On Lust and Tracking Studies

An industry colleague (another owner of a market research firm) once said to me, “We all lust after those big tracking studies.”  For most market research firms, tracking studies are attractive because they involve big samples, multiple ongoing deliverables, and multi-year commitments, all of which means predictable, ongoing (and sometimes substantial) revenue. At Versta Research,…

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Entrepreneurial Advice: Rethink Your Research

Executives who lead entrepreneurial firms have dramatically different attitudes about market research from their counterparts at larger established firms, according to a recent study from Saras Sarasvathy, an associate professor of business administration at the University of Virginia. The study suggests that entrepreneurs are more focused on immediate and practical questions that will help them…

The Role of Social Media in Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Research

Listening to Your Customers through Social Media

In July, I moderated a panel of thought leaders in market research to ponder the question: “How Will Social Media Change Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty (CS&L) Research?” The event was sponsored by the American Marketing Association, and included participants from GfK, Maritz, MARC, SAS, Market Tools, and Versta Research. A partial transcript of our panel’s…