Probing / Clarifying

1. Lead the Answer:  The agent should never lead the respondent into an answer, even if you feel the respondent means that answer. This is counted as an error.

 Example of the Good way to do it:

 Agent:  "In general, compared to other people your age, would you say that your health is: Excellent, Very good, Good, Fair, or poor?"

Respondent: "Fairly Good"

 Agent: "With that being said, would you like me to mark Fair, or Good on this question?"

Example of the wrong way to do it:

 Agent:  "In general, compared to other people your age, would you say that your health is: Excellent, Very good, Good, Fair, or poor?"

Respondent: "Fairly Good"
Agent: "So, I'll mark it down good for you. Okay?"

2. Probe: The agent must ask effective, relevant questions to get the respondent to answer the question. Missed or weak probing is counted as an error.

 Example:  

Agent:  "In general, compared to other people your age, would you say that your health is: Excellent, Very good, Good, Fair, or poor?"

Respondent: I really don't know many other people my own age. 
Agent: "In general, would you say that your health is: Excellent, Very good, Good, Fair, or Poor?"
Respondent: "It's good."

3. Clarify: The agent should restate or clarify information to ensure accuracy and avoid misunderstandings. Failure to clarify when needed is an audit error.

 Example:
Agent:  "Our records show that in the last six months, you visited a provider named [PROVIDER NAME]. Is that right?" 

Respondent: "I have not seen that provider for about 2 years now." 

Agent: "Okay, just to clarify, so you have not seen [PROVIDER NAME] in the last 6 months, is that correct?"

 Respondent: "Yes, that is correct."

4. Confirm: The agent must confirm the vague answer choice. 

Not confirming key details counts as an error.

 Agent:  "In general, compared to other people your age, would you say that your health is: Excellent, Very good, Good, Fair, or poor?"

Respondent:  " I think it's very good." 

 Agent: "Just to confirm, would you like me to mark Very Good for this question?"

Respondent: "Yes"

5. Pin: The agent is expected to pin down the respondent's answers. 

Missing a pin is counted as an error.
Example:
Agent: In the last 6 months, when you contacted this provider’s office to get an appointment for care you needed right away, how often did you get an appointment as soon as you needed? Would you say: Never, Sometimes, Usually, or Always? 

Respondent: "Usually, always."

Agent: "I can only mark one answer for the survey. With that being said, would you like me to mark Usually or Always for the question?"

Major Fail Rule:

• If the agent accumulates four or more total errors in any combination of leading, probing, clarifying, confirming, or pinning, it results in a major fail.
  
  

• If the agent misses any single behavior four or more times, it also results in a major fail.