David Santee addresses marketing researchers and makes a plea for the research industry to become more strategic. Although it may not always be apparent, senior executives want our information and our insights. In fact, they want us to be strategic partners. A thought-provoking study by the Market Research Executive Board found that 65 percent of senior leaders want market research to be a strategic partner. But here’s the kicker—only 25 percent view us that way. In other words, they want it, but we are not delivering.

Market research is changing: from being tactical to becoming strategic; from delivering data to delivering solution; from being technical to becoming consultative; from being an order-taking staff function to becoming a proactive partner. Our market has changed, too. Just like those companies that vanished because they did not recognize a change in the market, we are seeing a change in our market. Will we recognize it? 

Most of us are not positioning ourselves as marketplace experts or strategists. We are not called on to help define a  strategy—or to be the strategic partner that senior management wants us to be. The reason we’re not considered for this role is because we’re truly not there yet. Our industry isn’t there yet. Our skill sets are not there yet. Before we can fix the problem, we have to recognize that the problem exists.

At issue are not tactical everyday decision—whether a product should be green or blue, which ad breaks through the best, which option tastes the best, or even measuring our customer satisfaction. The real issue is with the more important strategic decisions that can significantly influence a company’s success—the ones that can set the course for the next several years. Those typically made by the operating committee who makes the really big decisions. The only relevant learning in a company is the learning done by those with a power to act. 

Questions:

1. Explain what is meant by the last sentence in the story above. 

2. Why is “becoming strategic” so important to marketing researchers?