Consumer research helps companies of all kinds prepare for changing shifts in attitude, preference, or demand amongst consumers. So, then you may ask yourself, why aren’t more companies a success if consumer research is so effective at showing company owners what their next moves should be? The answer is that it’s not easy to decipher consumer behavior, so we’ll look at what makes for quality research in the field.
Going Beyond What People Say
Consider this: years ago, a sample group of people who tasted a new Coke recipe said they liked it more than original Coke. This resulted in probably one of the most widely-known company disasters of all times. The research they conducted failed to take into account that people were tasting a small taste of the product as opposed to a full can. New Coke was sweeter than the original and Pepsi, and the first sip probably tasted like dessert to people. Considering most people like dessert, they claimed they loved it, but there’s a big difference between eating ice cream after a meal and eating it next to a steak.
Quality consumer research has built-in questions and follow-up plans to really interpret what people mean as opposed to what they say.
Applying the Experience
For the most part, there are few people who understand their customers more than the business owner who serves them every day.
It’s for this reason that people dismiss the need for an outside consumer research group to step in and charge additional funds for information that will fail to provide anything new to the company. While this is a fair point, the quality stems from having an unbiased viewpoint employed to start looking at the problem. While your customers may be unique, there are patterns to be seen across industries and companies if you know where to look. If you own a trendy restaurant for example, you may benefit from knowing that your people are tech-savvy and might prefer another system of ordering or paying.
This can often only be done by a group who has constant exposure to your competitors and affiliated industries. We are specialized in a variety of research including packaged goods, insurance, public utilities, and healthcare market research. Creative Consumer Research gives you what you pay for, every time. Give us a call to learn more today.
