In this age of internet domination, it is foolish to ignore it as a
tool of marketing research. Like everything else, the web has
revolutionized this function. Marketing Research Firms
in India have taken to the web like duck to water. With a tech-savvy
workforce, these firms are perfectly placed to exploit this opportunity.
But, this is not to say that web research is without its faults. Like all great tools, it has its own drawbacks. It is important to understand the pros and cons of online tools in marketing research services before one takes the plunge. As a client you must understand how your agency is gathering their data — what are the advantages and drawbacks of the methods used.
Pros
Access to a Large Sample: Web research gives us a chance to access a bigger sample than ever before. No real life sample group can ever meet the potential of an online survey group. Usually one is hampered by lack of space and the difficulty of gathering willing people. In contrast, the internet offers a number of alternatives like MROCs and online bulletin boards. These are usually formed by interested people who are already committed to the research.
A large sample group has an obvious benefit — statistical accuracy. The bigger your group, the more representative it is.
Access to a Diverse Sample: Today more and more businesses are crossing boundaries and going the multi-national way. One of their major requirement is access to research which covers this diverse market. This is possible only through online research. Today a research firm in Delhi can access markets as far away as Denmark.
The research tools usually used range from online bulletin boards to webcam focus groups, which are as good as face-to-face interviews. Again, a diverse sample increases the database statistical accuracy.
Speed: No real world research method can be quite as fast as the internet. For many Marketing Research Services professionals, speed is the web’s biggest advantage. When you want instant data, the internet is the only way. Not only can you hold the survey in a matter of minutes, the data is automatically codified, making the job even faster.
Multimedia: Research is now becoming multimedia. This is important in making presentations and preparing reports. A report with varied multimedia components like graphs, videos, hyperlinks and other interactive features are easy for a layman to understand. Most of these features like hyperlinks and videos are made easier with internet. Some, like remote videos chats, are possible only through the web.
Reduced Costs: Using the web for research is seriously cost-effective. Many of these tools do not cost a dime. Add to this, the savings on overheads like travel, telephone bills and hiring research labs.
Cons
Despite its many benefits, the internet is not a fail proof tool. Marketing research services experts warn that over-reliance on the internet can often lead to faulty results.
Subject unreliability: The biggest drawback of online research is the unreliability of the subjects. While it is true that some samples like MROCs are made up of people who are motivated to participate in the research, the truth is that there is nothing to really stop your subject from getting up and leaving. In some cases subjects may attend more than once using aliases. In contrast, under traditional methods, respondents find it harder to leave a laboratory or a face-to-face interview.
Illusion of infallibility: Too many researchers think that the web is the answer to all their prayers. Some see its reach and scope as the infallible proof of its statistical merit. But, no research can claim to be completely error-proof. The internet has only given it depth, not infallibility.
Lack of the sympathy factor: Online web researchers may have given us unparalleled access, but it also means a reduced role for the moderator. While some believe that it saves the research from moderator bias or expectations, it can also have its negative impact. This method loses out on the moderator’s ability to steer the research according to respondent mood or the ability to form any sympathetic bond.
In conclusion, the internet as an online research tool cannot be ignored. But, it must be used in conjunction with on-the-ground hard-nosed survey where the researcher’s own intuition helps Marketing Research Services to better understand its consumer.
But, this is not to say that web research is without its faults. Like all great tools, it has its own drawbacks. It is important to understand the pros and cons of online tools in marketing research services before one takes the plunge. As a client you must understand how your agency is gathering their data — what are the advantages and drawbacks of the methods used.
Pros
Access to a Large Sample: Web research gives us a chance to access a bigger sample than ever before. No real life sample group can ever meet the potential of an online survey group. Usually one is hampered by lack of space and the difficulty of gathering willing people. In contrast, the internet offers a number of alternatives like MROCs and online bulletin boards. These are usually formed by interested people who are already committed to the research.
A large sample group has an obvious benefit — statistical accuracy. The bigger your group, the more representative it is.
Access to a Diverse Sample: Today more and more businesses are crossing boundaries and going the multi-national way. One of their major requirement is access to research which covers this diverse market. This is possible only through online research. Today a research firm in Delhi can access markets as far away as Denmark.
The research tools usually used range from online bulletin boards to webcam focus groups, which are as good as face-to-face interviews. Again, a diverse sample increases the database statistical accuracy.
Speed: No real world research method can be quite as fast as the internet. For many Marketing Research Services professionals, speed is the web’s biggest advantage. When you want instant data, the internet is the only way. Not only can you hold the survey in a matter of minutes, the data is automatically codified, making the job even faster.
Multimedia: Research is now becoming multimedia. This is important in making presentations and preparing reports. A report with varied multimedia components like graphs, videos, hyperlinks and other interactive features are easy for a layman to understand. Most of these features like hyperlinks and videos are made easier with internet. Some, like remote videos chats, are possible only through the web.
Reduced Costs: Using the web for research is seriously cost-effective. Many of these tools do not cost a dime. Add to this, the savings on overheads like travel, telephone bills and hiring research labs.
Cons
Despite its many benefits, the internet is not a fail proof tool. Marketing research services experts warn that over-reliance on the internet can often lead to faulty results.
Subject unreliability: The biggest drawback of online research is the unreliability of the subjects. While it is true that some samples like MROCs are made up of people who are motivated to participate in the research, the truth is that there is nothing to really stop your subject from getting up and leaving. In some cases subjects may attend more than once using aliases. In contrast, under traditional methods, respondents find it harder to leave a laboratory or a face-to-face interview.
Illusion of infallibility: Too many researchers think that the web is the answer to all their prayers. Some see its reach and scope as the infallible proof of its statistical merit. But, no research can claim to be completely error-proof. The internet has only given it depth, not infallibility.
Lack of the sympathy factor: Online web researchers may have given us unparalleled access, but it also means a reduced role for the moderator. While some believe that it saves the research from moderator bias or expectations, it can also have its negative impact. This method loses out on the moderator’s ability to steer the research according to respondent mood or the ability to form any sympathetic bond.
In conclusion, the internet as an online research tool cannot be ignored. But, it must be used in conjunction with on-the-ground hard-nosed survey where the researcher’s own intuition helps Marketing Research Services to better understand its consumer.
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