616-942-6880

ask your congressman if he could put survey taker on the do not call list. he'll tell you he'll try but it will never get done. If it does, politicians will not be able to poll people. Just answer your phone.

I work for this company...they're simply carrying out surveys that clients pay them to design and collect data for.  The best way to get people to stop calling (besides taking a few minutes out of your busy schedule to do a short survey) is to listen to the introduction (don't interrupt them!) and if you really don't want to participate, tell them AFTER they finished reading the introduction.  They may try to convince you to do the survey anyway...we're trained to do that, we're just trying to do our job.  If you still refuse, then you get removed from "the list".  By the way, there isn't a list, and it makes no difference whether or not you are on a "do not call" list.  This list is for telemarketers, and Directions in Research, as well as other research companies, are NOT telemarketers.  Telemarketers sell things, research companies don't.  Depending on the survey, you may even get paid if you qualify and answer all of the questions.

What happens is our computers randomly dial numbers in whatever geographic area we are calling.  If your number was called once and you didn't answer, or the callers got a machine, or you hung up on the callers without giving them a chance to get a word in edge wise, then the dialer is automatically set to call you back.  That's just how it works.  Save yourself and the "research specialists" who are simply trying to make a living some grief and be polite and cooperative.  It's really not that hard to do.  I understand there's a lot of phone scammers out there, but not everyone is out to get you...some of us are college educated folks who simply can't find a job in our field and are doing the best we can to pay our bills.  These surveys are usually quite short, and some of them have very specific qualifications (like the one mentioned earlier where the respondent was asked whether they had a child between 3 and 16 months of age), so you might not even qualify.  Please just make our jobs easier and be cooperative.

Wrong, Bruno. Why don't you answer and then your theory can be either validated or proven to be wrong? Why is it so hard to answer a phone? If a message isn't left, obviously they don't need a call back. It's only harassment if you request not to be called and the calls continue.

It's good you did answer. Now, you're not gonna get another call!

Only a moron would do as you suggest.  You and your employer are the scum of the earth.

This is blog/thread is too funny.  I agree that if you want to provide input to a survey (now that you know what it is) do it if you want to-- some people like to do that.  I, like many others here do not answer cell phone calls from numbers I don't recognize, since if it's someone that knows me that'll leave a message.  When they don't I add them to my contacts as SPAM and block them is that easy.  As far as the mormon comment, it was funny...but they're great people!

Get a real job and stop harassing people...

Grand Rapids Office

Directions In Research, Inc.
2401 Camelot Court SE, Suite C
Grand Rapids, MI 49546-6083
(616) 942-6880
Driving directions

Kevin Scheppman
Senior Vice President of Field Operations
kscheppman@diresearch.com



Directions In Research is a market research company and is exempt from the "Do Not Call" list. However, if you do wish to have your telephone number removed from the list that was used to contact you for a specific research project, you may send an email to removefromlist@diresearch.com.

This number called my cell phone.  I answered and it was a woman asking for someone by the name of Katie. I told her she had reached a wrong number and she said "sorry," then she hung up.
I don't know anyone in Michigan (I'm in Texas) and I don't feel right about this call, so I added it to my reject list.

This is legit.  It is a research company.

The problem with them calling is I am on the national do not call list and my state do not call list. So I should not be receiving calls from them in the first place.

The problem is you do not understand what either your state or the Federal Do Not Call lists actually cover. Survey calls of this type are exempt and the caller has no idea you are on the lists and cannot even gain access to these lists since their type of call is not covered.  They are required to maintain an internal Do Not Call list and place you on it within 30 days when requested. Most state laws mirror the Federal law but if they go beyond it, call centers such as this are aware of and obey the stricter state laws where they exist.

That is complete horse crap for a simple reason. WE DON'T YOU OR ANYONE CALLING US FOR ANYTHING THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH US.

"Directions in Research" is not telemarketing? - again- horse crap. Everything leads to ways to better sell us stuff.

Your "sugggestion" means that I interrupt whatever I'm doing and have to listen to someone's pitch to sell or have us take a survey. It's an irritant and with every cell call potentially costing the recipient money, it should be illegal.

So what if you work for that company. If I were to do something at random times to you - making you waste even a moment of your day - you would be irate.

why should anyone waste their time to answer your survey. the responder gets nothing out of it except wasted time

I just got a phone call from them, but I didn't answer. My phone number is on the "Do not call" list... Crap!

You are all being cruel to this employee. He or she is doing a job 5 days a week just like yourselves. Im sure a number of u are in sales and make telephone cold calls or outside sales calls so u are doing the same thing. We are told to.  love each other not complain because your phone rings. LET IT RING AND GET A LIFE!! Some day you'll struggle and hope someone empathizes with you. By the way, if you were really so important that u can't answer your phone shouldn't you be having a secretary answer it and you're not. Move your ego over and get real
be bothered

no thanks to many scams out there some just take you answering phone. To charge you for something you don't want so kiss off

Got a call on the cell phone from this place/person/company. If they're legitimate why do they not leave either ID or a message. Blocked it.

Received call from "Direction In" at work but they didn't leave a message.
I've options to deal with this: 1. Rant and complain  2. Don't answer  3. Answer and be removed from their call list.  4. Use my phone capabilities to block or reroute the call.
I'll chose either 2-4 because they're productive.

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I receive calls from this number a lot. Never answer as I am trying to save them some cash. You see, I am out of country and it could cost them quite a bit of money if they keep me on the line long. My number works here but international rates apply.