Earlier this month, I attended a two-part webinar series hosted by Greenbook that focused on the results of the most recent annual GRIT Report. During the series, “Research Industry Trends: Current Wave of Change and What’s to Come,” many thought-provoking topics were discussed among supplier, technology, and client representatives. You might think as a supplier I would be most interested in the supplier perspective, however, what most drew me in was the client perspective.
Avery Dennison’s Edward Appleton and Johnson & Johnson’s Suzana Pamplona joined the webinar to provide the client perspective. Their take on the industry and its state of change helped validate what KL Communications has always stood for. But more on that later.
Back to the webinar. A question came from an attendee, “What would make you choose to work with a research supplier when you could get the data cheaper and in a more effective way from a non-research supplier?” Mr. Appleton responded that he looks for a supplier that will make sense of the data and help us (the client) to make better decisions. The best supplier combines technology with a blend of ability and understanding, and has the inspiration to make something meaningful.
Mr. Appleton also addressed the question, “How do researchers prepare for this potential brave new world,” referring to imminent change in the industry. To prepare for the shift, he feels that since data is now available to everyone and they are no longer gate keepers of data, researchers must manage and influence research differently. He added that researchers should worry about what machines can automate and do faster and cheaper, and fill what the machine cannot do, such as being imaginative, strategic, and creative. Mr. Appleton concluded that researchers need to be better business advisers and think through the strategic implications.
In part two of the series, Ms. Pamplona offered her notion that what differentiates a market research supplier is the human presence. She stressed that drivers of supplier selection and keys to differentiation are the knowledge, the expertise, and the service that researchers bring to build bridges to clients. Ms. Pamplona maintained that research suppliers will stand out in how they connect information and put it together to make the best decisions and find solutions, opportunities, and insights; they should be an extension of the client’s team.
Now why did all if this resonate so strongly with me? At KL Communications, we do all of the above. We provide clients with insights and solutions to inspire better business decisions and opportunities. By connecting consumers with brands through communities and co-creation, we empower them. Mr. Appleton’s and Ms. Pamplona’s perceptions reassured me that KL Communications is, and has been, on the right track.