Testimonial: Sophie loved paid testing with a major football club

Our community member Sophie took part in an "exciting" piece of research in 2016 and was able to talk about her love of football and get paid for it, when she took part in a paid testing session for a major Premier League club.

As a normal everyday user of technology and the internet and a lover of football, Sophie was the candidate to test a new mobile website prototype in a big UK city. We asked her a few questions after the session and this is what she had to say.

What made you apply for the paid research project you took part in?

The research touched a topic I am familiar with, so I felt I could contribute to the project with my own experience as a user. I also liked the idea of taking part in a short, but productive one-to-one session and it seemed like it would be easy to fit in my schedule. Also, People for Research’s website felt inviting and professional and gave me enough confidence to share personal details and subsequently apply.

What did you expect ahead of the session?

Receiving the invitation was very exciting in itself. Such a prestigious address! Thanks to the People for Research manager who recruited me, I had a good idea of the basics such as how many people would attend, the topic of the session, the length of the session and a bit more, but none of the finer details. I guess this was to make sure my participation would be as spontaneous as possible, which is understandable.

How did your expectations compare with the actual experience?

Much more relaxed than I was expecting it to be. As a participant in paid research, you do jump in the big unknown and this can be a little intimidating. I was delighted to be able to play around with a mobile website prototype and voice my immediate thoughts and feedback.

“No task was too difficult and, if anything, I was assured that mistakes and confusion were welcome and useful to the project. I just couldn’t go wrong; how stress-free is that?”

Was there anything that you found difficult or awkward?

Leaving was difficult. I was so captivated by the session that I could have stayed much longer and I genuinely didn’t see the hour go. So much so that I actually forgot about the incentive at the end, but, thankfully, my interviewer didn’t! The session was conducted in such a professional and respectful manner that I cannot fathom what could have gone wrong.

What did you enjoy most about participating?

From the application stage through to ultimately thanking me for my feedback on the session I took part in, People for Research have been nothing short of faultless. They seem to have found the right balance in looking after their clients, as well as the people who apply and take part in paid research and testing. The whole process was extremely painless and enjoyable.

The session in itself was fascinating. My life being so busy all the time, it was very refreshing to pause, slow down and actually take the time to analyse my own behaviours, be able to articulate it and, by doing so, contributing to a project which I ultimately will benefit from.

There's absolutely nothing I would change, I had a fab experience. Thank you!

What advice would you have for anyone who has not taken part yet?

To paraphrase a big brand, just do it! This is enormously fun, you get to actually influence the products and services you use on a daily basis and give direct feedback to the brands. And you get compensated for your time. Marvellous!