The world has made progress in building a new normal as the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic has decreased. One of the changes that the health contingency helped accelerate in various regions was the adoption of online solutions for the vast majority of our daily activities. Market Research was no exception and to continue with the operation, a large part of the processes had to be adapted through digital alternatives.
Nowadays, some agencies and companies have imposed a return to face-to-face activities, even when in some cases the remote alternative is more profitable or viable. The fear of not having control of the activities if they are not carried out in person is a topic that is well worth reviewing in another post on our blog. On this occasion we want to review the advantages of conducting studies with alternatives such as remote meetings.
Allow the participation of analysts from all over the world. Although international travel has already resumed in the vast majority of countries, it is also true that it involves a large budget: plane tickets, per diems, hotel reservations, etc. Thanks to online solutions, focus groups can be carried out with the assistance of analysts and clients in real time and regardless of their place of residence.
Expand coexistence among interviewees from distant territories. In some studies it is necessary to gather participants who live far from each other and would otherwise involve contemplating incentives that include payment of per diem. Now activities can be designed where people who live in different cities of the same country contrast their experiences and opinions with peers that they may never see in person.
Solve some technical limitations. Gesell cameras are a type of installation that are not always available in all locations. In addition, when they are replaced by rooms with closed recording circuits, costs increase. Conducting interviews through video calls helps to solve the lack of these facilities. To cite an example of the advantage of holding meetings by computer is that each participant has a microphone and a camera available.
Facilitate instantaneous communication between observers and analysts. The execution of qualitative studies implies the correction and application of changes as the activities develop. Before, this communication suffered from a chain of steps that prevented them from being applied at the desired time. Now it is possible to chat through private channels with the researchers in order to improve the interviews.
We know that in the new normality there will be processes that must be face-to-face, given the objectives of the projects. However, in many others you can continue using the online alternatives that many of us learned to use just over three years ago. Choosing one modality or another should be based on the recommendation of market researchers.
Do you want to run a study in Latin America? At Acertiva we put at your disposal our almost 20 years of experience in health, education and retail. Email us today so we can tell you how together we can write your next success story.
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