Among its bag of tools are discussion rooms where focus panels are conducted and a 50-bank phone set up in its building for data collection work. We meet three times each year to revisit the plan and update it. We're loaded with work, so we have to divide it up internally without upsetting the clients who are used to working with a director. The biggest cost factors in research are the design and analysis of the survey and the data collection activity. Design and analysis is a fixed cost.
Data collection is a variable and often represents the larger cost of the two.
According to Bergo, the problem more and more is in the process of putting together study results that are actionable. Clients need and want this kind of direction, so there is increased demand on the company to become strategic partners. That calls for an understanding of industry dynamics, which is why each director has specialty areas. The interest in research continues to grow. Clients want to have a better understanding of buyer attitudes and what competitors are doing.