Independent focus group facilities unite
A consortium of owner-operated focus group facilities has banded together under the name First Choice Facilities. The staff of each office will handle project coordination from city to city, to assist moderators with scheduling their focus groups. The facilities include: Superior Research, Inc., Atlanta; Focuscope, Inc., Chicago; Trotta Associates Market Research, Los Angeles/Orange County; Focus Plus, Inc., New York; Fleischman Field Research, San Francisco; The Gilmore Group Research, Seattle/Portland; and Superior Research, Inc., Tampa. For introductory multi-city discounts or more information call 888-FCF-BIDS (888-323-2437) or visit www.firstchoicefacilties.net.
Do mobile surveying with Entryware
Vancouver-based Techneos Systems Inc. is now offering Entryware version 5.0, software for mobile surveying using devices such as Pocket PC or Palm OS units. Available in three editions - Enterprise, Professional and Small Business - the Entryware system supports deployments ranging from five handheld devices in a single location to thousands of devices around the world. Its multilingual interface supports double-byte character sets such as Japanese and Chinese, and provides software tools to simplify the process of entering translated content.
Researchers can provide instant, up-to-date survey results to their managers and customers via a Web-based reporting interface. Handheld users in the field stay connected through Entryware Server, using any combination of wireless or wireline communications - ranging from GPRS to Wi-Fi to direct handheld-to-PC cable connection. For more information or to download a free 14-day evaluation copy visit www.techneos.com.
Simmons GLBT study now out
Fort Lauderdale, Fla., research firm Simmons has released the Gay and Lesbian Consumer Study, which examines the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) population in the U.S. Simmons uses a national probability sample survey that provides information about the size, characteristics and behaviors of the GLBT population. With an estimated annual buying power of over $600 billion, the GLBT population is drawing increased attention from advertisers and marketers. The study contains over 40,000 variables, offering insights into the consumer attitudes and behaviors of the GLBT population segment relative to the general market. For more information visit www.smrb.com.
Info management system compiles data enterprise-wide
U.K. research firm Nunwood has launched Fizz, an information management service designed to facilitate the dissemination of existing enterprise-wide information to executives and others charged with informed decision-making. Fizz provides a single, centralized information depository, consolidating and aggregating data from across the enterprise. Information developed internally such as marketing documents can be pooled with data fed in by the client’s external service agencies such as research reports, media buying statistics, regulation updates, competitor data, customer profiles and ad tracker reports, all regardless of format or platform. The moment this market intelligence is fed into the system, it becomes available, via an intranet, to all appropriate client-designated employees.
Information is accessed via a Google-style search query field, integrated within a client’s business system. The system front end is tailored to recreate the look and feel of the client’s existing intranet system, with the idea that workers will feel more inclined to utilize something they perceive as familiar.
To help users traverse the huge volume of data amassed, Fizz uses an indexing service which catalogs all the keywords and phrases within each new document uploaded to the system. Each of these is then assigned a relevance value, so that when a user searches for a keyword the system returns any related document in order of relevance.
Via the search results page, users can define their particular data requirements. Research projects, for instance, can be displayed as a single topline document or a series of interconnected component files, allowing users to view the level of detail which suits them. For more information visit www.nunwood.com.
New Web-based data analysis tool from Monitor
Monitor Software, a division of Cambridge, Mass., consulting firm the Monitor Group, has introduced MarketSight, a Web-based application that is designed to streamline the research analysis process by allowing non-technical business users, as well as professional researchers and statisticians, to slice and dice data in real time. It runs applicable statistical tests and color-codes results to draw user attention to interesting and statistically valid trends in the data. MarketSight offers online charting for viewing results in graphical form. Charts can be exported to applications such as Microsoft PowerPoint. MarketSight is available as a hosted or installed application and uses a Web-based architecture to facilitate collaboration and sharing of research data and analysis. For more information visit www.marketsight.com.
Newsletter examines return on marketing
ROMI Update, a new e-newsletter published by Evansville, Ind., research firm the ARS Group, is now available to executives interested in issues and trends related to improving return on marketing investment (ROMI). In response to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, U.S. public companies are looking at areas where large amounts of money are being spent, with an eye towards higher levels of accountability through the strengthening of process management and controls. Marketing expenditures are squarely in the headlights and an industry movement called return on marketing investment is emerging. For a complimentary subscription contact Jean Walker at 812-425-4562 or at jjwalker@ars-group.com.
Free survey creation software for Your2Cents clients
Users of the Your2Cents Online Opinion Panel from Dallas-based Common Knowledge Research Services now receive free survey creation software. The Your2Cents Survey Creator requires little or no training and is accessed over the Internet. The tool, which can also be licensed for use with other lists and panels, features a survey editor that accommodates complex survey designs. It also offers real-time quota management and a real-time graphical reporting tool as well as fully-labeled exports to programs including Excel and SPSS. For more information visit www.your2cents.com/info.
ESRI updates Community Coder
Redlands, Calif.-based ESRI has released Community Coder 9.1, its customer profiling and data appending software that assigns information and location data to customer records, either individually or in batch mode. Companies, agencies and organizations can use Community Coder to develop an accurate picture of current customers and prospects. Version 9.1 is the first release of Community Coder to integrate with ArcGIS. New features and functionalities in Community Coder 9.1 include: ESRI’s 2005/2010 demographic updates and forecasts; street geocoding data from Group 1 (vintage March 2005) with an optional upgrade to Tele Atlas street geocoding data (vintage March 2005); the ability to access Community Coder project files through ModelBuilder in ArcGIS 9.1 Business Analyst; the ability to output standardized addresses; new input file options including shapefile and personal geodatabase; and new output file types including XML. For more information visit www.esribis.com.
Remark Office OMR v6.0 now out
Principia Products, Malvern, Pa., has released Remark Office OMR v6.0, its data entry and data processing software package. The optical mark recognition system allows a user to scan almost any plain paper OMR form, without the need for registration marks or special inks. The data from filled-in bubbles or checkboxes is recognized and placed into a spreadsheet where it can be exported into over 35 different formats or analyzed in Remark Quick Stats, the software’s built-in analysis component. The user can design and change forms according to need using any word processing or design program.
Through a scanner’s Twain driver the software can read data from the scanner directly or it can read TIFF, PCX, and PDF image files. Enhancements include respondent ID tracking, a new user interface, improved recognition algorithms, and the ability to add page identifiers. The software also works alongside Remark Web Survey to convert forms to HTML and integrate paper and Web-based surveys. Remark Office OMR includes Remark Quick Stats, an analysis component, which tabulates surveys and generates reports and graphs. A new Survey Wizard is also included, with support for question groups and comparison of demographic groups. A free demo and more information can be found at www.principiaproducts.com.
Harris service helps migrate tracking studies to Web
Rochester, N.Y.-based Harris Interactive and the Harris Interactive Service Bureau are now offering research firms SynTrack Online, a technical and consultative framework built on Harris Interactive capabilities for use in migrating syndicated and tracking studies to the online platform. SynTrack Online is designed to: preserve trended data; ensure representativeness through sampling and advanced weighting techniques; accommodate mixed-mode studies; and improve studies that rely on low-incidence populations. For more information visit www.hisbonline.com.
Briefly
Romania-based Ipsos Interactive Services Europe (IIS Europe) has expanded its European Online Panel to five Eastern European countries: Romania, Russia, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic. Recruitment has begun for an initial 10,000 panelists in each country. For more information visit www.ipsos-interactive.com.
City Focus Research, London, is now offering FocusVision’s VideoMarker at its facility. VideoMarker is a software-based video recording, editing and storage system. For more information visit www.cityfocusresearch.com.
Seattle research firm QuestionPro has added functionality to its online survey service. The Market Research Toolset extends the existing data collection and analytics services by adding three new capabilities: online panel management, action-oriented analytics and decision support systems. For more information visit www.questionpro.com.
Saskatoon-based Interactive Tracking Systems Inc. has enhanced its online survey reporting for both CATI and Web surveys, adding improved data filtering and reporting and download options including the ability to import charts into Word or PowerPoint. For more information visit www.itracks.com.
WestGroup Research, Phoenix, has moved into expanded facilities, adding focus group suites featuring digital recording systems, wireless and wired Internet access and Web-based remote monitoring of groups. The new location also includes a multipurpose room seating up to 100 and a 60-station CATI center. For more information visit www.westgroupresearch.com.
Synovate has launched Synovate24, an automated overnight research tool designed to enable Australian automotive manufacturers and dealers to enhance their customers’ experiences when purchasing a wide range of dealer services. The product was developed with international industry input and is based on the NADA24 program run by the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) in the U.S. For more information visit www.synovate.com.
New York research firms Millward Brown and Dynamic Logic are now offering DigitalLink, a new online copy testing tool. It will focus on the components necessary to evaluate online creative - ability to capture attention, deliver a compelling message and generate a desired response (click-through to brand consideration). For more information visit www.millwardbrown.com.
Germany-based GfK-Nürnberg e.V. has launched GfK Academy, offering continued professional development and training for managers. The GfK Academy gives managers working in the areas of marketing, market research and market-oriented corporate planning the opportunity to consider issues relating to knowledge-based market and marketing management under the direction of international experts. For more information visit www.gfk.com.
ACNielsen India is equipping a field force in India with handheld terminals for data collection across the country. ACNielsen’s handheld terminal is a personal digital assistant embedded with proprietary software applications designed to capture retail sales data used by the country’s marketing community. Data from 750 individual terminals will be transmitted from over 200 locations across the nation to ACNielsen’s processing hub at Baroda. For more information visit www.acnielsen.co.in.
Toronto research firm Ipsos ASI is now offering Ad*Graph Express, an ad campaign tracking tool. Ad*Graph Express costs $9,500 for 1,000 interviews conducted nationally, and results are delivered within one week. Ad*Graph Express is aimed at companies that want to know how their ad(s) are doing, to assess several different executions within a campaign to see which is working best, and to assess if the ad is wearing out. For more information visit www.ipsos.ca/asi.