At Quirk’s, we love to see and promote lively online conversations that drive positive change within the research industry. And as an editor, there is nothing I like more than looking through responses from readers discussing one of our articles! So when the comments started rolling in on Joe Hopper’s article, “9 habits of great marketing research vendors,” I couldn’t wait to see what others in the industry thought about his manifesto.
Hopper’s article – published in Quirk’s August 22, 2016 e-newsletter – looks at nine habits he believes every good vendor must possess. Though Hopper is on the supplier side himself, we found his take on client-vendor relationships to be quite refreshing. While discussing experiences with his own vendors – the good, bad and the ugly – Hopper reminds us all how important basic open communication, trust and responsibility are in client-vendor relationships.
A few readers commented on the article agreeing with Hopper and adding their own two cents, while others shared their own experiences and pointed out items on the list that they would change.
Here are a few highlights from the article’s comment section.
“Adding on to No. 7 [They focus on relationships rather than revenue] a bit more. They say no when asked to deliver something just out of their sweet spot or scope, and even recommend their peers who have a better shot of handling it (if possible). If they say 'yes, but' it's made really clear what those limitations will be so that expectations are set up front.” – Angela Wood
“Excellent and clearly stated case for relationship building and counteracting client perceptions of research as a commodity. Means a lot to those of us [that] consider this the way to do business and not some unattainable ‘gold standard.’ Thanks, Joe. P.S. Don't care what you call me, as long as you call me.” – Karen Duchan
“I agree with everything that you say and strive as a supplier to deliver on all of these key aspects. On the flip side being an excellent client is about trust, relationships and understanding that budgets also determine the level of seniority and thinking that goes into creating insights around a business problem. Understanding that innovation and productivity improvements are always important but sometimes (often actually) we are asked to do it for less which in reality means you can’t always have the most senior people or best methodology.” – Derek Jones
“Thanks for the interesting article Joe. The basics of great account management are often overlooked in the day-to-day need to get things done and be profitable. Sadly, clients generally get the agencies they deserve. Unless you treat an agency like a partner then only a foolish agency will try to be one. Part of the dance between agency and client is findings out what they value and what resources to commit.” - Seán
“I agree with about 90 percent of your points, and understand where you are coming from. … In my forty-year plus career, there have been several clients who wanted biased questions, who wanted me to make a mountain of a story about only a three percent difference or wanted to quote me to say how wonderful their product or service was in a report or a press release, when it wasn't warranted. Clients have a right to give their input, make suggestions, so the research is the best it can be. But they don't have a right to cherry pick results, twist results for corporate purposes or bias a survey. I once had a huge financial client who said to me, ‘Listen, I am paying you $175,000 and I want the results that I want, not what consumers tell you they want.’ Needless to say, I walked away and resigned from the project.” – Nicholas Tortorello
Looking for a way to share your thoughts?
We’ve watched as a long line of news and media outlets (NPR, Popular Science and Reuters, just to name a few) have replaced the old on-site commenting approach, turning to social media as the new arena. With the launch of our new Web site, Quirk’s has removed the traditional comments section, choosing to promote reader engagement via social media, primarily on Twitter and LinkedIn. We truly value reader engagement and will be working on new ways to connect with you. I encourage you to join in the conversation on LinkedIn via The Marketing Research and Insights Group, powered by Quirk’s, where you can watch for my weekly posts discussing each of our articles, or follow us on Twitter @QuirksMR.
As always, we would love to have your feedback! Will you miss the ability to comment directly on the article? What social media platforms do you see yourself using to discuss articles, comment on hot topics and connect with us as well as your peers? Send your comments to emilyk@quirks.com.