The number of product and service options consumers have available to them continues to increase rapidly.
Combine that with the dizzying array of ways that they can learn about, discuss, and evaluate those options has made standing out in a crowded field very difficult. Our approach to this complexity has been to step back, take a deep breath, and help our clients understand what information they really need from consumers to help make good strategic decisions. Our consumer goods and services clients come to us because we maximize their research investment by focusing our efforts on the things that matter most and keeping our eye on the real business question at hand.
Industry: Consumer Services
Area of Focus: Product development & refinement
Target: Consumers
Method: Online focus groups & online survey
Background: A global lodging company wanted to assess interest in functional and mobile-enabled enhancements for their app in order to improve the guest experience and retain customers. Element conducted both qualitative and quantitative studies to better understand prospective guests’ interest in the mobile technology enhancements. The two-phase process allowed for both initial exploration and subsequent validation of ideas given the early life stage and fast-growing state of mobile applications in hotel and other travel-related environments.
Business Questions: How often are hotel apps used, for what specific activities/information, and which potential enhancements are seen as the highest priorities?
Approach: Six online focus groups conducted with moderate to heavy app and/or mobile site users. Online survey conducted among 1,000 hotel guests.
Outcome: Results from the study identified the top features that should be present in the enhanced mobile app to optimize guest usage while minimizing development time and costs.
Industry: Consumer goods and services
Area of Focus: Ad Effectiveness
Target: Patients and caregivers
Method: In-person quant interviews (in-situ) with test vs. control methodology
Background: A large retailer wanted to expand its in-store pharmacy customer base. Ads for the company’s new generic prescription medication program were shown in physician office lobbies using our client’s TV content and advertising delivery system. Both companies wanted to understand the effectiveness of the advertising medium for making future content changes and gauging ad buy rates.
Business Questions: How effective is the in-office TV advertising medium in increasing program awareness and intent to utilize the prescription program being advertised?
Approach: In-person quantitative interviews with visitors at physician offices in ten geographically dispersed cities. Interviews were evenly divided among those in Test offices (those showing the ad) and Control offices (not showing the ad).
Outcome: Study findings showed that the ads had positive effect on intent to use the pharmacy program advertised, thus the medium was further utilized by the retailer. Our client also used the findings to market the medium to other potential advertisers.
Industry: Consumer Services
Area of Focus: Customer Satisfaction & Loyalty
Target: B2B
Method: Quant online survey
Background: Lodging client holds an annual convention for franchisees to foster networking opportunities, tell them about new brand initiatives, and help them better market their hotels. The client wanted to gauge satisfaction with the convention among attendees to understand how it could be improved.
Business Question: How satisfied are attendees with the convention overall and on specific attributes, such as entertainment, networking opportunities, ease of registration, and education sessions?
Approach: Online survey conducted among attendees of the convention within two weeks of when the convention occurred.
Outcome: Results from the annual survey have led to changes in convention format and educational content to increase attendee satisfaction. Changes have also been made in food and beverage offerings, speakers, entertainment, and corporate marketing programs and tools provided.
Industry: Consumer Durable Goods
Area of Focus: Target Profiling & Message Optimization
Target: Consumers
Method: Quant online surveys
Background: Mattress manufacturer competing in the customizable bed space against market leader. Client needed better insight into the consumer decision-making process that leads to sales of the key competitor’s product.
Business Question: How can client company improve its targeting and messaging to increase market share in the customizable bed space?
Approach: Quantitative surveys among competitive mattress owners to profile who they are and understand why the bought the competitor’s mattress.
Outcome: The research allowed our client to more finely target potential buyers from a demographic standpoint. It also enabled them to change promotional messaging to speak to areas that are most important to potential buyers.
Industry: Consumer Durable Goods
Area of Focus: Product & Service Development and Refinement
Target: Consumers
Method: Quant online surveys
Background: Mattress manufacturer client continuously seeks new and innovative ways to meet consumer needs and extend product lines. Management wanted to understand consumer interest in a mattress type that might fit between traditional innerspring and foam.
Business Questions: How do prospective mattress purchasers perceive the company’s brands overall and on attributes related to their mattresses? What factors are important when buyers consider a mattress and how interested are they in new mattress technologies?
Approach: Quantitative surveys with consumers who are likely to purchase a mattress in the next year.
Outcome: Our client utilized the results to identify their target market segments, create advertising messages that appeal to target buyers, and to proactively combat concerns about specific technology features that were identified as purchase barriers.
Industry: Consumer Services
Area of Focus: Product & Service Development and Refinement
Target: Consumers
Method: Quant online survey
Background: A lodging client needed to refresh its breakfast area in order to stay competitive with changes that similar chains had made.
Business Question: What were hotel guests’ expectations for items on a hotel’s breakfast area and which specific foods would make it most appealing?
Approach: Quantitative online survey using a discrete choice-based methodology with consumers who had recently stayed at the client’s hotel chain or a competitive set hotel.
Outcome: Our client revised the mix of breakfast offerings to ensure that as many guests’ needs were being met without having too many items from one category and not enough from another. Items were also selected to increase efficiency and cost effectiveness for franchisees.