ComRes to roll out automated phone polling service

The firm first used the proprietary technology during the build up to May’s general election, when it was contracted by ITV News to run surveys in the minutes after the televised leadership debates.

ComRes said that it will initially offer instant polling among pre-recruited or client-supplied samples and that it plans to start by “aggressively” targeting the advertising sector.

Chairman and founder Andrew Hawkins (pictured) said: “We’ve shown how this can work under the massive pressure of a general election campaign. But the technology fits perfectly the need for market research where speed is essential – such as ad testing or in crisis management situations where opinion testing can be vital to making an appropriate public response. In some situations automated telephone surveys work better than online, such as where a client needs a very fast reaction to external events.”

The company eventually aims to offer access to its system to other research companies on a subscriber basis.