Hang-Up During Introduction (HUDI)

A telephone interview that is terminated by the respondent during the introduction of the interview shortly after an interviewer has made contact is called a hang-up during introduction (HUDI). HUDI is a form of refusal to the survey request that is growing in occurrence and provides little or no opportunity for the interviewer to overcome the respondent objection.

The most difficult time to assure success in a telephone interview is during the first few seconds of the call. During this time, the interviewer has to identify the purpose and legitimacy of the call. In the past two decades, there has been an increasing tendency for respondents to hang up on the interviewer during this time without completing a full interaction with the interviewer. In contrast, in ...