Jan
05

The Requisite New Year’s Resolution Blog

Post by Ted Donnelly

Obligatory?  Sure.  Cliché?  You betcha.  With that disclaimer out of the way, we present our top 5 New Year’s Resolutions at Baltimore Research.  SPOILER ALERT: The gym, dieting and alcohol reduction didn’t make the list!


1. Leverage technology to provide the timeliest of feedback to our clients

• We have a good internal process.  A very good process, in fact.  It has been refined over many years of experiences.  It includes a system of checks and balances and quality control protocols that a Safety Officer at a nuclear energy company would find tedious.  What it lacks is full integration from a technological standpoint.  Our survey software is on one platform, our database on an alternative, our call accounting software on yet another.  All the various forms, templates and metrics required to manage the internal information flow and external reporting to clients are independent from all of this.  While the system works well, it yields great redundancy and requires far too much human intervention.  Finding a solution that would further integrate our process means more time is freed up to identify and solve problems quickly and to interface with our clients.  It also means fewer delays in compiling information to make smarter decisions.  That, I like.     

2. Engage our research respondents in new and unique ways

• Research respondents are our lifeblood.  This is not unique to Baltimore Research.  Respondents are the engine for the entire marketing research community.  Treating them properly, respecting them and protecting their rights has always been a priority for us.  We ask them for reams of information and insight.  Personal information.  Sensitive information.  A look into their viewpoints on issues that are near and dear to their heart.  To qualify for one study, the process necessitates asking them many questions and asking them several times.  I know when our respondents are given the opportunity to participate and voice their opinions on products and services that matter to them, the process can be very rewarding.  However, sometimes the end result of screening is they simply don’t qualify.  At times, it must feel like they have been subjected to a full body physical at the doctor.  I also know we can find other ways to engage them, foster the relationship, make them feel valued and make providing their insights fun and rewarding.  Let’s experiment a little.

3. Segment our client and prospect list to provide only the most relevant information

• We are all inundated with marketing communications.  Some of it is informational in nature; some of it is a bit more frivolous.  Regardless of tone, some of it is actually quite important.  Of course, you have to be able to sift through the noise to find it.  Our clients come in many shapes and sizes.  Furthermore, our service offerings are fairly diverse.  We have begun the process of segmenting our client and prospect database to increase the relevance of our communications.  One size never fits all.  We want our communications to be welcomed and never a deemed a nuisance.  

4. Expand our national database

• There is no substitute for a rich, deeply profiled and well managed respondent database.   The ability to target the right people efficiently is the foundation of better research, deeper insights, and actionable findings.  Recognizing this, database building and panel management are areas to which we dedicate significant resources.  While we currently maintain a national database of medical professionals, we would like to see further development on the consumer side so we can provide our client the insights they are accustomed to outside the boundaries of our metropolitan area.  We’ll always rely on our partners in this area, but recognize the efficiency in expanding our reach.   

5. Stay on top of our blog!

• Not always easy in the wild and wooly world of marketing research, but we will give it a go.  We’ll do our best to mix it up by offering a blend of industry relevance, social commentary, personal anecdotes, a touch of drollery and a bit of fun.


Do you mark the beginning of the New Year with resolutions?  We’d love to hear what our clients, partners and respondents are setting as their goals for the New Year.