Customer Research Process

7/29/2019 Customer Research Process

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Consumer Research Process

Define the Research Objectives

List the Information Needed

Design Data Collection Project

Select the Sample Type

Determine the Sample Size

Carry Out the Field Work

Analyze Data and Prepare Report


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1. Specifying Research

Objectives

What is the purpose of this study?

What are the objectives of this research?

Managers biases

Put research objectives in written form- can be discussed& agreed upon(for appropriate research design) later by

the manager and researcher.


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An objective statement helps in deciding:

Type of information needed

Level of information needed

The type of study to be conducted

The research design for study


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Errors in Research Objectives

Can take a research to a wrong direction

Can be avoided by: Careful selection of sample type & size

Careful design of questions

Clear understanding of managersperspective, needs and decision making

Working together with the manager


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2. Listing the Information needed

Content of list is determined by the research objectives and

the situation leading to research request

Managers often leave listing the information needed to the

researcher

Variance between the researchers list and managers list

major source of error in service marketing research

Error can be avoided by working together and foreseeing

future events(if-then)

Clarity on use of findings of research helps in deciding list


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3. Data Collection

After first two steps, researcher should determine whether:

The data is already available(in company record or

from outside)

Secondary Data Collection

Not available

Primary data collection from the field

*Primary data collection should be pursued only after sufficient secondary data review


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Primary Data Secondary Data

1. More detail and specific

information for the problem at

hand

1. Data already collected for a

problem other than the one at

hand

2. Data collection is costly and

time consuming

2. Lesser cost and time required

3. Yields a more accurate picture

than studies based on secondary

data alone

3. Sufficient in most cases for

problem solving and provides clues

and direction for primary research

Primary Data vs. Secondary Data


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Primary Data Collection

If the information needed is not available through secondary

sources, researcher will have to collect it from the field.

Sources of error in designing a primary data collection

project:

Poor or inappropriate research design

Improper selection of respondents

Asking unclear or ambiguous questions Wrong scale of study (large or small scale study)

Poor experimental design


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Avoiding errors in primary data collection:

Suggestions

a) Should the research be exploratory or conclusive?

b) Who should be interviewed and how?

c) Should only a few cases be studied or a large sample?

d) How should the data collection form be designed?

Type of questionnaire (PI, telephone interview, mail survey)?

Content and wording of each question?

Type of questions?

Sequence of questions?


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Secondary Data Collection

The data that have already been collected for

purposes other than the problem at hand.

Secondary data help to: Identify the problem

Define the problem better

Develop an approach to the problem

Formulate an appropriate research design

Answer certain research questions & test some hypotheses

Interpret primary data more insightfully


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Criteria Issue Remarks

Specification

methodology

Data collection method, Response rate,

Quality of data sampling, technique,

Sample size, Questionnaire design, Fieldwork data analysis

Data should be reliable, valid,

and that can be generalized to

the problem at hand

Error/

Accuracy

Examine errors in approach, Research

design, Sampling, data collection, Reporting

Assess accuracy by comparing

data from different resources

Currency Time lag between collection andpublication, frequency of updates

Census data is periodically

updated by syndicated firms

Objective

nature

Why were the data collected? Definition of

key variables, units of measurement,

Categories used- relationships examined

The objectives will determine

the relevance of data to the

problem at hand

dependability Expertise, Credibility, reputation and

trustworthiness of the source

Data should be obtained from

the original source rather thanacquired source

Criteria for Evaluation of Secondary Data


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Classification of Secondary Data

Secondary

Internal

External

Ready to use

Need further

processing

Published

Computerized

Syndicated

Customer Research Process

Documents

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