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Cint Exchange Reconciliation Policy

Cint offers a reconciliation process that allows buyers to remove completes that do not meet quality standards. All buyers are responsible for submitting their own reversals and every reversal must include a reason. Reconciliations must have a reason code associated with each individual ID being reversed. Please see below for instructions on when it is acceptable to reverse completes, the process for doing so, and the responsibilities of buyers who choose to use this ability. Cint reserves the right to request supporting documentation for reversals and may overturn any reversal that does not have a valid reason or adhere to the below.

Acceptable Reasons for Negative Reconciliation (Reversal)

The following fraudulent behaviors are acceptable reasons to disqualify a complete:

1. Straight-lining (Code 932)

  • Definition: Respondent selects all answers on questions in a straight-line, demonstrating the respondent was not reasonably paying attention to the survey question.
  • Supporting Data: RIDs, questionnaire and answers.

2. Speeder (Code 933)

  • Definition: Respondent’s length of interview (LOI) was outside of the reasonable LOI for the survey.
  • Supporting Data: RIDs, respondent’s LOI, as calculated by entry and exit time, compared to other respondents’ LOIs.

3. Ghost Complete (Code 935)

  • Definition: Cint’s platform registers a complete for a respondent, but there is no evidence of that respondent in the survey.
  • Supporting Data: RIDs with associated response codes and/or complete status.
  • NOTE: To remove respondents for this reason, the survey must be using one of the link security methods provided by Cint.

4. Poor Quality Open end (Including Repetitive, Vulgar, and Nonsensical) (Code 934)

  • Definition: Open-end responses in the survey are repetitive (i.e., the same answers for all open ends, or the same answers for multiple responses), contain vulgar language, are nonsensical, not pertaining to the questions, or include random strings of letters, words, or sentences.
  • Supporting Data: RIDs, questionnaire and answers.

5. Inconsistent Answers (Code 936)

  • Definition: Respondent answers differ from the Cint platform and survey; example: age mismatch.
  • Supporting Data: RIDs, Cint platform qualifications, questionnaire and answers.

6. Unspecified Fraud (Code 930)

  • Definition: Undefined fraudulent activity is present.
  • Supporting Data: RIDs, questionnaire and answers.

Adjusted Completed (Code 11)

  • Definition: Respondent was adjusted from another status to complete via reconciliation.

If you do not have a reason for the reversal, please provide (Code 26) for “No Reason Provided” to the corresponding RID. Cint reserves the right to request supporting documentation if no reason for the reversal is provided, and this may result in the reversal being overturned.

Unacceptable Reasons for Reversal

The following behaviors are examples of unacceptable reasons to disqualify a complete:

  1. Disqualifying a respondent due to survey side setup errors (Code 940).
  2. Inaccurate CPI – Launching a project with the incorrect CPI (Code 941).
  3. Incorrect Qualifications and Quotas – Improper setup of targeting and/or quotas within the Cint platform (Code 942).
  4. Project Overfilling – Failure to use the proper quota calculation type (Code 943).
  5. Bulk terminations due to partially impacted data. Only flagged sessions can be reconciled. (Code 944). Legitimate sessions should not be reversed because they are adjacent to flagged sessions.

Reconciling to Complete

If a technical error prevents the recording of a complete status in the Cint platform, buyers must reconcile sessions. This ensures the respondents and suppliers are properly compensated for their effort.

Reconciliation Timeline

Buyers are encouraged to complete the reversal process as soon as possible. Reconciliations can be completed until the 25th of the following month after the individual RID timestamp to adjust the status. The Cint Exchange operates within the Central Time Zone. The end of the 25th takes place at 12:00 AM CST. It is important to note the timeline is based on the time of completion of each RID and not the completion of the project overall. All status reversals and billing adjustments must occur through the reversal process within the reversal window.

For example, a complete timestamped on April 7th needs to be reversed no later than May 25th. A complete timestamped on September 30th would need to be reversed no later than October 25th. Cint audit and final approval may be completed up to the final calendar day of the month.

NOTE: In order to receive optimal support, best practice is to reconcile as soon as you have the final RIDs.

Reconciliations Reasons

Every reversal must be substantiated with a reversal reason. A reason must be provided with each associated RID. Failure to provide a reversal reason may result in the overturning of the reversal.

Reconciliation Audits

All reconciliations are subject to review to ensure data quality and buyers may be required to provide substantiating data (including respondent answers and survey questionnaires) in order for an audited reconciliation to be approved. Cint reserves the right to request supporting documentation for reconciliations and may overturn any reversal that does not have a valid reason submitted within the specified timeframe. If a survey is flagged for audit, the project manager will be notified and asked to provide more detail on the reconciliation reasons for each RID that was reversed. It is important that buyers promptly respond to these requests to validate reversals. The notification will specify a time frame in which the required details are needed. If the deadline is not met, the reversal is at risk of being overturned. If completes were removed for inappropriate reasons or in error, the reversal will be overturned.

Data quality is essential to ensure the highest quality results for market researchers and businesses seeking the most relevant insights. Reconciliation audits help improve the health of the Cint platform by understanding reasons behind reversals. This information is shared with suppliers, who analyze this respondent feedback to ensure high quality responses. Reconciliation audits also allow Cint to identify areas of potential security or training improvements, securing the ecosystem and ensuring it is a safe place to transact.

Buyer Reconciliation Rate Responsibility

Consistent, excessive reversals will also be audited by Cint. All buyers are responsible for maintaining a healthy and honest reconciliation rate. If rates exceed beyond the normal reconciliation thresholds, Cint reserves the right to suspend buyers ability to reconcile until improvements are made on improving their quality measures and lowering their reversal rates.