The MSG ARCS® IVR data collection system offers a powerful set of survey tools for self-completion interviewing.  PRO-T-S® greatly improves dialing productivity for live interviewers using various CATI systems.  We have combined these two technologies to allow research companies to easily do multi-mode interviewing. 

In a multi-mode survey, the process starts the same as for a standard live interview.  At some point in the CATI survey, PRO-T-S receives a request to transfer the respondent to the ARCS IVR system to complete the interview, freeing the interviewer to take another call.  Data from the live portion of the interview can be passed to the ARCS IVR system and used during the automated portion of the survey.

This allows the live interviewer to do what they do best - obtain the cooperation of the respondent, and the ARCS IVR system to do what it does best - deliver a consistent, unbiased interview.

Generation I of the ARCS/PRO-T-S integration is available now.  Generation II, available toward the end of this year, will include a combined telephony platform for PRO-T-S and ARCS and several advanced telephony features.