CASE 7.2 Advantage Research, Inc. Joe Spivey is president of Advantage Research, Inc. The firm specializes...

 

 

 

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CASE 7.2 Advantage Research, Inc. Joe Spivey is president of Advantage Research, Inc. The firm specializes in customized research for clients in a vari- ety of industries via computer-assisted mall interviews in five of the largest malls in the United States. It operates a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) facility with 100 calling stations. Housed in this facility is an interac- tive voice response (IVR) capability. Its Advantage Online division specializes in online surveys and has recruited over 200,000 panel members residing in North America. There is a database with over 250 pieces of information (demo- graphic, lifestyle, possessions, etc.) gathered and stored for every Advantage Online panel member. If necessary. Joe will subcontract the services of other research firms in order to provide his client with the most appropriate data collec- tion method. In a daily meeting with his project directors, Joe discusses each client's special situation. Here is a sum- mary of the major points of today's three client discussions. Client 1: A furniture tools manufacturer has created what it considers to be the perfect ergonomic desk and chair set. The chair has a high back made of breathable mesh, with lumbar support and adjustable arms and seat. The desk has an adjustable height, including stand-up with adjustable keyboard station and moveable monitor mount. After exten- sive testing of the desk and chair set and conducting several focus groups with company purchasing agents, the client is now ready for more information on sales presentation meth- ods. The project director and the client have developed sev- eral different sales presentation formats. The client wishes to have some market evaluation of these presentations before launching a nationwide training program of the company's 125-person sales force. Client 2: A regional bakery markets several brands of cookies and crackers to supermarkets throughout Cali fornia, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. The product category is very competitive, and competitors use a great deal of newspaper and television advertising, with the most progressive competitors moving into social media advertis- ing. The bakery's vice president of marketing desires more analytics to use in making promotional decisions for the firm. She has lamented that while she spends several mil- lion dollars a year on promotions in the four states, she has no way to evaluate the effectiveness of these expenditures. Advantage Research's project director has recommended a study that will establish baseline measures of top-of-mind brand awareness (called TOMA, this measure of aware- ness is achieved by asking respondents to name the first three brands that come to mind when thinking of a prod- uct or service category, such as "cookies"), attitudes, and preferences. Client 3: An inventor has developed a new device that sani- tizes a toothbrush each time the brush is used. The device uses steam to sanitize the brush, and lab tests have shown the mechanism to be very effective at killing virtually all germs and viruses. There is an app that communicates with the toothbrush sanitizer, tracking its use and effectiveness, and notifies the user when it is time to replace the cleaning filters and fluids. The inventor has approached a large manufac- turer that has expressed interest in buying the rights to this device. However, the manufacturer first wants to know if people have any concerns with toothbrush sanitization, and whether or not they would be willing to purchase a counter- top, plug-in device with app to keep their toothbrush sterile. The project director states that the manufacturer is interested in a survey that covers the United States and Canada using a sample size of 3,000 representative respondents. The inven tor is anxious to supply this information very quickly before the manufacturer loses interest in the idea." 1. For each client's survey, take each of the nine data collection methods identified in this chapter and specify what you think are the strongest and weakest aspects of using that data collection method for the client's survey situation. Based on your analysis from the preceding question, and taking inconsideration any oth relevant aspects, decide which is the best data collection method for each client's survey. Der your choice in each case. 3. Assume that you are the project director recommending the data collection method have chosen for each client's surve in the preceding question, but during the next daily meeting and the other project directors vote your recommendations down. is the next best data collection method in your mind for each client's survey? Defend your choice in each case. CASE 7.2 Advantage Research, Inc. Joe Spivey is president of Advantage Research, Inc. The firm specializes in customized research for clients in a vari- ety of industries via computer-assisted mall interviews in five of the largest malls in the United States. It operates a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) facility with 100 calling stations. Housed in this facility is an interac- tive voice response (IVR) capability. Its Advantage Online division specializes in online surveys and has recruited over 200,000 panel members residing in North America. There is a database with over 250 pieces of information (demo- graphic, lifestyle, possessions, etc.) gathered and stored for every Advantage Online panel member. If necessary. Joe will subcontract the services of other research firms in order to provide his client with the most appropriate data collec- tion method. In a daily meeting with his project directors, Joe discusses each client's special situation. Here is a sum- mary of the major points of today's three client discussions. Client 1: A furniture tools manufacturer has created what it considers to be the perfect ergonomic desk and chair set. The chair has a high back made of breathable mesh, with lumbar support and adjustable arms and seat. The desk has an adjustable height, including stand-up with adjustable keyboard station and moveable monitor mount. After exten- sive testing of the desk and chair set and conducting several focus groups with company purchasing agents, the client is now ready for more information on sales presentation meth- ods. The project director and the client have developed sev- eral different sales presentation formats. The client wishes to have some market evaluation of these presentations before launching a nationwide training program of the company's 125-person sales force. Client 2: A regional bakery markets several brands of cookies and crackers to supermarkets throughout Cali fornia, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. The product category is very competitive, and competitors use a great deal of newspaper and television advertising, with the most progressive competitors moving into social media advertis- ing. The bakery's vice president of marketing desires more analytics to use in making promotional decisions for the firm. She has lamented that while she spends several mil- lion dollars a year on promotions in the four states, she has no way to evaluate the effectiveness of these expenditures. Advantage Research's project director has recommended a study that will establish baseline measures of top-of-mind brand awareness (called TOMA, this measure of aware- ness is achieved by asking respondents to name the first three brands that come to mind when thinking of a prod- uct or service category, such as "cookies"), attitudes, and preferences. Client 3: An inventor has developed a new device that sani- tizes a toothbrush each time the brush is used. The device uses steam to sanitize the brush, and lab tests have shown the mechanism to be very effective at killing virtually all germs and viruses. There is an app that communicates with the toothbrush sanitizer, tracking its use and effectiveness, and notifies the user when it is time to replace the cleaning filters and fluids. The inventor has approached a large manufac- turer that has expressed interest in buying the rights to this device. However, the manufacturer first wants to know if people have any concerns with toothbrush sanitization, and whether or not they would be willing to purchase a counter- top, plug-in device with app to keep their toothbrush sterile. The project director states that the manufacturer is interested in a survey that covers the United States and Canada using a sample size of 3,000 representative respondents. The inven tor is anxious to supply this information very quickly before the manufacturer loses interest in the idea." 1. For each client's survey, take each of the nine data collection methods identified in this chapter and specify what you think are the strongest and weakest aspects of using that data collection method for the client's survey situation. Based on your analysis from the preceding question, and taking inconsideration any oth relevant aspects, decide which is the best data collection method for each client's survey. Der your choice in each case. 3. Assume that you are the project director recommending the data collection method have chosen for each client's surve in the preceding question, but during the next daily meeting and the other project directors vote your recommendations down. is the next best data collection method in your mind for each client's survey? Defend your choice in each case.