Final answer:
An automated computer telephone interview system, including CATI and Robo-polls, automates phone interviews for market research. CATI uses live interviewers, while Robo-polls are fully automated. They face challenges with accuracy, reliability, response rates, and legal restrictions.
Step-by-step explanation:
An automated computer telephone interview system can be defined as a technology used in the field of market research and polling which automates the process of conducting telephone interviews. Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) involves a live interviewer entering a respondent's answer directly into a computer program. On the other hand, Robo-polls are fully automated and use a prerecorded voice to administer the survey, with respondents using their phone's keypad to enter answers.
There are several concerns and challenges associated with these systems. Errors can occur if the interviewer accidentally enters incorrect information in CATI or if the respondent presses the wrong number in Robo-polls. Furthermore, there might be issues with reliability and response rates, particularly with Robo-polls, due to lack of live interaction to encourage participation or clarify questions. There's also the legal aspect where automated calls to cell phones are generally prohibited, potentially excluding a significant demographic. Lastly, the changing landscape of telephone usage, including the rise of caller ID and decline in landline usage, poses additional hurdles for these systems.