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Hertz Research specializes in using the latest computer and communications technology in its research projects and software products. In the early 1990’s, the firm pioneered the use of hand held computers for voter exit polls for news organizations and instant ballpark polls of fans attending San Francisco Giants games. The firm also developed the first digital video library system used by major league baseball players including Arizona’s Curt Schilling, the 2001 World Series Co-Most Valuable Player.

Now, Hertz Research has developed a new product-- the Web application TalkingPolls, designed for the next generation of Internet Polling:

• Uses high-quality digital video
• Takes advantage of the speed and multi-media capabilities of the Internet
• Uses strict sampling, analysis and security measures to create statistically valid polls
• Has an easy-to-use, entertaining interface for respondents.

Our TalkingPolls software is useful to any organization that wants to conduct statistically valid polls over the Internet (or an intranet), and especially to those who wish to use video content.

The use of video in TalkingPolls is more than just sizzle. Using video content allows us to do things with our internet research that simply can’t be done with telephone surveys. For example, we can show respondents video clips of candidate speeches and debates and ask follow-up questions about what they thought about each candidates performance.

Unlike other Internet research products that have limited or no video capability, TalkingPolls was designed from the ground up with delivery of video content in mind. And it’s not just for broadband Internet users. We’ve utilized our years of video encoding experience to make viewing video content a pleasant experience, even for those with only dialup access to the internet.

TalkingPolls isn’t just for news organizations either. Any company, public agency, school or any other type of organization can use TalkingPolls to better connect with their customers, constituents or employees. TalkingPolls puts a whole new face on survey research.