People develop our lives in a tangible and objective space. This sentence, which may sound so technical, is the basis for understanding the topic we present to you today. In Market Research we seek to know consumers in the greatest detail. Even with the irruption of Big Data, it is prudent to privilege the data and information that we really need from those who buy services and products.
In this sense, it is also crucial to determine in which environment the research tasks are carried out. The environment can influence the results of a study to a considerable degree if its impact is not measured. This makes even more sense considering the various alternatives that now exist. For this reason we review four places in which you can carry out your findings gathering techniques.
Entry point. Many of us have had our first contact with Market Research when approached by an interviewer while walking down a busy avenue or waiting for someone at a public transportation station. This location allows us to reach a large number of people, but with little willingness to collaborate if they are in a hurry or do not find the activity interesting. In addition, we must consider that these are usually places with many distractions beyond our control.
Home. On the contrary, there will be situations where the methodology of the project moves us to go to the consumer’s home. There are different degrees of approach in this area. There are tasks where it will be sufficient to make contact at the entrance of the home of the person whose collaboration we need. In more invasive techniques, such as ethnographies, it will be indispensable to go to the home and share the premises with the participant. It is a complex site because the analysts are usually strangers in the place and must be extremely tactful and diplomatic in their dealings.
Central location. In contrast, in many other investigations it will be those recruited to participate who will move to an office or Gesell room to be interviewed individually or in groups. This location offers greater guarantees of control of the environmental aspects. On the other hand, obstacles such as accessibility for those who are invited, the courtesy bias characteristic of our region or the ease of finding the address must be taken into account.
Virtual. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have been forced to adapt, even temporarily, most of their functions to the remote mode. This modality allows the simultaneous participation of people who may be physically far from each other. In this way, barriers such as time and language can be overcome. However, there are also disadvantages such as technical problems of access due to limitations of Internet connectivity and hardware.
You may already have a very clear idea of the environment in which you want to conduct your market research. However, we suggest that you consult this topic with the market analysts on your team in order to consider other options that may be more efficient and cost-effective. In the end, the main objective is that the fieldwork is carried out in the best possible conditions for both researchers and consumers.
At Acertiva we know this subject thanks to our more than two decades in the market research sector. We offer you our team of experts and strategic suppliers to make your projects a reality in areas such as Education, Pharmaceuticals, Retail and Restaurants. Contact us today. We’ll get back to you with how together we can make your next success story a reality.
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