compINSIGHT --- [FAQs]

FAQs

What is an online or Web-based compensation survey?
What are the major advantages of Web-based surveys?
Why should I purchase a subscription instead of using "free" compensation sites?
Why do I have to supply my data – why can't I just purchase the results of the survey?
How can I be sure that no one else will see my data?
When are industry-specific surveys better than cross-industry sector surveys?

What is an online or Web-based compensation survey?

A Web-based compensation survey allows you, the user, to input your compensation data and access and view market reports via a secure Web site – in short, it automates the survey process and replaces cumbersome hard-copy surveys. compINSIGHT^® award-winning compensation surveys have been Web-based since 1996.

What are the major advantages of Web-based surveys?

Real-time competitive market data: The market report data is updated every working day. The ability to view current market data is critical business intelligence for any organization in a market where compensation levels are changing on a continuous basis. Traditional hard-copy surveys contain information that is out of date before you ever receive them.
Less data input: Once you have completed the survey for the first time, there is only the requirement to update your data – no need to reenter data that has not changed since your last update.
Current data: There is no longer any need to age data – the market reports that you access are always up to date.
Targeted compensation analysis: Use the standard report, which presents national averages as well as averages by geographic area, industry and size of company. Or sort the data by criteria important to you – for example, by geographic area and a particular industry sector.
Export of data to spreadsheets: Export the market data to spreadsheets for other types of analysis.

Why should I purchase a subscription instead of using "free" compensation sites?

Reliability and validity of the data! Assessing the competitiveness of your compensation programs requires data you can trust. A subscription-based survey such as compINSIGHT^® ensures that the data made available to you is provided by reputable companies, not individuals searching for employment. You are also assured that the data is current because companies regularly update their data under the terms of subscription. In addition, there are several rigorous quality control checks throughout the survey process to ensure that the data provided by companies is based on job responsibility rather than job titles. The final quality control check is a review of all the data by compensation professionals to ensure its appropriateness. Of course, access to these same compensation professionals to answer any of your questions about interpretation of the data, job matching, etc., is also included in your subscription fee.

Why do I have to supply my data – why can't I just purchase the results of the survey?

Obviously, the data must come from somewhere. We realize that all companies are extremely busy and it would be easier to just purchase the survey results. Unfortunately, if all companies took this approach, there no longer would be a reliable database left to purchase. We know that you need high-quality data, so our surveys are only made available to those companies that subscribe and provide their own data. Experience over the years has shown that this approach is key to ensuring a robust and reliable database of information for your use. This is one of the many reasons we introduced Web-based surveys – data entry is made as easy as possible with the requirement to only update data after your first data completion. We do not waste your valuable time by making you reenter data that has not changed.

How can I be sure that no one else will see my data?

compINSIGHT^® has been protecting the confidentiality of individual company data since 1985. We understand how critical it is that your competitive salary information remain secure and confidential, and we have designed five levels of security into our online surveys. Firewalls, a secure managed network, passwords, user IDs, encryption coding, data validation, aggregate data reports and SSL data transfer technology all ensure that your data is protected, and that it is available only in aggregate form and only after being validated by compensation professionals.

When are industry-specific surveys better than cross-industry sector surveys?

Each industry sector has unique compensation issues – this is one reason that compINSIGHT^® always works closely with industry trade associations in designing the content of its surveys. Surveys targeted to your specific industry sector give you precise data and precise approaches to these unique issues. For example, companies with IT staff primarily serving the internal needs of an organization (e.g., banks) are seeking to attract the same skills as companies in the high-tech sector (e.g., software development firms). However, their approaches to the use of variable compensation and stock options, as well as other benefits, would be quite different.

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