Q&A with SIS EMEA Director Federica Sacchi

What is your background?

I am the Director of EMEA at SIS International Research, a global market research firm founded in 1984, and I am based in our London offices.  I am responsible for various client-facing and operations in market research, market intelligence and strategy solutions across Europe, Middle East and Africa.

I was previously the Director of the International Division of Lorien Consulting and represented Lorien Consulting at the institutional level of the international market relationships and partnerships.

I am a specialist in particular for media, healthcare, food & beverage, retail, fashion, fast moving consumer goods, and toiletries industries, and I also have experience in social and opinion research studies.  In particular, I have extensive experience in social and opinion research with regards to media and attitudes towards Italy’s presidential elections.

I received my Master’s Degree in Applied Social Sciences-Social Research Orientation from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Italy.  I also received her Bachelor’s Degree in Languages and Information and Communication Techniques from the same university.  I am from Italy!  I am a native speaker of Italian and is conversant in English, German and French.

Tell us how you became interested in the industry. 

Travel, geopolitical assets and cultural learning are the main interests that drove my passion for the market research industry.

How is healthcare changing in EMEA?

Regional headquartered companies, less focused on small representative office in each country; this is a rising trend of the Healthcare industry. This reflects a changing approach to the research in terms of local opportunities.

How are B2B markets/projects adjusting to new realities?

B2B is the challenge of the future!

While the consumer portion of the business is increasingly on hold waiting to get out of the economic crisis, the B2B market is the one that took the challenge of the crisis to grow, to study the market and develop new products, approach and opportunities.

And market research is the medium through which they can get to the "truth" in complex business environments.

Are you optimistic about the EU this year?

Of course I am!  First of all as I’m native European.  Second I just took on the challenge of EMEA chief for an American company so I have to show modern America how strong can still be to the old.  Third, the EU is such a diverse group of countries, languages, cultures which will continue to have a dominant position in a changing geopolitical landscape.

What are the top trends in the research industry in Europe in 2013? Skill sets? Capabilities?

I believe 2013 will be a transformational year in our industry.  For this reason, I think these qualities will be most important going forward:

1. Flexility: Being able to respond to changing clients' needs and budgets
2. Effective methodologies:  Being able to adapt methodologies to provide in-depth insight.  Hybrid methodologies are increasingly helping to shape the methodological mix.
3. "Glocal," Businesses are increasingly thinking global and applying strategy locally.

What key considerations are companies facing in Europe in 2013?

Europe and the Euro zone are distinctive concepts with different aims and perspective.  We are eyeing in the region key questions regarding macro level on immigration issues, social developments, Millennials, the rise of emerging markets, unemployment, women in the work force and ease of doing business.

How has the market research industry evolved over the past few years and where do you see it going?

Market Research used to be focused on surveys and the questionnaire.  Certainly the methods have changed.  But even our clients’ perspectives have changed.  One thing I’ve noticed is that larger clients are increasingly more focused on the subconscious as a means to understand purchasing behavior.  Thus, I think we will be seeing new “space age” methods such as biometrics, neuro and eye tracking.  “Big data” and data mining may also rise in prominence. Online is important if that’s where key stakeholders are. Speed, quality of insight and changes in macro economic are forcing researchers to develop new tools.  Dashboards and real-time data delivery may rise in prominence.

I think qualitative is important to companies, particularly in providing observational intelligence to understand how their customers interact with their products and brands.

How have client demands changed?

If clients have become more demanding, it is because the rules of the game have changed.  SIS just released a new video on youtube with the first sentence “The World Has Changed.”  Many research companies think of research as being done for research’s sake.  However, clients use research meet broader strategic challenges and opportunities.  At SIS, that’s how we think. Business today is so much more complex and rapid than it was previously.  So we rise to the occasion.

How important is talented staff today in the market research field?

I think developing talent is important for firms and for the industry at-large. I think there is an opportunity for the industry to foster career development of young talented market researchers.

Most of the market researchers I know “fell into” the industry.  That is, they came across it by luck, chance or in the marketing department at a larger company. In developed economies and even some emerging economies, market research salaries tend to be comparatively on the low side, and technical industries tend to pay more, so it is not only important to attract talented staff, but also to retain them. 

About SIS

SIS International Research is a full-service global custom research company.  As such, we have a wide variety of services we provide clients.  Broadly speaking, we provide fieldwork, data collection, analysis and reporting across the entire business landscape.  Key points of differentiation are our global reach (SIS has done research in over 120 countries), Emerging Markets and strategic research services including B2B, Industrial and competitive research.  SIS has also serviced over 50 industries with methods ranging from the traditional to the sophisticated, new analytics rising today.

SIS also has a marketing consulting group SIS Global Growth tm.

Online Market Research

What Is It?

Online market research is a research method in which the data collection process is carried out over the Internet. This research can evaluate the performance of a product or service and may allow companies to glean insight into consumer purchasing behavior. With the rising use of the Internet, online research has become a popular tool among market research firms.  

Online research can provide additional information about a buyer, such as her prior purchasing history. Online research projects can be carried out by a company itself or by a hired research firm.

In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the recorded number of household Internet users, making online shopping more popular.  As businesses have become more global and virtual, their target audience has expanded well beyond any specific geographical location.  A company can conduct an online survey in which it selects is respondents from all over the world in a less costly manner than it would with mail, telephone, or in-person interviews.

Online retail and transactions have become more popular in recent years. In countries like the U.S., where the internet is readily available to almost every household, online retail spending is expected to increase. As consumers increase their participation in online shopping, it may become more convenient for retailers to maintain a database of their consumers’ purchasing history.  Companies can effectively utilize this data throughout the course of their online research.

Conducting online research can be a complex procedure and may require considerable expertise on the part of researchers in obtaining accurate data.  It may be challenging to recruit participants in online research for several reasons.  Recipients may be reluctant to participate in online research because they may be afraid that the privacy and confidentiality of their personal information may be violated.  Since the identity of the researcher cannot be verified completely, people may find it difficult to trust such research methods.  Researchers often present participants with some monetary or non-monetary rewards for their participation.  Participants may be wary of monetary compensation promised online.

How Is It Done?

There are several ways that may be effective for carrying out online research. Quantitative research can be carried out via online questionnaires and web-based experiments.  Qualitative research can be carried out via online in-depth interviews, online focus groups and participant observation, in which a researcher acts as a part of a community to observe behaviors.

Online questionnaires and online polls are some of the most popular online research tools. Online questionnaires may need to be carefully designed in terms of format and length.

Another common practice for online surveys is the use of online panels. An online panel is a group of selected individuals that have agreed to participate in online research projects for a particular company at specific intervals over a period of time. These participants are selected through a screening process according to their demographics, lifestyles and habits, and are usually rewarded for their efforts by the research company regularly.  Online panels may allow companies to glean insight into creating long-term relationships with their customers.  These panels may also allow customers to give direct feedback about products and services without the potential reluctance that may occur in face-to-face interactions.  Online panels may also mitigate bias caused by peer pressure to agree on a certain viewpoint, a phenomena that may occur in face-to-face panels.

Online market research can be a beneficial tool for companies due to its reach and convenience. Online research tools can be used with relative ease and accuracy for both qualitative and quantitative research.

Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping, also known as secret shopping is a marketing research technique that is used by companies to evaluate the performance of their products or services in an uncontrolled environment. The company that wishes to conduct the research usually hires a mystery shopper to carry out specific tasks and assignments or delegates this assignment to a marketing research firm.

A mystery shopper is a certified individual who visits the specified location, where the staff is unaware of her identity. Mystery shoppers may be required to make a purchase, ask questions, lodge complaints, observe employee behavior, or comport himself in such a way as to evoke a certain reaction.

Mystery shopping, introduced in the 1940s as a way for companies to measure the integrity of their employees, has become a much used tool as the marketing emphasis has shifted largely to focus on customer satisfaction. While almost all industries can avail themselves of this innovative research method, service industries tend to use it the most.

Retail stores, restaurants, hotels, banks, medical facilities, movie theaters, and health clubs are some of the most popular places where mystery shopping is carried out. Often, mystery shoppers are also used to evaluate the performance of non-profit organizations such as shelters, churches, orphanages, and other charitable organizations.

Mystery shopping can assist companies in their quality improvement initiatives.  Mystery shopping can provide them with essential information that can aid them in improving their products, services, or business practices. Mystery shoppers interact with both the customers and the employees and extract a strategic insight into the perceived levels of quality. Mystery shoppers can also be used to evaluate competitors’ strengths and weaknesses.

When a mystery shopper is hired, a client furnishes a well-defined survey model that specifies the areas that need to be evaluated and provides a complete description of tasks that mystery shoppers need to perform. Often, time limits and timing points are also indicated.

Generally companies use shoppers to evaluate service times and delivery speed, the number of employees and their behavior, their knowledge regarding different questions, their compliance with company standards, and the cleanliness of the location. Since these criteria are qualitative in nature, the company provides a basic standard example for all of them.

After her visit, the mystery shopper is required to fill out a questionnaire or write a detailed report. Often, she may be required to submit both. She can also be asked to obtain a partial or complete video or audio recording of her trip.

Mystery shopping is quickly becoming a lucrative career choice for people looking for flexible part-time or full-time work. In order to become a qualified mystery shopper, a certification is required from the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA). Companies pay mystery shoppers contingent on the specific information required to be obtained and its accuracy. Companies also reimburse these shoppers for any purchases that are made in the course of their assignment.

Mystery shopping may be an effective tool to measure both consumer and employee satisfaction, especially for service-oriented industries. It may allow businesses to successfully improve their services and practices.

Generation Y Meets Market Research

Michael Stanat, Global Research Executive of SIS International Research, was published in January 2012 in the Market Research Association (MRA) Alert Magazine about a rising Generation Y and what these Millennials mean to market research.  Stanat argues that hybrid method can provide value in making sense among segments and across cultures.

Members of Generation Y differ from their baby boomer parents in terms of purchasing decisions, online shopping, technology adaptation, and social media usage.  Cross-cultural variations within Generation Y exist.  Millenials are rising on the world stage, impacting politics, economics, societal structures, the marketing landscape, and marketing research.  Understanding the nuances can mean the difference between success and failure for products and brands.  Hybrid research programs and HR outreach can provide granular insight to make sense of and engage a diverse generation worldwide.   

MRA article gen y from sisinternationalresearch

NYC Focus Groups

What Are Focus Groups?

Focus groups consist of a discussion of people who are interviewed by a researcher about their views on a certain topic, product, advertisement, and other categories.  Focus groups are a qualitative research tool that may allow researchers to gauge key stakeholders and target segment's perceptions on a series of topics.  Respondents are asked about their views in a small group setting and are typically compensated for their time.  

Focus groups may call for different types of criteria.  For instance, a company researching wine preferences in the adult population may call for participants aged 25-55 who drink a certain amount per week. A company studying Smartphone usage in teens might call for participants aged 13-19 who own an Android or iPhone depending on their strategic objectives.  Participants typically go through a screening process that ensures that are appropriate target respondents.  This screening process often consists of several screenings online, by phone and in person.

Recruitment 

Respondents participate in study and are paid after successfully completing the research assignment, survey or interview.  Focus group respondents in NYC may be recruited in different ways.  Research companies may have a database of possible participants, or they may post advertisements in places that have a concentration of the target respondents.  Online social media, such as Facebook, may allow researchers to identify potential participants and may prove to be an effective forum for posting recruitment ads.  In some cases, focus groups may have additional phases, in-home assessments or homework assignments which require additional participant involvement.

The diversity of the NYC population may greatly aid researchers in conducting focus groups.  New York has over eight million people, which may provide a large pool of possible recruits. New York has people of every race and age.  New York City has many colleges and thus many young people.  Home to one of the financial capitals of the world and many work opportunities, NYC has many middle-aged adults.  NYC is home to people of different income levels.  NYC is home to many immigrants of different cultures.          

Who Uses Focus Groups?

NYC is also home to many medical centers that may use focus groups to gauge patients’ views on types of medical services provided. New York City is also home to many universities that have research centers that may use focus groups, such as a political science department seeking people’s views on a current government policy.  

Many television news media and newspapers are based in NYC.  Organizations may utilize focus groups in order to glean information for a news report or article.  New York is also home to many financial institutions that may seek to find out what stakeholders perceive and interact with their products.

Image Sources:      

https://www.gabbyandlaird.com/articles/health/what-nyc-has-taught-me-about--investment%E2%80%A6

http://webteachertools.com/wtt/course/view.php?id=1034