I have been selected..

[Spoon of Ploff]

... for an important study carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It must be important because they enclosed a five pounds worth of gift token. So at some point I'm to let a stranger into my place or residence to ask me questions about stuff and things. That sounds like a lot of fun.

Has anyone else had the ONS round? Did you make up a lot of silly answers for a laugh, thereby warping  the decisions the Govt may have made affecting you... your family... your community? Should I try haggling for an extra gift token? Should I pretend I'm not in when they call?

[gilbertharding]

I was selected a few years ago. I answered their questions as honestly as possible

It was fairly painless, except they rang back three or four times over the course of the next year to see if my answers had changed.

There was absolutely no mention of a gift voucher though.

[BlodwynPig]

"6 times a day or at least until the chafing becomes too much"

[Blinder Data]

Some ONS woman with a clipboard started bothering me once just as I was waiting to board a plane. What a weird job.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Some ONS woman with a clipboard started bothering me once just as I was waiting to board a plane. What a weird job.

I had one in a train station and I was going along with it but then she said 'could you tell me your phone number' so I went all Bartleby the Scrivener and told her 'I'd prefer not to' and she got a bit passive aggressive and said 'OK, I can't make you do anything you don't want to'.

[Spoon of Ploff]

There was absolutely no mention of a gift voucher though.

Maybe the gift voucher in advance is to guilt trip folk into letting them ask their questions. Ah well. As long as they're not expecting a cup of tea and a sit down in a comfy chair (i don't have any comfy chairs).

[kaprisky]

We were selected a few years ago and they didn't even get inside the front door. Loads of letters trying to get us to answer their questions and about three different visitors. Eventually filled out a form telling them no one lived at the property and haven't been bothered since. The strange thing was that the second of these visitors clearly had our phone number but all of the letters were marked 'occupier' rather than anyone's names at the address.

And we got a set of first class stamps instead of a gift voucher.

[ollyboro]

DO NOT LET THESE CUNTS IN.

Once they've made peaceable entry they don't have to leave. If you must answer their questions, do it through your letterbox.

[Bobtoo]

We agreed to do a survey and I did a couple of phone ones after that. I was promised a gift voucher at least once but I'm pretty sure I never got one.

[Zero Gravitas]

[edit]Totally wrong thread for that![/edit]

[bomb_dog]

We did this, and the questions aren't really much of a problem. Nothing too intrusive if you don't mind telling the stats office your salary, working hours and how happy you are at the moment. Having done some marketing and questionnaire type research at university I've always had an interest in what questions are asked in this sort of thing. I expected some questions on things like brexit and the impact you're seeing at work, but it wasn't mentioned.

[kngen]

I once got stopped in the street and asked if I wanted to take part in a beer-tasting survey. 'Fucking right I do!' I replied. But then, on asking what my occupation was, they told me journalists weren't allowed to participate. I don't think I'd experienced such intense joy so quickly followed by misery since that grim month when I had a bout of Viagra-induced sex headaches.

[Spoon of Ploff]

I once got stopped in the street and asked if I wanted to take part in a beer-tasting survey. 'Fucking right I do!' I replied. But then, on asking what my occupation was, they told me journalists weren't allowed to participate. I don't think I'd experienced such intense joy so quickly followed by misery since that grim month when I had a bout of Viagra-induced sex headaches.

I once got stopped in the street and asked if I wanted to look at some bottles of wine and say which labels I liked the best. Sure, why not, it's not like I'd anything better to do... I did get a free bottle of plonk for m'trouble which would have been nice if it didn't turn out to be the worst corner shop piss of a red I'd had in living memory... I mean I almost couldn't finish it it was that bad.

[Malcy]

Never had ONS at the door but i did have someone call and ask to give me a tracker to track my every move to see which forms of public transport i used. Yeah right...

https://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,64110.msg3328456.html#msg3328456

On anther note, I've been doing online surveys for a while and I've had a fair bit out of them. Just last month i did an alcohol research one but on the day it started they said we weren't getting any samples. Bastards. Still about 20 mins work for a £40 Amazon voucher. I'm redeeming a £10 Amazon voucher every week or so at the moment which is good.

[Spoon of Ploff]

Well this happened today so I can spend that token with a clear conscience. Just a few questions on the topic of jahhbz. Bit mundane  really. Although the bloke doing the questions said they sometimes had dental surveys, with real dentists turning up on peoples doorsteps asking to check their teeth.

Maybe he was pulling my leg.

[Neville Chamberlain]

Are these the people who come up to you in the street and ask you things like what kind of ice cream you buy?

[Spoon of Ploff]

Are these the people who come up to you in the street and ask you things like what kind of ice cream you buy?

Dunno. Did they offer a £5 gift token if you helped them out?