Surety Bond Guarantee Fee Reduction Study Survey

Appendix C.7 – Telephone Reminder Script

Initial Contact

Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME]. I'm calling from (or on behalf of) the U.S. Small Business Administration to follow up on an email that we sent on [DATE] to [SURETY AGENT NAME/RESPONDENT]. Would that be you?

(IF SPEAKING TO THE RESPONDENT, GO TO B1.)

(IF SPEAKING TO SOMEONE ELSE, SAY:) Is there a direct line to reach him/her, or could you please transfer me to (RESPONDENT’S NAME)?

(IF YES, RECORD CONTACT NUMBER IN SPACE BELOW. ENTER THIS NUMBER IN THE MESSAGE FIELD AT THE END OF THE CALL.)

(IF TRANSFERRED AND PERSON ANSWERS, GO TO B2.)

(IF NO NUMBER AND NOT TRANSFERRED, GO TO A.)

(IF TRANSFERRED BUT VOICEMAIL RECEIVED, GO TO D.)

RESPONDENT’S DIRECT PHONE NUMBER:

Is he/she available?

☐ YES (GO TO B2. IF TRANSFERRED.)

☐ NO (GO TO A. RESPONDENT NOT AVAILABLE.)

A. Respondent Not Available

(IF SPEAKING TO A PERSON WHO IS NOT THE RESPONDENT): The email we sent to [SURETY AGENT’S NAME/RESPONDENT] on [DATE] linked to a web survey from the U.S. Small Business Administration for an Evaluation of Fees on SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program. The web survey was designed to be completed by [SURETY FIRM RESPONDENT’S NAME] or any staff member(s) who are most knowledgeable about the Surety Bond Guarantee Program and the reduced fees.

Do you know whether [SURETY AGENT’S NAME/RESPONDENT] might have forwarded the email to someone else to complete the survey?

☐ Yes, knows name of new person.

May I have the name, title, and contact information for that person? (ENTER THE CONTACT INFORMATION IN THE MESSAGE FIELD.)

THANK THE PERSON FOR THE CONTACT INFORMATION AND INDICATE YOU WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE RESPONDENT.

Thank you very much for providing the information for [SURETY FIRM CONTACTS’S NAME]. We will follow-up with them regarding the study’s survey.

USE THE NEW CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE SURVEY RESPONDENT AND RESTART SCRIPT.

CONTACT:

☐ No, does not know name or whether given to someone else. (CONTINUE BELOW.)

Would you please leave a message for [SURETY AGENT’S NAME/RESPONDENT] mentioning that [YOUR NAME] called from the U.S. Small Business Administration to follow up on an email that we sent him/her on [DATE] about the web survey for the Evaluation of Fees on SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program study? When is a good time to call back? If [SURETY FIRM RESPONDENT’S NAME] prefers, she/he can reach me at [EMAIL]. (END OF CALL.)

Callback Date/Time:

If person on phone transfers you to voicemail: (GO TO D. VOICEMAIL SCRIPT.)

B. Script for When Respondent Is on the Phone:

B1. If Speaking to Respondent on Initial Contact

The email was an invitation to complete the Surety Bond Guarantee Program Impacts on the Fee Reduction web survey for the Evaluation of Fees on SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program study. (GO TO B3. STUDY INTRODUCTION.)

B2. If Transferred

Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I’m calling from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The U.S. Small Business Administration and its contractor, 2M Research, are conducting a web survey. We sent you a letter on [DATE] inviting you to complete the Surety Bond Guarantee Program Impacts on the Fee Reduction web survey for the Evaluation of Fees on SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program study. Your participation is voluntary; however, the Small Business Administration will use the results of this survey to better understand surety firms’ and agents’ perceptions of the fee reductions and their explanations of how these reductions affected their bonding practices and processes. (GO TO B3. STUDY INTRODUCTION.)

B3. Study Introduction

We noticed that you haven’t completed this survey yet, so we just wanted to be sure that you received our letter and email reminders.

B4. Verify Contact Information

The email address we have for you is [EMAIL]. Is that correct? (UPDATE IF NECESSARY AND CONFIRM THAT THE LOGIN INFORMATION WILL BE SENT RIGHT AWAY.)

B5. Respond to Questions or Concerns

1. Do you have any questions about the study?

☐ YES (ANSWER QUESTIONS USING FAQ, THEN GO TO QUESTION 2; IF THE RESPONDENT HAS A QUESTION TO WHICH YOU DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER, ASK IF YOU MAY HAVE YOUR SUPERVISOR CALL THEM BACK; THEN GO TO QUESTION 2.)

☐ NO (GO TO QUESTION 2.)

2. Have you been able to access the web survey?

☐ YES Great! (GO TO QUESTION 3.)

☐ NO Okay. I’m sorry to hear that. (GO TO QUESTION 4.)

3. Have you been able to access and start the web survey?

☐ YES Great! Please remember to complete the web survey as soon as possible. (GO TO B6. RESEND LINK SECTION.)

☐ NO Okay. I’m sorry to hear that. (GO TO QUESTION 4.)

4. Did you have trouble with the link to the web survey?

☐ YES You may be viewing the PDF document of the web survey, which will not allow you to type anything. To work on the web survey, please open the email that we sent. (STAFF MEMBER WILL NEED TO GUIDE RESPONDENT AND MAKE SURE THEY CLICK THE RIGHT LINK.) If you scroll down in the window that pops up from clicking the link, you should see an option to move forward through the web survey. Click this and continue with the web survey.

☐ NO Okay. Please remember to complete the web survey as soon as possible. (GO TO B7. WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER BY PHONE.)

B6. Resend Link

If you don’t have any other questions, would you like for me to resend the link to the web survey?

☐ YES I’ll get that email to you shortly. (GO TO B7. WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER BY PHONE.)

☐ NO Okay. Please remember to complete the web survey as soon as possible. (GO TO B7. WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER BY PHONE.)

B7. Would Like to Answer by Phone

Would you like to complete the web survey by phone now? We should be able to complete the web survey in about 15 minutes.

☐ NO Can we make an appointment for a better time? Day: Time:

(GO TO C1. REMINDER AND THANK YOU.)

☐ YES (SWITCH TO SURVEY MODULE. UPON COMPLETION OF SURVEY, GO TO C2. THANK YOU.)

C. Reminders

C1. Reminder and Thank You (only if did not complete by phone)

I encourage you to complete the survey by Month XX, 2020. Please do not hesitate to contact the SBA survey help desk by emailing (SPELL OUT THE EMAIL ADDRESS) [EMAIL].

Thank you for your time. (END OF CALL.)

C2. Thank You (if completed by phone)

Thank you very much for completing the Fee Reduction Impacts on the Surety Bond Guarantee Program web survey. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the SBA survey help desk by emailing (SPELL OUT THE EMAIL ADDRESS) [email protected]. (END OF CALL.)

D. Voicemail Script

Hello, I’m [YOUR NAME]. I’m calling from U.S. Small Business Administration about the web survey we are conducting on behalf of the Evaluation of Fees on SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program study. We have not yet received your response to this web survey, and we hope you will finish it soon. You can access the web survey using the link we emailed to you. If you have not received the email with your link or have any questions or concerns about the web survey, please do not hesitate to contact the SBA survey help desk any time by emailing (SPELL OUT THE EMAIL ADDRESS) [email protected]. (END OF CALL.)