3 hours, but the last hour is not eligible for CB placement. A scattering of 0% will set all the call-backs to the beginning of the time slot. |
A rule bearing a Time Slot unit activates time slot constraint when the 'Max Counter' has been reached. However, the subsequent application of a call-back rule which uses any other unit deactivates time slot constraint for that case.
Regardless of whether time slot constraint is active or not, all call attempts are classified into the corresponding time slot(s).
In Sample Management, when assigning call-backs, you can activate/deactivate the time-slot constraint on a case-by-case basis.
Classification of a call into a time slot is based on the respondent's time, not local time.
In the Data Browser, a visual display indicates the number of times that calls have been made in each time slot. Whether time slot constraint is currently active or not is also indicated.
Take a simple scenario where you have a single telephone number for each case, but it is not known whether it is a home or work number. If there is no reply to a call made during working hours, then the following attempt is to be made during non-working hours; and vice-versa.
We define three time slots:
Time Slot 1 encompasses working hours as Mon-Fri, 9:00-17:00. It comprises 5 days.
Time Slot 2 encompasses non-working hours Mon-Fri, 17:00-20:00. It comprises 5 days.
Time Slot 3 encompasses non-working hours Sat-Sun: 9:00-20:00. It comprises 2 days.
