Qualitative research has found multiple applications in business, especially in creating optimum marketing strategy. With its emphasis on finding the reasons behind the facts and figures, qualitative research is the right way understand the market and the way you should optimise your own business.
However, like any scientific method, qualitative marketing research has its own challenges. Some of these challenges are common to all research methods, while some others are related to the methodology we use. Sooner or later every researcher will confront these roadblocks. How they overcome these is the mark of a really good researcher.
Let us look at some of the most common challenges:
Response oriented: As is obvious, these challenges are related to respondents. These are common to almost all qualitative research campaigns. Broadly we can further divide these in three.
Dwindling participation: No matter what you do, the number of your participants will fall with time. Some will get busy, others may get bored, while some may feel that they have had their say. So, make sure that you ask your most important questions at the very beginning.
Sampling dilemma: A common problem when carrying out any research is the composition of the focus group. Many an established research result has been bunked after years because errors were found in the sample used. Errors can occur due to researcher prejudice, methodology or sheer incompetence. In online qualitative marketing research, for instance, a survey is based on only those who have access to internet and are willing to participate.
Respondent apathy: The popularity of research has a flip side — respondent exhaustion. Too many researches today mean people are bored and completely uninterested to participate. A typical questionnaire will further lower interest among respondents who have probably answered the same questions many times before. Some respondents may lie or mislead researchers deliberately for no reason.
Methodology: Too much of a good thing can often turn bad. Today we have so many methodologies that researchers are often spoilt for choice. And yet, this very variety poses its own dilemma. These methods are often competing and can bring a completely different set of datas. Researchers are often forced to adopt multiple tools while carrying out their research. Lack of adequate training and confused approach can further corrupt data.
Technology: There is little doubt that technology has been a boon for researchers. Social media alone has completely revolutionised the way qualitative marketing research is carried out and quantified. But, it has also created some unique problems.
Data mining: Now we have massive data flowing in from all directions. But, most of it is chaotic and nonsensical. So, how does one make sense of it? More importantly, how does one quantify it into actionable results? This is perhaps one of the biggest challenge facing the industry today.
Client reluctance: Despite its many benefits, many clients are still reluctant to put their trust in the social media, seeing it as a fickle medium.
Respondent identity: The biggest problem with online qualitative research is the likelihood of identity errors. The respondent may be lying or your own key identifying elements may be faulty.
Difficulty in quantifying data: Qualitative data eventually has to be quantified. This is often difficult with social media data. Even when there are tools available to do so, few researchers have the know-how to carry this out.
Privacy and security: One of the hurdles in collecting data from the internet is the increasing concerns over privacy and security among people and government. In some cases government regulations make data collection extremely difficult. Many users too are increasingly wary of sharing information over the web.
Client related: Although businesses are now aware of the importance of research, few understand it. As a result, clients are often confused over what they want. They are often unable to give focused and clear directions to their research team. Some clients also have fixed ideas about methodologies. They may either oppose a certain method or insist on using a technique even when it is unsuitable for the research at hand.
Like any scientific method, qualitative marketing research has its challenges. With a little planning and foresight some of these can be avoided or their effect minimised.
Source: - http://www.sooperarticles.com/business-articles/marketing-articles/challenges-qualitative-research-marketing-1514125.html
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