Sawtooth product incorporates sound and video into questionnaire

Sensus Q&A, from Sawtooth Technologies, Evanston, Ill., is a Windows-based product that lets researchers create respondent-friendly computer interviews. Sensus Q&A’s multimedia capabilities let users incorporate images, sound and video into their questionnaires. Because the software uses image and sound files, it eliminates the need to produce, copy and ship visual aids or product prototypes. Researchers can be sure their product shots and videos are shown exactly when they want them to be.

CRS offers free sample size calculator

Creative Research Systems, Petaluma, Calif., is offering a free sample size and confidence level calculator on disk. Simply type in the size of the population being surveyed and the level of precision you need and the program instantly displays the sample size required. Users can also type in the details of an existing sample to find the confidence intervals and levels.

Equifax software aids CRA compliance

Sparta-CRA from Equifax National Decision Systems is Windows-based software designed to help bankers address new reporting regulations under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) of 1977. While the regulations are to be fully implemented in 1997, banks could choose to be evaluated under the new regulations as of January 1, 1996. Sparta-CRA enables banks to quickly analyze the geographic distribution of their loans and the financial needs of their community, then generate reports and maps to support their analysis.

Sparta-CRA provides several geographic options in defining assessment areas. Formerly known as service territories or delineated communities, assessment areas show where the bank’s branches are located and where the bank is originating its loans. Using median family income data, as suggested by the new regulation, Sparta-CRA then computes appropriate percentages and geographies for assessing low-to-moderate income areas. An option allows minority composition to be assessed a!ong with income. The system allows access to nearly 100 demographic, consumer demand and business data variables used in the analysis. When CRA-sensitive areas have been calculated, reports and maps are automatically, generated for the assessment area. Users may generate pure thematic maps, one variable at a time, pie charts to display the relationship between two variables in a tract (such as loans and deposits), or a combination of thematic mapping with customer point data displayed to illustrate the exact location of loan customers against market data.

Study the U.S. by ZIP with CACI CD-ROM

CACI Marketing Systems, Arlington, Va., introduces Sourcebook-America, a CD-ROM product containing demographic information on the U.S. The program allows users to study the entire U.S. by ZIP code or county, using over 50 demographic variables for 29,523 residential ZIP codes and 3,141 counties, and by MSA, ADI and DMA. The Windows-compatible program features purchase potential information for 20 product categories, from investments to sporting goods, and is designed for comprehensive searches, queries and sorts of the data. For

Internet survey firm debuts Web page

DataStar, a Waltham, Mass., data processing firm, now offers its Internet Survey Service for the World Wide Web. Those interested may access the firm’s Web page for a description of the firm’s list of services, information about the Internet service, which offers survey administration on the Internet, and a sample survey. DataStar’s service can determine who is dialing into your Web site and what they think about it.

Newsletter focuses on competitive research on-line

BiblioData, Needham Heights, Mass., publisher of Fulltext Sources Online, has introduced a new monthly newsletter covering the use of the Internet for business research and competitive intelligence. The CyberSkeptic’s Guide to Internet Research takes a critical look at research sources, targeting Internet users who are familiar  with professional on-line vendors like DIALOG and NEXIS.

New mystery shopping service from Maritz

Maritz Marketing Research Inc., St. Louis, Mo., has introduced Virtual Customers, a new fully-integrated service quality evaluation system using mystery shoppers. The system involves seven steps that help clients integrate the voice of the customer in their organizations: definition - helping determine measurable service quality specifications; prescription - defining behaviors, communicating standards and educating employees about expectations; certification - extensive training of shoppers as certified "customers" of the client organization; execution - actual visits by virtual customers who record their "moment of truth" experiences; reporting - 24-hour topline reports showing individual and aggregate service levels; integration - incorporating Virtual Customers into the overall customer satisfaction process as an additiona! listening post; and strategy development - helping design and integrate improvement strategies throughout the organization.

Maritz uses a project management system to track the skill level and demographic information on each virtual customer. The database shows each person’ s shopping performance, past experience and other pertinent information to ensure that the right people are assigned to each project. The same system can produce realtime feedback on the status of the project, how many locations have been visited, and current ratings compared to previous visits.

Geocoding update

Qualitative Marketing Software Inc., a Clearwater, Fla., maker of geocoding and address standardization technology, has announced that StarData and GeoStan Library are now available with Geographic Data Tectmology’s (GDT) Dynamap/2000 street network database. StarData’s engine, coupled with GDT’s street network database, will provide a full-featured nationwide solution to address standardization and geocoding needs.

Caliper announces Maptitude, U.S. Streets Data updates

Caliper Corp., Newton, Mass., has added 1990 Block Group Areas and 1990 Block Centroids to the library of Maptitude data products. These new data files augment the geographic data that is packaged with the Maptitude Geographic Information System, providing access to demographic data for detailed geographic areas across the U.S. The Block Groups file and Block Centroids fileanalysis for many business applications. The company has also released an update of its U.S. Streetd Data CD. The new CD stores a complete nationwide street file with associated address information for use with Maptitude. The new U.S. Streets file includes over 32 million street segments with enhanced street names, address ranges and ZIP Codes. These enhancements incorporate updated information from the U.S. Postal Service.

Reports on U.K. firms now available on Marklntel

MarkIntel, an on-line service offeting 45,000 market research reports, has added the reports of MSI, a British firm specializing industrial and business-to-business coverage of European markets. Derived from original research by its in-house research team, MSI provide marketing planning, benchmarking and forecasting information. Reports include such topics as: two-year production and consumption projections for the U.K. food and beverage packaging industries; the impact of forecasting EU legislation upon the European process industries; the five critical success factors in the U.K. industrial storage tank industry; and the French concrete construction growth forecast through 1998.

Easier access to SIC Codes with new version of SIC Infobase

Users of Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes may want to check out the new Windows version of SIC Infobase, a software program developed by Wandell Graphics and distributed by the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Dept. of Commerce. The Folio indexed version of the SIC provides seamless integration into business applications including word processing, spreadsheets, graphics and traditional database management programs. Searches are completed quickly with results easily integrated into other computer applications. Users can access information, tabulate and compare files, use hypertext links, develop customized query links and launch other applications. SIC Infobase requires an IBM-PC or compatible with 512K RAM and DOS 3.0 or later.