Research Webinar series debuts
Quincy, Mass., research firm Knowledge inForm, Inc. has a new series of training Webinars for market research and business professionals. The hour-long sessions include a variety of market research and business-related topics and use instructional materials, reference guides, case studies, best practices and question-and-answer segments. The market research Webinars are targeted towards marketing professionals at all experience levels and small business professionals who need to learn about marketing and market research to grow their businesses. Current topics include: market research techniques - position and promotion; market research techniques - price; market research techniques - product; and using segmentation to identify and analyze customers. The business skills Webinars are targeted towards any business professional who needs to gain proficiency in a particular area. Current topics include: project management; the RFP process - from writing the RFP to evaluating vendors; Web site metrics - how to evaluate the success of your Web site; and how to design an effective survey. For more information visit www.knowledgeinform.com.
20/20 updates Qualboard
20/20 Research, Inc., Nashville, has launched Qualboard 2.0, the newest version of its Web-based application for conducting in-depth qualitative research using the Internet. Qualboard allows participants to be scattered around the globe and participate at a time convenient to them by using threaded discussions in a bulletin-board format. Qualboard 2.0, in addition to an updated look and feel, incorporates enhancements such as: 12 available color schemes and the ability to brand each project; complete typographic control for respondents, allowing them to use emoticons (images that convey mood or tone, like smiley faces) to give their responses personality; language sets, which allow Qualboard 2.0 to be used to conduct studies in English, German, French, Spanish and Japanese; and search-and-filter and coding functions to help moderators provide greater value to their clients. For more information visit www.2020research.com.
New version of Invoke on Demand
Invoke Solutions, Wellesley, Mass., has released Invoke On Demand, an upgrade to its online research platform, which is used by clients to gather insights from customers, prospects, employees, and partners. The Invoke On Demand release will be rolled out in three phases over three months: Invoke Platform Upgrade (5.0) includes a new “Instant Insight” PowerPoint report, on-the-fly chat with participants, real-time segment tracking, “Auto-Pilot” for session moderation, and more enhancements (release date: September 2005); infrastructure upgrade - includes the ability to host over 300 participants in a single live session (release date: October 2005); Invoke Insight Center - provides 24/7 portal-based access for Invoke partners and customers to create and run sessions whenever needed and includes authoring tools and session logistics (release date: December 2005). For more information visit www.invoke.com.
PDA module for The Survey System
Creative Research Systems, Petaluma, Calif., has released the PDA Module of The Survey System, its survey software package for Web, paper and phone surveys. The Survey System’s new PDA Module offers features for conducting all types of interviews on Windows-based Pocket PC handheld computers. The Survey System supports both stand-alone PDAs and PDAs connected to the Web and automatically combines data from multiple handhelds. The number of questions in a survey and the number of interviews that can be conducted are limited only by the PDA’s available storage.
The Survey System optimizes PDA Web surveys for the small screen size and slower connections of handheld computers. Users can modify survey appearance to show grid format questions with alternating color rows and other options. Sample PDA Web surveys can be seen at www.surveysystem.com/pdasurveys.htm. The Survey System’s PDA questionnaires offer most of the same questionnaire logic features that are available for CATI and Web page surveys. All question files created in The Survey System can be used for PDA interviews (CAPI), Web page surveys, e-mail surveys, paper questionnaires and telephone interviews without further editing. For more information visit www.surveysystem.com.
Version 1.4 of Survey Solutions/EFM from Perseus
Braintree, Mass., research software firm Perseus has released an upgrade to its enterprise Web survey application, Perseus SurveySolutions/EFM. Version 1.4 features: expanded reporting capabilities - users can now create customized reports using a range of reporting elements including frequency tables and charts, banner reports, top box summaries, multi-dimensional crosstabulations, summary of means, correlation analysis and verbatim analysis. All reports can be distributed throughout the organization in PDF, MS PowerPoint or MS Word formats. Questionnaire design enhancements - new design features, including support for scoring used for education and training applications and calculated fields for advanced market research, have been included in this new release. Advanced panel management - EFM 1.4 includes more robust panel management capabilities to track and access panelist demographics and other intelligence in one centralized location. CRM, HRM and BI integration support - EFM v1.4 supports integration with other applications including CRM, HRM and BI platforms through Web Services and an integration toolset to allow organizations to leverage the knowledge gathered through the survey process. SurveySolutions desktop compatibility - SurveySolutions/EFM v1.4 is compatible with SurveySolutions Desktop 7.0 for use as an offline client for survey design. For more information visit www.perseus.com.
Confirmit 10 and Confirmit CAPI now available
Norway research software company FIRM has launched Confirmit 10, an update of its survey, panel and reporting software, and Confirmit CAPI, a face-to-face interviewing platform. Highlights of Confirmit 10 and Confirmit CAPI include: survey design features developed for respondent experience optimization and accessibility compliance; end-client reporting features designed to deliver live analytics over the Web; a new Web-centric platform for CAPI and offline face-to-face interviewing; and a new platform for panel management and panelist communities to maximize panelist retention and response rates. For more information visit www.confirmit.com/10.
FocusVision offers Video Transcripts
FocusVision Worldwide, Stamford, Conn., has introduced Video Transcripts, which are transcripts in traditional text and synchronized to video. FocusVision uses certified court stenographers to deliver transcripts back to clients within 48 hours or less. Clients will receive a Video Transcript in MS Word via e-mail, online synched to video, and by CD through standard mail. Users can create transcript excerpts with video links or video clips on their PC or place them into Word, PowerPoint or e-mail files. Transcripts can be browsed for keywords and those words can be clicked on to jump to that moment in the video. By highlighting a block of text, users can get a video clip that is exportable into a PowerPoint or e-mail file. Text linked to video can be exported into reports. For more information call 203-961-1715 opt. 6 or visit www.focusvision.com.
Community Sourcebook from ESRI
ESRI, Redlands, Calif., is now offering the 2005 edition of the Community Sourcebook America CD-ROM with ArcReader. The Community Sourcebook America CD-ROM with ArcReader contains information from the 2005 printed editions of Community Sourcebook of ZIP Code Demographics and Community Sourcebook of County Demographics along with query, sort, and report software and ESRI’s ArcReader map display software. The Community Sourcebook America CD-ROM with ArcReader is used by companies, agencies, and organizations that need to reference demographic data for U.S. zip codes and counties. The CD-ROM is also found in the reference sections of many public, corporate, and university libraries. This new release contains updates and projections for data such as population, age distribution, and income. Data for two newly created micropolitan statistical areas, Bonham, Texas (Fannin County) and Culpeper, Va. (Culpeper County), is also included. The dominant Community Tapestry consumer type is listed for each U.S. residential zip code, as well as demographic spending potential indexes for 20 categories such as financial services, home improvement, entertainment, home furnishings, apparel, automotive aftermarket, health insurance, pets, and pet supplies. For more information visit www.esri.com/demographicdata.
Sites provide free research resources
Pittsburgh software company CRM Survey Inc. has launched Web portals www.crmsurvey.com and www.crmfeedback.com, which let market and consumer research consultants conduct online surveys, leverage resources and conduct a variety of studies. CRM Survey Inc. offers a free desktop application platform, CRM Q+, which allows for designing survey questionnaires, the simulation of reports, and collaboration among companies and expert consultants. Descriptive statistics, data visualization, crosstabulation, group frequency analysis, time series, conjoint and TURF analysis are some of the features offered through the portals. An additional tool, CRM XNet enables members to network and communicate with each other. It is also offered to members free of charge.
Briefly
Australia-based online research firm i-Link Research Solutions has entered into a strategic alliance with Qualified Opinions Research Panel to offer the Qualified Opinions Research Panel, which will be used exclusively for market and social research purposes to ensure members are not unduly contaminated or biased by receiving direct marketing campaigns from the same source. The partnership between i-Link and Qualified Opinions will develop the membership base, which is growing at a rate of 10,000 new respondents per month. For more information visit www.i-link.com.au.
London research firm Research Now has launched a new online panel in Australia offering access to 60,000 Australian household members. The Australian panel will be managed locally from new Research Now offices in Sydney and Brisbane. Jason Buchanan has left Research Now’s London headquarters and return to his native Australia to head up the new office. For more information visit www.researchnow.co.uk.
Vancouver. B.C., research firm Vision Critical is now offering version 3.5 of its Panel+ online research platform. The new version features a redesigned user interface, new study creation and deployment functionality, expanded filtering, enhanced security and greater data import and export controls. For more information visit www.visioncritical.com.
Doane Marketing Research, St. Louis, is offering a shared-cost study pertaining to the major disease challenges faced by U.S. dairy producers caring for replacement dairy cattle. Specific diseases by three stages of growth development will be identified along with animal health products used to control each disease. For more information contact Dave Tugend at 216-491-9515, ext. 211 or visit www.doanemr.com.
Chicago-based Vista Research announced that it will provide U.S. sales and support for U.K.-based MRDC’s software suite. MRDCL, a scripting language, is MRDC’s flagship tabulation package. Additional products in the suite include OnTraq (for tracking studies) and Report Direct (for automated charting/reporting). The products are integrated with Excel, Access and PowerPoint. MRDC software supports the Triple S standard and is XML compatible. For more information visit www.mrdcsoftware.com, www.vista-rs.com or contact Pat Johnston at 773-868-9107.
Rochester, N.Y.-based Harris Interactive and the Harris Interactive Service Bureau (HISB) are now offering SynTrack Online to market research firms across the United States. SynTrack Online is a technical and consultative framework designed to: preserve trended data; ensure representativeness through sampling and advanced weighting techniques; accommodate mixed-mode studies; and expand revenue across new and existing accounts for both research firms and their end clients. SynTrack Online customers will also have access to Harris Interactive research and methodology consultants during the migration process and beyond. For more information visit www.hisbonline.com.
Greenfield Online, Inc., Wilton, Conn., has launched a teen panel and teen sample service. The company has built a dedicated teen panel and project delivery team and is recruiting teen respondents between the ages of 13 and 17 through multiple affiliates such as teen portals, in-person events, schools and communities and viral marketing. The panel has geographical reach within the U.S., with profile data including almost 200 variables per panelist. For more information visit www.greenfield.com.
ICC/Decision Services, Wayne, N.J., a retail customer service firm, is now offering the Retail Learning Lab, an interactive strategic model designed to change retail store associate selling behavior and increase store sales. The Lab teaches suggestive and add-on selling techniques and then reinforces them with mystery shopping, rewards and recognition. The Lab measures baseline behavior, such as suggestive selling, and then quantifies how much that baseline behavior has improved. For more information visit www.iccds.com.