RMG Research

BACKGROUND

Scott Rasmussen, a seasoned pollster with decades of experience, currently leads RMG Research and hosts the Scott Rasmussen Show, which provides weekly updates on the challenges and opportunities facing the U.S. from the perspective of everyday Americans. With a career marked by adapting to industry shifts, Scott has encountered numerous challenges in polling, including issues with respondent authenticity and data reliability. He has watched the polling environment evolve from in-person interviews and landline phone calls in the 1980s to digital surveys and mobile-first approaches.

CHALLENGE

Over the years, challenges have abounded in the polling sector, including poor response rates, obtaining representative sample - including hard-to-reach rural demographics - and most recently a jump in fake responses and bots. The amount of bad data coming in from some of RMG Research’s polls, which required extensive cleaning on the back-end, was frustrating and untenable in a fast-paced landscape. In addition, the company has some challenging surveys with special demographics, so they needed a sample provider that could deliver hard-to-reach populations. 

The evolving nature of the polling industry, coupled with the need for fast turnarounds for weekly reporting on the Scott Rasmussen Show, necessitated a solution that could ensure high-quality data while also providing responsive project management that could pivot quickly based on current events. In 2024 alone, the U.S. Presidential race experienced an assassination attempt and an 11th-hour candidate swap, which required extreme agility on the polling front. These are just two extreme examples of the need for professional pollsters to be able to find respondents, field surveys and process data very quickly

Solution

Rep Data became the trusted partner for RMG Research, addressing these challenges head-on. They took the relationship seriously, meeting with Scott and his team for a full day in order to deeply understand the business and its unique challenges, as well as plans for the future.

Rep Data’s focus on fraud mitigation and commitment to understanding the unique demands of the polling industry were key factors in this partnership. The company’s sophisticated Research Defender platform verifies that incoming data isn’t fraudulent, protecting from click farms and bots, eliminating ‘professional’ survey takers, screening open-end responses for fraud and more. This, along with experts who were able to expertly clean data before delivery and effectively target specific demographics, made Rep Data indispensable.

RESULTS

Working with Rep Data led to a substantial reduction in fraudulent responses, with bad data dropping to less than 1%. The partnership also allowed RMG Research to meet tight deadlines, thanks to Rep Data's responsive project management. In addition, Rep Data was able to deliver sample in difficult demographics, reaching targets and meeting stringent timetables. This collaboration has given RMG Research greater confidence in their polling data, ensuring accurate insights for a fast-paced, ever-evolving industry.

"We did a couple of tests with Rep Data and the “ data was so much better from a quality point of view, that we were instantly sold. We become so comfortable with the e‑orts of the Rep Data team and the quality of the data, that they are now our primary provider. They've made a real commitment to learning about our business. We think of them as a true partner, not just a vendor."

Scott Rasmussen, RMG Research