What Susquehanna Polling & Research does

Susquehanna Polling & Research, Inc. (SP&R) is a privately held survey and polling firm founded in 2000 and headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The company delivers mixed-mode quantitative and qualitative research — telephone surveys, web surveys, automated/IVR surveys, twice-annual omnibus surveys, and focus groups — to businesses, state agencies, trade associations, hospitals and health systems, political candidates and organizations, and national media outlets. Its service portfolio is executed through an in-house, non-outsourced call center using proprietary technology: the WinCATI Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing system, VOIP Live Agent technology for live-agent interviews, Telesage Automated Telephone Systems for IVR polling (which SP&R owns), and a custom-programmed web survey platform. Qualitative research and focus group services are delivered through its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Bartlett Research Group (Bartlett Group), acquired in 2016.

SP&R generates revenue through fee-for-service polling and survey research priced by methodology, sample size, and project complexity, professional-services revenue from the Bartlett Group focus group business, and a recurring subscription product, the Premium Access Club, which provides political insiders with exclusive polling access, quarterly newsletters on politics and election trends, and discounted omnibus surveys. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-client via phone (717-233-8850), website contact forms, and a downloadable prospective client packet, supported by earned media — polling data is regularly quoted in FOX News, MSNBC, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and USA Today, and CEO James Lee appears on Real Clear Politics, CBS Inside Edition, abc27, DC News Now, PCN-TV, and the Pennsylvania Press Club. The firm was rated the #1 most accurate polling firm in the nation by Real Clear Politics for the 2020 presidential election and operates in more than 30 states.

Name

Susquehanna Polling & Research

Legal name

Susquehanna Polling & Research, Inc.

Website

https://susquehannapolling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Susquehanna Polling & Research is a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based survey and polling firm offering telephone, web, IVR, omnibus, and focus group research to businesses, state agencies, trade associations, hospitals, political clients, and national media outlets, supported by an in-house call center and proprietary CATI, VOIP, and IVR technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Quantitative Research & Survey Analytics (Survey Design, Sampling, Statistical Modeling) (MPAAALAF)

Keywords

• Survey research services
• Public opinion polling
• Telephone survey research
• Focus group research
• Political polling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrisburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Polling and Survey Research Services: Fee-for-service polling and survey research including telephone surveys, web surveys, IVR surveys, and omnibus surveys conducted twice annually in spring and fall. Services are priced based on methodology, sample size, and project complexity.
2. Premium Access Club Subscription: Subscription-based club offering exclusive access to polling results, quarterly newsletter on politics and election trends, discounts on polls including omnibus surveys, and expert insight on political landscape. Targets political insiders and organizations.
3. Focus Group Services: Full range of focus group services including participant recruitment, moderation, and reporting of key findings. Revenue generated through Bartlett Research subsidiary.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Susquehanna Polling & Research (SP&R) is a survey and polling firm that designs and executes custom survey research, including telephone surveys (via its in-house call center with WinCATI and VOIP), web surveys, automated/IVR surveys, twice-annual omnibus surveys, and focus groups (operated through subsidiary Bartlett Research). It also offers a subscription-based Premium Access Club providing political insiders with exclusive polling access, a quarterly newsletter, omnibus discounts, and expert analysis.

Product overview

Susquehanna Polling & Research (SP&R) offers a comprehensive suite of survey research services centered around its core polling and research offerings. The portfolio consists of five primary research methodologies: Telephone Surveys, Web Surveys, Automated/IVR Surveys, Omnibus Surveys, and Focus Groups, each offered as distinct service offerings. Additionally, the company operates a subscription-based Premium Access Club for political insiders seeking exclusive polling access. The company also owns Bartlett Group, a qualitative research subsidiary acquired in 2016 that specializes in focus group services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bartlett Research: Qualitative subsidiary of Susquehanna Polling & Research, providing focus group services and qualitative research. Received the 'Best Marketing' award for achievements in the Harrisburg area.

Products and services

• Telephone Surveys Telephone survey service using a quality-controlled, in-house call center with live agents conducting interviews from start to finish. SP&R uses its proprietary WinCATI system and VOIP technology to record responses and seamlessly transfer data into comprehensive reports. Used by businesses, agencies, campaigns, and associations that need interviewer-mediated phone research.
• Web Surveys Web-based survey service in which respondents receive email invitations or website links, programmed using SP&R's custom in-house platform. Delivers cost-effective data collection with a higher level of analysis than basic off-the-shelf web surveys. Targeted at clients needing large-n online data collection.
• Automated / IVR Surveys Interactive Voice Response (IVR) survey service using Telesage Automated Telephone Systems owned by SP&R. Respondents answer pre-recorded questions using their telephone keypad touch tones, providing a quick, automated public opinion snapshot at lower cost than live-agent surveys.
• Omnibus Surveys Telephone omnibus survey conducted twice annually (spring and fall) using a sample of landline and cell phone respondents. Allows organizations to submit their own questions and gauge public opinion without commissioning an entire standalone survey, lowering the cost of entry.
• Focus Groups Full-range focus group service including participant recruitment, moderation, and reporting of key findings, operated through the Bartlett Research subsidiary (acquired 2016, founded 1986). Used to test new products, pre-test advertising, or complement quantitative research with qualitative insights.
• Premium Access Club Subscription-based club offering members exclusive access to SP&R polling results, a quarterly newsletter on politics and election trends, discounts on polls (including the twice-annual omnibus survey), and expert insight on the political landscape. Targeted at political insiders and organizations that want recurring access to SP&R's proprietary polling.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #1 most accurate polling firm nationally for 2020 presidential election accuracy by Real Clear Politics
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bartlett Research Group (Bartlett Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016SP&R acquired The Bartlett Research Group in 2016, a Harrisburg-area focus group company that has been conducting qualitative research and focus group services since 1986. Bartlett Group operates as the qualitative subsidiary of Susquehanna Polling & Research, providing full range of focus group services including participant recruitment, moderation, and reporting.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Emerson College Polling: Emerson College Polling operates a multi-mode (IVR, online, mixed) national and state-level polling program that is routinely quoted in major media. The IVR/mixed-mode methodology and broad state footprint closely mirror SP&R's offering.
• Morning Consult: Morning Consult is a technology-enabled polling and survey research firm conducting high-frequency political, consumer, and brand tracking. It competes with SP&R for political polling and broader consumer survey work, with a stronger technology/panel foundation.
• McLaughlin & Associates: McLaughlin & Associates is a political polling and research firm serving political campaigns, associations, and corporate clients. It is a directly comparable peer to SP&R's political and corporate client mix.
• Trafalgar Group: Trafalgar Group is a national polling firm known for state-level and battleground polling. It is a direct peer to SP&R in the political polling and media-quoted accuracy space, with similar client mix of political campaigns and national media.
• Marist Poll: Marist Poll is a nationally recognized university-based polling operation conducting telephone and online public opinion polling across the US. It is a direct peer to Susquehanna Polling & Research in the political polling accuracy and media-quoted national polling space.
• InsiderAdvantage: InsiderAdvantage is a public opinion polling firm that conducts political and consumer surveys across multiple states. It is directly comparable to SP&R in target clients, methodology, and multi-state political polling focus.
• Quinnipiac University Poll: Quinnipiac Poll is a frequently quoted national and state-level public opinion polling operation producing political and consumer research. It competes head-to-head with SP&R for state-level political polling mandates and national media placement.
• Monmouth University Polling Institute: Monmouth Polling Institute is a state-based polling organization recognized for accuracy and methodological rigor in political polling. It is comparable to SP&R in approach (live-agent telephone surveys, accuracy reputation) and target clients (media and political campaigns).
• SurveyUSA: SurveyUSA is a polling firm that pioneered IVR-based public opinion polling in the US and is widely quoted in media. The IVR methodology and national state-level polling footprint make it a direct comparable to SP&R's automated/IVR survey offering.

Broad incumbents

• Gallup: Gallup is the largest and best-known public opinion polling and analytics firm globally. It does not specialize only in election polling, but its public opinion and consumer research work competes with SP&R for media citations and enterprise research budgets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SusquehannaPR
• Facebookfacebook.com/susquehannapolling

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Susquehanna Polling & Research