Maritz launches site usability tool
Maritz Research, St. Louis, has launched a Web site usability tool called MindAbility, a software platform that provides an understanding of the online customer experience. Maritz recently acquired the technology assets of MindAbility, which were previously part of a privately-held firm. The MindAbility browser tracks pages viewed, links, scrolling action, click paths, browser interaction, text input, and download/page load time during a user session. During an evaluation, the browser records the online experience of a respondent and captures qualitative thoughts and comments.
Geography Network adds mapping data from World Bank Group
Redlands, Calif., geographic information system software fLrm ESRI has announced that the World Bank Group has provided 23 unique layers of worldwide mapping data, or "development indicators," to the Geography Network for inclusion in its collection of georeferenced data. The Geography Network is a global network of geographic information users and providers. The World Bank has indicated that its goal for worldwide development is to permanently improve the welfare of people everywhere. The world development indicators measure the progress toward this goal. The data provided by the World Bank to the Geography Network includes: agriculture share in gross domestic product (GDP), 1999; annual deforestation, 1990-2000; gross national income per capita, 1999; passenger cars per 1,000 people, 1999; and telephone main lines per 1,000 people, 1999.
Consumer Pulse now offers on-site Internet interviewing
Birmingham, Mich.-based Consumer Pulse, Inc. now provides on-site Intemet interviewing in mall and pre-recruited settings at its network of 15 U.S. locations. Utilizing multiple networked PCs with DSL Intemet connections in each of its U.S. locations, the firm can now complete Web-hosted surveys, downloaded surveys, CD-ROM-with-Intemet surveys, and traditional CAPI interviewing. In addition, Consumer Pulse can supportany Internet-available software and any computerized interviewing software (including UNIX-based programs like Quancept CAPI) on its network of computers.
StatSoft adds Six Sigma courses
Tulsa, Okla., research software firm StatSoft, Inc. has added two new Six Sigma training courses to its course offerings. "Six Sigma Statistics - Basic" and "Six Sigma Statistics - Expert" have been designed to provide participants with an overview of the Six Sigma statistical tools. Participants will come away with a working knowledge of the Six Sigma capabilities of StatSoft’s STATISTICA software and be able to put the various methods into action at their organization. Both courses focus primarily on the application of statistics within the Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodology. Participants attend "Basic Training" for three days, while "Expert Training" runs for a full week (five days).
System ranks celebrities
Encino, Calif., research firm E-Poll has launched E-Score, a new approach to talent scoring utilizing not only celebrity like/dislike scales, but also "face only" and "name only" recogaaition scores, 30 personality attribute qualifiers, and open-ended questions which consumer respondents use to rank celebrmes. E-Score s list of attibutes ranges from "funny" and "attractive" to "can identify with" and "overexposed." Each celebrity in the EScore database is ranked up to four times annually. Currently, E-Score offers a database of 400 celebrities, which will increase to more than 1,500 by June 2002.
Survey Sampling joins with iWon to expand sampling
Survey Sampling, Inc. (SSI), Fairfield, Conn., and the Excite Network’s iWon portal have joined forces to provide an expanded range of sampling services to the marketing research industry. The partnership will also allow SSI to further grow the SurveySpot Internet Sampling Panel, a multi-sourced Intemet research panel representing over a million individuals. The SSI SurveySpot panel provides access to an Intemet households on the basis of demographics such as age, gender, and income, and standard marketing geographies such as MSA and DMA. Selections can be balanced to the Intemet or general population. In addition, SurveySpot allows special selections including ailments and prescriptive remedies, shopping preferences, and automotive ownership. The Excite Network’s iWon.com, a registration-based loyalty portal, is a consumer destination with personalized and targeted content. The addition of Excite’s iWon portal with 36 vertical channels and specialized centers will add to Survey Sampling’s ability to reach lowincidence population segments based on interests, behaviors, and demographics.
Online gamers panel debuts
Communique Partners, a San Rafael,Calif., once panel and consulting firm, has launched The Gamer’s Voice, an online panel of garners. Created by a team of market researchers, the panel will consist of over 5,000 garners, representing a cross-section of platforms, genres, ages, and genders. The panel will be tapped for online surveys and discussion groups that will provide answers to a variety of industry and vendor issues. These include: 1) product, title and plot tests, 2) future purchase plans, 3) platform acceptance, hot buttons, and their future role as digital entertainment centers, 4) broadband connectivity potential, and 5) marketing bundles thatwill drive volume. An annual subscription service will include quarterly reports, tele-briefings, and analyst queries. Subscribers will also be able to tap the panel for custom proprietary surveys covering usage and attitudes, purchase intentions and influences, satisfaction and loyalty studies, online focus groups and discussions, as well as product and promotion testing.
Survey monitors worklife employee benefits
Fisher Vista, a Capitola, Calif., marketing services firm serving the life management employee benefits industry, is now offering a new Web-based survey designed to monitor and identify trends in the field of work-life employee benefits. To be conducted quarterly, Fisher Vista’s work/life survey series will target specific areas that are most pressing to HR professionals and, by extension, to life management employee benefit vendors. HR professionals will be invited to recommend the questions to be asked. Results of the surveys are free to public and private sector human resource professionals who agree to participate in the opt-in surveys. Once a quarter, an e-mail containing a link to the Web-based survey will be sent to participants who may complete the online survey and view the results. Surveys will take less than 15 minutes to complete. Results will also be shared with clients of Fisher Vista. The theme of the initial survey, planned for the second quarter of 2002, is elder care and what types of benefits and policies employers are currently offering, and plan to offer to employee caregivers.
New online store from Sage
Sage Research, Inc., Natick, Mass., has introduced the SageStore, a new online venue to sell research reports as well as data in single charts. Features of the online store include: delivery of current research reports and individual charts via e-mail; specific details about the charts including exact question asked, basic information identifying the sample population, and the number of participants in the study; a variety of topics to choose from, including IP telephony, mobile IP, network cabling and fiber-to-the-desktop. The SageStore lists the specific charts and reports for sale in each category. For each report, the store provides the table of contents, basic demographic information and a link to the report’s electronic brochure.
Cheskin offers free media report
Cheskin, a Redwood Shores, Calif., research firm, has released the third report in its Market Insight Series. The 18-page report, "Media Content: The Place Where We Live," proposes a model that includes five key factors in developing media experiences which are meaningful to consumers. Previous reports in the series have covered youth and digital experience, and life sciences. The report describes the current nature of the media business, from broadcast to newspapers and the Intemet, and the business and technological developments that are transforming it. It describes means by which customers can be more fully engaged by focusing on the principles of media experience. Overview data on market trends provide the foundation of the report with the company’s broader insights from its proprietary client research elucidating current consumer trends. The heart of the report outlines the five key components of compelling media experience. These include meaningfulness, relevance, accessibility, identity, and medium appropriateness.
New analysis of quickcasual food service segment
Chicago-based Technomic has launched an in-depth, industry-wide analysis of the quick-casual food service segment. The analysis, "Capitalizing on Growth Opportunities in the Quick Casual Segment," will assess factors for success, consumer drivers, unit economics, and long-term potential.
Early consumer research supports the theory that success relies heavily on creating the right "experience." Operators must evaluate every aspect of their concept, including menu, decor, service systems, and trade dress, in order to provide a positive sensory experience. Manufacturers, on the other hand, have an oppor.tunity to build business with quick-casual operators by providing solutions related to food and food preparation, equipment, and packaging.
In addition to evaluating consumer attitudes and behaviors, the study will also provide insights into related trade issues such as size and composition of the market, most prevalent cuisines now and in the future, typical unit economics, and criteria for success (including site requirements, market characteristics, building types and sizes).
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IMS Helalth, Fairfield, Conn., has announced the U.S. launch of Xplorer.Web, a turnkey business intelligence platform that provides pharmaceutical companies with answers to sales and marketing questions via the Internet. Xplorer.Web integates IMS Health’s pharmaceutical sales and prescriPtion data with a pharmaceutical company’s detailing, sampling and call data to help clients better assess sales and marketing effectiveness.
Public relations firm Burson-Marsteller and market research firm Millward Brown have created a specialist travel and tourism consulting practice focused on Asia-Pacific markets. The Asia-based practice will offer clients the services of travel and tourism industry strategists as well as marketing and research professionals.
Houston-based MindSearch has launched its interactive interviewing kiosks nationwide. A 90-day beta test at a mall in San Antonio resulted in 12,000 completed surveys. By this summer, the company plans to have its kiosks in malls in 15 major markets.
New York-based SponsorClick has released "Sponsorship 2002 Market Analysis," a study of the global sponsorship market. The study examines the market as a whole as well as the key players and analyzes long-term trends, including the growth of sponsorship compared to other communication channels.