But there s a downside and it s professional respondents. Sarang Panchal, executive director, AC Nielsen, suggests these centres are bad because many marketing companies are headquartered there. We keep emphasising the importance of going to other centres, he says. But there too, he admits, its not perfect. Some small towns like Bareilly are a problem.
Many companies go there for research, because it s convenient for people from Delhi.
And because the target audience you can recruit from is small, the chance of repeat respondents is greater. When we tell clients that, they say they know another company which ll organise a group overnight. And I know they can only do it using professional respondents. Unwillingness to spend could be another cause. Serena Jacob, partner at Shaman Marketing Research Associates, points out that clients who relentlessly insist on lower costs have only themselves to blame.