Translation transmission from ActiveGroup
ActiveGroup, Norcross, Ga., has launched DAT or Dual Audio Transmission, an enhancement to the ActiveGroup video streaming service. DAT can be used when the respondents do not speak the same language as that of the event viewers. Typically in these cases a translator is on-site at the facility. The translator listens to the respondents and translates the conversation into the requested language. Before DAT, off-site viewers would hear this translated audio in the video stream. Other viewers may prefer to hear the native language being spoken by the respondents. Prior to DAT, the only way to accommodate both types of viewers would be to video stream one audio feed and then place a telephone in the group room to broadcast the native language via phone. All off-site viewers who wished to hear the native language would have to dial into a conference bridge to hear the audio feed.
The DAT technology lets viewers select between either of the two languages available - and do it all over the Internet. Clients log on to the event as they normally would and open the ClientLounge viewer interface. Under the video window are two icons. Click one and the native audio from the focus group room will be broadcast; click another icon and the translated audio will be broadcast. If desired, the clients can switch back and forth to hear either audio feed. The two feeds are available during the live and on-demand viewing. For more information visit www.activegroup.net.
New Hispanic research service
Cincinnati-based Marketing Research Services Inc., has introduced Enfoque, a three-step Hispanic marketing research solution designed to simplify the research process for companies marketing to Hispanics in the United States. Enfoque, meaning “focus,” is comprised of three steps: discover, explore and grow. Each step uses a mix of quantitative and qualitative research tools. Step one, discover, focuses on helping clients understand which Hispanic consumers to target. Step two, explore, determines the best communication and product strategies. Step three, grow, helps clients measure the impact of marketing initiatives on the Hispanic market and identify ways to further increase market share. For more information visit www.mrsi.com.
Net-MR 5.0 from GMI
Seattle-based Global Market Insite, Inc. is now offering Net-MR 5.0, a new version of its suite of online survey software. The product includes improvements to Net-Panel and Net-CATI, plus a new survey authoring application, Design Studio. Net-MR 5.0 enables market research organizations to survey global panels and process questionnaires that can be used simultaneously for data collection by the Internet, CATI and CAPI.
Net-MR was enhanced with increased capacity and performance, as well as improved panel management capabilities to scale with companies’ needs. Net-MR 5.0 can integrate with legacy systems and companies’ existing software, such as incentive management and customer relationship management applications.
GMI added new features to help users manage huge volumes of information, such as: a “household” concept within the Net-Panel application, which groups data from survey panelists who share similar attributes, and the new Question Library to store survey questions over time.
Leveraging the flexibility of the Web services model, Net-MR is designed to simplify the process of sharing and transferring data between offline and online applications. For instance, the enhanced Net-CATI application now lets customers integrate telephone interviewing into their Internet-based solution, while the Design Studio provides a single interface for designing both online and offline surveys. The Design Studio supports multi-mode data collection, allowing a market researcher to use a single surveying tool to run surveys that are based on Web, telephone and personal interviewing. For more information visit www.gmi-mr.com.
Monitor price issues with IRI service
Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), Chicago, is now offering the IRI Cross-Border Pricing solution. Available as part of IRI’s Consumer-driven Enterprise Management Solutions suite, IRI’s Cross-Border Pricing monitors and manages actual prices market-by-market, providing a set of tools to anticipate and reduce pricing issues across markets.
Using IRI or any other point-of-sale data, it enables users to determine how price changes and other actions aimed at reducing exposure are expected to affect volume, revenue and profit. Once decisions have been made, a series of workflows enable manufacturers to push the price adjustments out to the field teams, and then help measure results against plan to track performance over time, ensuring price stays within the set corridors.
IRI Cross-Border Pricing also works to support improved relations between manufacturers and retailers. Its continuous collection of granular transactional data and use of automated rules and models provides a foundation for discussing prices and their impacts with retail partners. Using these insights, category, marketing and brand managers can work more effectively with sales and supply chain colleagues; and account managers in the field are better equipped to answer questions and negotiate with customers. For more information visit www.infores.com.
Full release of fall 2004 SimmonsLOCAL Consumer Information
Deerfield Beach, Fla., research firm Simmons announced the full release of its fall 2004 SimmonsLOCAL product. The fall release provides clients with information on local media and purchasing behavior in each of the nation’s 200-plus designated market areas (DMAs).
SimmonsLOCAL offers:
- sample sizes large enough to reliably identify valuable consumer segments;
- data that aims to capture the nuances of local market populations;
- insightful information on consumer purchase behavior, including over 8,000 specific brands in more than 450 categories;
- data specific to DMA, county, trade area, and zip codes;
- complete multimedia information including broadcast TV, cable, newspaper, magazine, radio and the Internet.
Launched by Simmons in 2003, SimmonsLOCAL features market-by-market research detailing consumer lifestyles, psychographics and product purchases of over 8,000 brands. For more information visit www.simmonslocal.com.
Research service targets small- and medium-sized businesses
JupiterResearch, New York, has launched a new research service called SMB Marketing, which is designed to help companies market effectively and increase sales to small- and medium-sized businesses. Drawing on comprehensive surveys of SMB decision makers, intelligence from successful marketers and JupiterResearch studies on evolving online marketing best practices, SMB Marketing aims to identify and profile attractive market segments and spell out effective tactics to win SMB market share. For more information visit www.jupiterresearch.com or contact Kieran Kelly at 800-481-1212.
Subscribe free to Marketing Experiments Journal
MarketingExperiments.com, an online marketing research laboratory, is now offering free subscriptions to its publication, the Marketing Experiments Journal. This move gives marketers access to marketing research and reports about online marketing techniques that were previously available only to paid subscribers. The free subscriptions include access to more than 60 research briefs covering topics such as e-mail marketing, site conversion, online marketplaces, pay-per-click strategies and online advertising. For more information visit www.marketingexperiments.com/newmemberform.asp.
Briefly
U.K.-based Fieldwork International is now offering videostreaming at its viewing facilities in London. For more information visit www.fieldworkinternational.com.
SIS International Research has opened its second New York City facility at 7 East 20th Street. It features a global call center and a large focus group room that can fit up to 50 respondents and up to 20 viewers. For more information call 212-505-6805 or visit www.sisinternational.com.
Observation Baltimore has opened a new focus group suite. The new Howard suite, named after the street it faces, holds 10 participants and a moderator and is viewable from an observation room that stretches around it at a 90-degree angle. The observation room accommodates up to 15 clients. The Howard suite is designed to allow for multiple configurations, such as a doctor’s office, a living-room setting, or a convenience-store setting. For more information contact Brian Siatkowski at 410-332-0400 or visit www.observationbaltimore.com.
Braintree, Mass, software firm Perseus is offering SurveySolutions Express, a free Web survey site which allows individuals to design surveys, collect answers and report results from eight different types of reports or use the analysis functionality to view summary statistics and dozens of charts. Responses can be exported in multiple formats including Excel and SPSS. For more information visit http://express.perseus.com.
TNS Media Intelligence, New York, now tracks advertising occurrences on local radio stations in 30 top markets across the United States through a partnership with Mediaguide. Initially, TNS Media Intelligence will monitor 15 stations per market, both AM and FM, with additional stations being added on a regular basis. Tracking of ads will be done 24 hours a day, seven days a week and all recorded advertisements will be monitored. For more information visit www.tns-mi.com.