Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
On this page:
About the survey
Why is this survey taking place?
The Creative Business Panel will meticulously track the behaviours, performance and experiences of creative industries businesses to create an evidence base which will inform successful strategies, government policies and decisions for the future. It will influence decisions to support businesses adopt digital innovations, enhance their competitiveness, foster diverse and inclusive workforces, and drive profitability and sustainability. For the first time, the sector will have a thorough picture of creative businesses as a whole, uniting efforts to drive forward improvements and see the industry thrive.
Who is conducting the survey?
The Creative PEC and CoSTAR Foresight Lab have commissioned Verian to carry out this survey on their behalf. Verian is an independent research agency and is a full member of the Market Research Society with a strong track record of conducting high-quality research.
Why was I selected to take part?
You have been invited to take part in this important research as you currently work at a creative industries organisation in the UK. Your details were randomly selected from an Office of National Statistics database of businesses in creative sectors.
How do I complete the survey?
What do I need to do?
If you received an email or letter from us, you can complete the survey online by following the instructions provided.
If you received an email, you can simply follow the link provided and it will take you directly to your survey.
If you received a letter, you can enter your username and passcode provided here.
I don’t have a username and passcode to access the survey
Participation is via invitation only. If you have received an invitation letter or email, and have lost your log-in details, you can call the freephone helpline on 0800 046 9809 or email us at creativebusinesspanel@veriangroup.com and we will be able to give you your login details.
How long is the survey?
The survey length will vary depending on what answers you give but will take around 30 minutes depending on your answers.
Do I have to answer every question?
We would like you to complete as many questions as you can. However, if there is any question that you don’t know the answer to, or that you don’t feel comfortable answering, you can move on to the next question by selecting either the ‘Don’t know’ or ‘Prefer not to say’ answer option.
Your answers will be reported anonymously, meaning that it will not be possible to identify you in any published reports.
I don’t understand a question
For some questions, we have included buttons that you can click on that bring up additional information to help you. If you still don’t understand a question, please get in touch with us by calling our freephone helpline on 0800 046 9809 or emailing creativebusinesspanel@veriangroup.com and we will try to help you.
I think I’ve made a mistake and answered a question incorrectly, can I go back and change my answer?
While you are filling the survey in you can go back and change your answer at any question simply by clicking the back button. Please only use the next and back buttons at the bottom of the survey - do not use the forward and back buttons on your internet browser. Click here to see what these buttons look like.
Once you have completed the survey you will not be able to go back and change your answers.
If you would like to correct an answer, please contact us and we will try to help.
Do I have to complete it all in one go?
No, you can complete it in stages if you want to. The survey will be saved automatically, so just close down your browser to leave. To come back to it, you can go to https://creativebusinesspanel.co.uk/survey and enter your username and passcode again and you will be returned to the point you left off.
Can I ask colleagues to help answer the questions?
Yes, you can ask colleagues to help you provide the information necessary to complete the survey. You can either share the log in details so that they can log in and complete parts of the survey, or you can enter details that they provide you.
The survey timed out
To protect the confidentiality of your answers, the survey is logged out if it is left for a period of time.
If you were given login details or received a unique link via email then your answers will have been saved, so you can just log back in by going to https://creativebusinesspanel.co.uk/survey and entering your username and passcode again or by clicking on the link in the email as before and you will be returned to the point you left off.
I have entered the username and passcode, but get this message: “Our records show that you have already completed the survey. Thank you for your time!”
Once you have completed the survey, it becomes locked, and it is not possible to go back in and change the answers. If you are seeing this message and don’t think you have completed the survey, please contact us and we will try to help.
Can I complete the survey on my smartphone?
Yes, you can complete the survey on your smartphone or any other device, including a tablet, laptop or desktop computer.
I have completed my survey, but you still sent me a reminder
It might be that you completed the survey after we checked our records and sent out the reminder. Our apologies - if you completed the survey online we will have safely received your answers.
Confidentiality and data protection
Is the information I provide safe online?
We take our responsibilities to keep your personal information secure very seriously. As such we take every reasonable precaution to ensure your information is protected from loss, theft, or misuse. We use a secure website (HTTPS) to ensure that your data is protected. This is the same type of website that you would generally see when shopping online.
As part of our commitment to the security of your information, Verian has regular internal and external audits of its information security and is accredited to the International Standard for Information Security, ISO 27001.
What about cookies?
This web survey detects your device’s operating system, screen resolution and the browser you are using in order to adjust the survey to best suit your system. This is done by the use of a cookie created on your computer. This information is returned to us and stored for statistical purposes only. We do not collect or store any personal information through cookies. It is possible for you to delete cookies or to prevent their use by adjusting the browser settings on your computer.
Is this survey confidential?
Yes. Your answers and personal details will be kept in the strictest confidence and stored electronically on a secure server. Your answers to the survey will be used exclusively for research purposes and only researchers at Verian will know what you have said. All statistics will be reported anonymously, meaning that it will not be possible to identify you in any published reports. You will not receive any ‘junk mail’ as a result of taking part. Verian complies with a range of security policy requirements, including those set by the Market Research Society Code of Conduct, the Data Protection Act and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Data protection
Taking part is voluntary and any information you give us will be used only with your consent. Your answers will be processed in compliance with the Data Protection Action 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation.
More information about how we keep your data safe.
What will happen to the results of the surveys?
Your answers will be anonymised. The results will be written up in published reports in which it will be impossible to identify your individual business. Quotes from individual survey responses may be published, however these will be fully anonymous, with any personal identifiers removed.
If you have given permission, your results may also be linked with other survey data with the Office for National Statistics. If you have any questions about this or your survey responses, please contact creativebusinesspanel@veriangroup.com
For more information on your privacy, please visit www.veriangroup.com/uk-surveys.
Contact us
If you would like any further details about the survey or have any issues completing the survey you can email us at creativebusinesspanel@veriangroup.com or call our dedicated helpline team free between 9am and 5pm on Monday to Friday on 0800 046 9809.
Please have your reference number to hand. You will be able to find your reference number on the letter or email we sent to you. If you no longer have the letter or email, please still contact us and we will try to help you.
If a member of the team is not available to take your call, please leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Please leave your telephone number, full name and the reference number from the top of your invitation email or letter.
