Finding out what your market really thinks
Our research and insight services will help you make excellent decisions. :
Knowledge is power and the more of it you have, the better informed your decisions and the lower your risk.
- Know your markets
- Know your customers
- Know your own people
- Know your competitors
We'll work with you to develop and run a research project that delivers the insight you need, from:
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Analysis of existing data (customer feedback, complaints, suggestions)
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New quantitative data (online, telephone or postal surveys)
- New qualitative data (depth interviews, street polls, focus groups)
If you're still not sure, read on...
What do your customers really think?
Seeking and measuring customer satisfaction is vital, of course; and like most organisations you probably do this to some degree. But how far do you understand the often complex drivers and motivations of the people and the businesses that buy from you?
We develop and run surveys and studies which will deliver vital customer input.
Know your customers.
Why do they buy your product? How loyal are they? How do they like to engage with you? How might their needs change?
These insights - and many others like them - can make the difference between marketing activities that succeed, and those that fail. Yet many organisations are reluctant to spend the time or money uncovering this critical information - they would rather risk getting it wrong than invest in getting it right!
We believe that in tougher economic times, every marketing penny counts; and that businesses must ensure their marketing activities are still relevant and still effective.
We can help you design and implement simple stakeholder research programmes to reveal and reconcile critical perceptions and expectations. Failure to find out what your customers really think - and to align your strategy and communications around the insights - can expose your business to risk. It will make you vulnerable to competitors who DO have a deeper understanding.
This is why customers buy elsewhere and markets lose interest in what you have to offer.
What does our research look like?
Every client is different so every project is tailored to suit. We'll use whatever is the most appropriate method to achieve the objective quickly and cost-effectively. This might be one, or a combination of, the following:
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Desk research and analysis of existing data
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New quantitative data (online, telephone or postal surveys)
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New qualitative data (depth interviews, street polls, focus groups)
Cost will vary according to scale and scope of the project, demography, and timescale. We have built worldwide online questionnaires - but significant insight is often found in a few simple, inexpensive customer interviews or a focus group.
Step 1: brief (objectives & measures)
Step 2: design and agree programme
Step 3: set up
Step 4: fieldwork
Step 5: analysis
Step 6: report
By its nature, research data is confidential but we can describe some of the projects we have designed and managed:
1.
Client: a District Council
Objective: test different visual brand concepts among the community
Method: local focus groups comprising general public and businesses
2.
Client: market leader in highways maintenance
Objective: discover what customers really think, to shape communications strategy and brand position
Method: face to face interviews, telephone interviews and emailed questionnaires
3.
Client: a District Council
Objective: discover views of key stakeholders on community leisure, arts, heritage and enterprise issues
Method: focus group
4.
Client: offshore financial services company
Objective: discover what customers, analysts, suppliers and staff really think, to shape global re-branding
Method: international online customer survey, face to face interviews, staff focus groups
5.
Client: mechanical and electrical engineering company
Objective: discover what customers really think, to shape communications and plans for growth
Method: staff and customer face to face interviews
6.
Client: payroll technology provider
Objective: discover what customers really think, as input to strategic review
Method: customer face to face interviews
7.
Client: national business incubation membership organisation
Objective: discover what members, non-members and other stakeholders really think, ahead of strategic review and new marketing communications plan
Method: stakeholder and staff face to face interviews
In addition, our Market Research associate Pauline Foster runs her own MR company and provides the online tools for our client work. She has worked extensively across both public and private sectors, including banking, food and drink, health, pharmaceuticals and aerospace.
