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Do better research

I just got back from the QRCA Worldwide Qualitative Research Conference in Lisbon – there was a lot of great content packed into 2.5 days, as well as a dinner at the amazing Palacio Conde d’Obidos, shown here.

It occurred to me that we were all there for the same reason: to learn ways to do better research.  And I think we did!  Here are a few of the highlights for me:

Lucy Foylan gave a great presentation about the differences between conducting research online and in-person.  Her agency, The Nursery in the UK, compared the two and they found the people were more likely to work to build consensus during in-person focus groups and more willing to disagree with each other during webcam groups.  While some might think that’s a reason to conduct all focus groups online, remember that consensus building also happens in real life.  Witnessing how participants persuade one another can provide valuable insights for our clients.  Depending on the objectives of the research, we might benefit from in-person groups, webcam groups, or a mix of both – where we examine the differences between the two.

There were several sessions about the impact of AI on qualitative research, including presentations by Daniel Berkal and Sidi Lemine, followed by a panel discussion which I moderated, with Simon Shaw, Tom Woodnut and Paul Kingsley-Smith.  Some of my takeaways:

  • Daniel talked about ways AI can be used so we can do our work better and more efficiently.  He uses Chat GPT to help with screener development, with ideas for discussion guides, and to summarize responses, and Adobe Firefly to create images for proposals and reports.
  • Sidi talked about using AI tools to recognize emotions in research participants and how they’re surprisingly accurate across cultures.  While a smile or a frown may mean different things in different cultures, it turns out micro-expressions are remarkably consistent throughout the world.  Specifically, Sidi said he likes the following tools: Phebi.ai, Emozo, Immersion.
  • While there are many great ways AI can help us in our work, our panel participants focused on what AI can’t do, and why we researchers are still needed.  One example: in a recent focus group project, participants all said they liked one of three concepts best, but I realized that was because it was the shortest concept, not because of the content of the concept.  If we had relied on AI to conduct the research, it would have taken those responses at face value and not probed further.  Simon said that we qualitative researchers are too humble and don’t do enough to explain the value we bring.  I agree!

Those are just some of the highlights.  The Worldwide Conference reminded me of how important it is for us to keep learning and adding to our skills.  The next opportunity is coming up soon: QRCA’s annual conference will take place in Denver, January 22-25, 2024.  I recommend it!  Register here: https://www.qrca.org/event/2024-annual-conference .

How can we add value to your next research project?  Email me at info at bureauwest.com and let’s discuss!

Sources: QRCA 2023 Worldwide Qualitative Research Conference: “A Hybrid Future: Exploring Human Interactions On- and Off-line,” Lucy Foylan; “Navigating Qual in the Age of AI,” Daniel Berkal; “Can Emotion AI Remove Bias in Global Research?,” Sidi Lemine; “What AI Can – And Can’t – Do For Qual,” Jay Zaltzman, Simon Shaw, Paul Kingsley-Smith, Tom Woodnut

Posted on by Jay Zaltzman

Customer experience – the secret to success

We are currently conducting research on the topic of luxury travel and have been asking people about what elevates an experience to the level of luxury.  I’ve been struck by the fact that their answers can all be boiled down to one thing: superior customer experience.

But here’s the “secret:” providing superior customer experience isn’t limited to the luxury category; mainstream companies can do it, too!  To do so, many companies need to shift their focus.  Rather than just focusing on getting good scores in customer experience surveys, they need to look beyond that and figure out how to improve the customer experience. 

https://www.stockvault.net/photo/254886/customer-satisfaction-survey

Let me give you an example: our website and email stopped working recently, so I called our web host’s tech support.  It turned out there was a technical issue, and they didn’t know when it would be fixed.  Afterward, I received a customer experience survey asking me about the rep I talked to.  She was polite and pleasant, so I gave a rating of five out of five.  The technical problem certainly wasn’t her fault.  But does that mean I was happy?  No!  One thing that would have made me happier: if I could have found the information about the technical problem on the host’s website, rather than having to make a call.  Or imagine if the rep had told me that she would move our website to a different server, so that we could be back up and running immediately.  I don’t know if that’s technically feasible, but if it were, I would have been ecstatic and would have told everyone I know!  But I wasn’t asked about what could be improved.

Our luxury travel research provides some clues about where companies can look when it comes to improving the customer experience:

  • People love personalization.  A guest at the Ritz in Bali received specific flowers in her room with a note saying the staff saw her admiring the flowers in the lobby.  While mainstream companies don’t have the staffing for that level of personalization, they can use digital tools to keep track of customer preferences.  Or it can be even simpler: United Airlines flight attendants recognize passengers in Premium Economy by name.  Customers are surprised and gratified (since that usually only happens in business class), but it’s relatively simple for flight attendants to do, since they have passenger names on the manifest.
  • People hate waiting.  Luxury providers find ways to change the experience of waiting.  For example, a cruise provider might take passengers’ registration information while they’re waiting to check in, or a restaurant might provide drinks and hors d’oeuvres while diners wait for their table.  Mainstream companies can look for ways to occupy customers while they wait… and may even discover additional selling opportunities!
  • People want their problems solved.  High-end providers empower their employees to fix customers’ problems.  The Ritz Carlton is known for allowing employees to spend up to $2,000 to solve a customer’s problem without manager approval (note: they rarely spend that much).  While mainstream companies usually can’t spend that kind of money, they can empower employees to solve problems and make exceptions to rules when appropriate.

We encourage our clients to go beyond asking their customers to score their customer experience and instead research the experience itself and look for opportunities to make customers happier.  Email me at info at bureauwest.com and let’s discuss how to do that!

Sources: “Treat Them Like Royalty: Customer Experience Lessons From Luxury Brands,” Forbes, 4/12/22; Bureau West research

Posted on by Jay Zaltzman

In the current crisis, it’s innovate or die

OK, maybe I’m overstating it … or am I? 

https://pixabay.com/photos/puzzle-pieces-of-the-puzzle-play-81457/

The pandemic has caused significant changes for almost every company.  Many have seen a sharp drop in revenue.  Others have had revenues remain the same or even increase, but customers’ needs have changed.  Many have new rules and restrictions about how they can do business.  Some restrictions may be relaxed soon… but customers aren’t sure it’s safe to go back to their old behaviors.

The result of this chaos can be summed up in one word: Disruption.  And when it comes to dealing with disruption, companies that fail to innovate do so at their peril. 

We’ve all heard the stories of companies that ignored disruptions going on around them.  Nokia didn’t realize that data would become more important to users than voice.  Kodak ignored digital photography.  Blockbuster refused to believe their model could be improved upon.

And then there are the companies that recognized disruption and innovated.  Netflix was in the business of mailing DVDs to their customers.  The company saw the growth in high-speed internet and developed its streaming service.

More recently, online meeting provider Zoom grew immensely as a result of the lockdown… and then had to deal with significant disruption when security flaws were discovered.  As a result, many companies and organizations stopped using Zoom.  The company reacted quickly, releasing versions of their software that addressed vulnerabilities and going so far as to acquire security company Keybase to help with their security and privacy efforts.  Now the New York City Department of Education and other organizations have lifted their bans on Zoom use.

So how can you ensure your company doesn’t get crushed by disruption?

We recommend conducting a brand innovation process, which includes the following:

  • A review of how the competitive landscape has changed as a result of the current crisis
  • Research with customers and prospects to understand how they feel and what they are doing right now
  • Disruption workshop with your key stakeholders.  Looking at each of the “4 Ps” –Product, Price, Place, and Promotion – what has changed in the current environment?  How should the brand evolve to address those changes?  A SWOT exercise leading into brainstorming: what could be done better or differently when it comes to each of the four Ps?  What are ways to leverage the company’s strengths and opportunities (including new opportunities) in order to overcome the weaknesses and threats?

Can Bureau West help? I thought you’d never ask!  I have teamed up with Joe Sharlip, an expert brand strategist, to offer brand innovation to our clients. Call me at 760-469-9266 or email info at bureauwest.com to discuss how best to tailor the process for your needs.

Posted on by Jay Zaltzman