Marketing Research In Practise

Upon study completion, these companies typically provide a single, consolidated invoice for the project. Generally lean on staff, these companies are designed to provide the service clients need without attempting to compete with the design and analytical capabilities of full-service companies and advertising agency research staff.

Quite simply, field management is not for everyone. However, if one or more of the following conditions exist in your company or department, it may be right for you to hire the services of a data acquisition company or field management company. Your staff is stretched to the limit, your time is better spent dealing with clients than handling the details of fielding custom projects or you demand value for your research dollar. Once you have made the decision to try field management, it is important to select a data acquisition company that best meets the specific needs of your organization. Considering the following factors when selecting a data acquisition company will greatly increase the desired marketing research goals set out by management.

Experience in the data acquisition field is of the utmost importance in achieving optimum results. A field management company with an excellent service and track record in the types of projects or with the types of respondents your company is targeting will surely produce effective results. Many data acquisition companies specialize in particular methodologies or study types such as large, difficult, or ongoing projects. Some have international expertise, others don't. Make certain that you get the most qualified company by probing their areas of expertise.

Some field management companies may not operate their own data collection or qualitative facilities, in other words they outsource the data acquisition part of the field management service. Although this is neither good nor bad by definition, the slight edge goes to those that operate well-regarded data acquisition facilities since they know what it takes to accomplish projects accurately and often provide more realistic expectations and more effective troubleshooting. Additionally, probe their criteria for selecting the data acquisition companies to whom they field out work. Although your specific experience with various firms may be different from theirs, try to understand their basis for selection. Also, ask them how often and on what basis they review these suppliers.

The backgrounds of the staff and principals may be very telling. Probing length of time - both in research and with the current firm, may either be reassuring or send up red flags.

Make sure that the data acquisition firm you select has the resources you most need in-house. Examples of this might include an inbound 800 number for status reports, sizable storage space and a fully equipped shipping department for product storage, or experienced field auditors on staff. Over the long run, your costs will be lower given in-house availability of the services and facilities you most need. In addition, in-house resources may indicate the true volume of a particular type of project in which the company has indicated specialization.

Of course, there is the factor of intangibles - Are you looking for a research partner, an extension of your company or department, or a supplier? How do the companies you interview view client relationships? What is the business philosophy of the companies you talk with? Is that philosophy compatible with your own? What are the operating standards and quality control procedures? How much effort does each company put forth to answer your questions? What is their level of detail orientation? And, most importantly, are you comfortable with the people you interview?

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