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We work with clients to identify the research methods that will provide the data they need. We use these methodologies to develop insights on topics ranging from industry trends to product-specific use cases. Our iterative, market-facing research model can provide clients in-depth and/or broad sets of customer, supplier/partner, and competitor opinions.
Taking a historical look at the market can be informative, but understanding the future state of a market can be critical to informing business decision-making. BCE’s qualitative primary research methodologies allow the client to do just that. By speaking directly to customer decision-makers and influencers, channel partners, suppliers, and competitor employees/ex-employees we can provide our clients with a 360 degree view of markets, products/technologies, customers, and competitors.
Our goal is to provide our clients access to unbiased market thought and opinion through the use of blinded conversations with active market participants. We can do this via smaller sample size yet more in-depth expert interviews or through a broader application of phone-based primary research conversations. In an average 4 to 6 week research engagement we could speak with 60 to 200 sources. All of this primary research data is shared with the client in a BCE Research Log, which contains our answers to scope questions, the analysis behind each answer, and the direct quotes sourced by title and organization supporting that analysis.
Collection of competitive intelligence & analysis, customer insights, and market expert opinions.
BCE uses ethnography to enhance clients’ understanding of a problem or opportunity in a way that simply asking questions cannot accomplish. Ethnographic research focuses primarily on observation as a means of generating data and insights. BCE works directly with the client to identify the need for ethnographic research, identify the relevant environments for observation, participant recruitment, observation and data collection, and data analysis. Clients have found ethnographic research to be particularly useful in strategic/innovation development or to understand a customer/process in greater detail than can be achieved through desk research or phone calls.
Survey-based research is often a cost-effective and efficient way to answer a well-defined list of questions. BCE has developed surveys to fit clients’ needs from product design and development to customer feedback and brand equity. Surveys are a great tool for reaching high volumes of respondents across geographies, demographics, and customer segments. BCE supports clients at all stages of the process including survey design, data analysis, and assessment of implications.
Both traditional, facility-based focus groups and online discussion groups can be essential settings for probing more deeply on concepts, perceptions, and ideas among market stakeholders. BCE creates discussion guides, helps conduct/moderate each discussion, and leads all analysis of findings on the back end of the discussion.
BCE provides access to all of these research tools via a subscription-based model that can allow for rapid one day increments of work.