The future of F2F and CATI

In this article from the recently released Global Prices Study 2025, industry expert and the report’s sounding board member, Urpi Torrado shares her perspectives on the questions: How will F2F and CATI evolve in the future? What can we expect as operational costs rise, and how can they adapt in response to lower-cost technologies and other innovations?

Global Prices Study 2025 data shows the highest increase in the median prices between measurement periods in the research industry. This rise is particularly notable in methodologies relying on face-to-face (F2F) or telephone (CATI) interviews. While the median hourly rate for professionals in the sector has also increased, the growth is not proportional to the overall rise in costs, suggesting that the largest cost pressures are linked to data collection rather than professional fees.

Fieldwork for in-person surveys has become significantly more expensive. Transportation costs have surged, and the growing challenge of public safety adds another layer of complexity. Conducting surveys in areas with increasing crime rates requires additional safety measures, insurance, or logistical adjustments, all of which push costs upward.

Telephone surveys, once a cost-effective alternative to in-person data collection, are now facing their own challenges. The overuse of telemarketing has led to respondent fatigue, with many individuals refusing to answer calls from unknown numbers. Caller ID technology makes it easy for people to screen and block unfamiliar calls, further reducing contact and completion rates. As a result, maintaining sample quality and representativeness in CATI projects is becoming more resource-intensive.

F2F fieldwork is likely to evolve toward a more specialised role, concentrating on hard-to-reach populations or studies that require rich qualitative insights. In some cases, hybrid models may offer a practical balance—using in-person recruitment to establish trust and engagement, then continuing the survey process online to reduce logistical complexity.

Technology is already deeply embedded in both F2F and CATI operations, not always as a cost-reduction tool, but as a means to improve speed, streamline processes, and strengthen quality controls. From real-time data validation to GPS-enabled monitoring of interviewers, these tools enhance reliability and transparency, even if they do not fully offset rising operational costs.

In the end, the survival of F2F and CATI will depend on using them only where they bring unmatched value, sharpening efficiency, and letting technology handle operational complexity. But the real worth lies not in the method or the technology; it’s in the quality of the insights they deliver, enabling a deeper, more accurate understanding of people.

Esomar’s Global Prices Study is a biannual study that delves into the prices of market research projects across the globe. Download the report to benchmark your prices against the global, regional and country-level median prices.