Here at Quirk’s we’ve spent the last few months preparing for 2019. But before we hit the ground running with all of our plans for the new year, we want to take some time to look back at 2018. From magazine articles discussing NLP and CX evaluation scales to e-newsletter articles sharing tips on sample balancing and the risks of scientific misconduct in MR, we’ve received so many quality submissions that we were proud to publish in 2018. Here are a variety of articles we enjoyed from the last year.
Quirk’s Marketing Research Review
(listed in no particular order)
Tips for effective B2(SM)B research
In recent years, more and more companies have become interested in conducting research with small and medium businesses (SMBs), those with between one and 500 employees. The good news is, there are millions of them. In fact, over 99 percent of businesses in the U.S. are considered SMBs. But while that can make it easier to recruit them for marketing research, their incidence rate in research panels is still low and they can be trickier to research compared to large businesses (with over 500 employees) because their business structures and offerings are more varied. Read more.
Essential natural language processing for customer experience
“Hey Siri, what’s natural language processing?”
She hears me perfectly and, after less than a second, she pulls up a Wikipedia article on natural language processing. I skim it. It tells me that natural language processing, usually abbreviated NLP, tells us how to program computers to process and analyze large amounts of natural language data. Yes, Siri, if only it were that easy. Read more.
Best practices in working with panel samples
As it has the very fabric of the human experience, the Internet age has profoundly changed the practice of market research. In just the last two decades, the advent of online data collection has ushered in a rate of evolution of the science not seen since the telephone became as household object. Beyond reshaping the market research industry, online research has spawned dozens of new ones – DIY tools, analytic packages, programming software, e-mail deliverability, etc. – and none more ubiquitous than that of panel sample providers. Read more.
How PNC Bank tested changes to its CX evaluation scales
Based in Pittsburgh, PNC Bank, one of the largest regional banks in the United States, maintains a customer focus as one of its core values. In order to deliver on this value, PNC has a strong commitment to customer satisfaction. A critical component of this commitment is the use of follow-up surveys to assess customer experiences across a range of PNC Bank products, services and interactions. This voice-of-the-customer tracking has become fully ingrained across PNC Bank’s various business units. The surveys are administered by the insights and market dynamics (IMD) group within PNC Bank’s retail marketing division. Read more.
10 mistakes companies make with their marketing research efforts
I’ve wanted to write this article for nearly a decade. Many in my firm cautioned against it, not wanting to endanger our relationships with existing and potential clients. “Don’t get on your soapbox,” they pleaded. Perhaps they’re right but as the president of a mid-sized, full-service research company with more than 30 years in the research industry, I’ve seen just about everything and believe there are a few issues that still need to be addressed on the client side.
Some of you might think, “Who is this guy to tell us all the things we’re doing wrong?” Well, like most good advice, it comes from a place of concern and caring. Read more.
Quirk’s e-newsletter
(listed in no particular order)
5 tips for adapting to the future of marketing research
Standing as a century-old industry, marketing research has a proud history of building rock-solid methodologies. Generally speaking, market researchers have had a tendency to cling to the established way of doing things – often for good reason and occasionally for less-good reasons. Over the years, as new technology and innovations evolved, many viewed them with suspicion, fearing that their established practices would be challenged and usurped. Today, the landscape continues changing and the challenge in establishing how market researchers can adapt to be successful in the future world of marketing research remains. Read more.
Psychology’s reminder to MR: Part 2: 5 best practices
In part one of this two-part article, we looked at a number of cases of misconduct around data practices primarily found in academic psychology. These serve are a reminder of what is not acceptable in market research as well as the best practices we should follow. In part two of this series we will focus on guidelines and standards for market researchers to implement in the research process.
Some might say that market research practitioners are at a higher risk of engaging in scientific misconduct compared to researchers in academic disciplines. Read more.
Say goodbye to generation bashing
What's the difference between a Millennial and a young adult?
Ponder that for a moment. To set the scene, let's reflect on what was happening in the realm of marketing research in the 1990s and early 2000s. Millennials were growing up, becoming tech-savvy and eagerly participating in all the new social media networks. At the same time, researchers were discovering a wealth of data online, especially through social media and the availability of sample for online surveys. Shortly thereafter began the Great Recession, the economic event that shaped the Millennials' prospects just as they were ready to enter the job market. They stayed at home, went back to school, took advantage of the gig economy and eventually they trickled into the workforce. Read more.
Setting the record straight: Market research isn't evil
Earlier this month, U.S. author and academic Liza Featherstone published a long article in the Guardian vilifying focus groups, and by extension, the market research sector. I rarely take the time to comment on newspaper articles but am compelled to respond to this one. As a provider of vocational training for up-and-coming market and social researchers, I feel that it’s important to set the record straight.
As in other areas of life, there’s always merit in listening to someone you disagree with, and in giving them credit for being right about some things. So, let me acknowledge that the commercial end of the market research industry does in fact serve some very powerful consumer corporations. Read more.
Sample balancing: Tips for achieving a representative sample
I recently saw a presentation by Consumer Reports that discussed its large consumer survey. In the days before the Internet, social media and online reviews, people would look at Consumer Reports’ reviews before making a big purchase. Consumer Reports gathers reviews through a consumer survey answered by 800,000 to 1 million consumers every year. Consumer Reports’ survey is second only to the U.S. Census, and that is done only once a decade. The presenter shared two interesting facts about Consumer Reports: Read more.