JIR Group Wins Respondent Data Falsification Case

In the US, slot machine and casino industry research specialist James Industry Research Group (JIR Group) has won a 'falsification of respondent data' claim against Carol Greco, the owner of Ansel Consumer Research and Ansel Business Resources.

In May last year, JIR Group subcontracted Ansel to recruit 40 respondents for a Las Vegas-based slot machine manufacturer's player testing project. However, while re-screening respondents over the phone, JIR Group found that the individuals didn't qualify for the original brief, and that the data Ansel had provided on the respondents did not match what these individuals were saying during the re-screening process. When confronted, JIR Group says that Greco insisted that everyone had been screened and recruited in accordance with the original brief, but despite these reassurances, JIR Group says that due to the poor data quality, it notified Greco that it was cancelling and replacing the respondents. At this point, JIR Group claims it was informed by respondents that Greco had told them that if they were cancelled by JIR Group, to attend the test anyway and demand payment.

Greco accused JIR Group of falsifying the charges against her firm, and JIR Group sent an invoice for the time and labor it had needed to re-screen the respondents, and for the incentives that had to be paid out despite the respondents being unqualified for the client brief. Then, JIR Group's attorney sent a letter to Greco/Ansel demanding payment and threating suit, and in response, Ansel sent JIR Group an invoice for its original recruiting services. At this point, JIR Group filed against Greco in Henderson Nevada Justice court seeking the amount it had invoiced, and Greco filed a countersuit seeking payment for her invoice and additional fees.

The court has now found in favor of JIR Group, and founder Jim James explains: 'Making the decision to redo and replace the research for our client was easy, but making the decision to sue and risk our own assets was difficult. Many discouraged us, saying that a lawsuit 'wasn't worth making trouble,' and that 'data integrity wouldn't matter to the court', I disagreed. We believe that cheating is wrong, and this was an opportunity to show our commitment to integrity.'

Web site: www.jirgroup.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.