Speakers of TMRE 2009: Mark Palmerino, Center for Strategy Research, Inc.
In the weeks leading up to The Market Research Event 2009, we're going to be hearing from the speakers of The Market Research Event. Today we have Mark Palmerino, Center for Strategy Research, Inc., who will be presenting "20 Days Around The World of Benefits Brokers: A Case Study," with Neil Marcus, MetLife in the Business To Business Research Track on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. To learn more about The Market Research Event, download the brochure here!
Tell us about a project you are working on or recently completed that you are proud of?
Mark: The project that is the core of the presentation I will give with my co-presenter (Neil Marcus of MetLife) is one that I'm quite proud of. In conjunction with MetLife, CSR developed an in-depth approach that delivered many of the benefits of ethnographic research, but at a moderate price point. CSR engaged 20 employee benefits brokers in a "discovery" process that extended over several weeks and included both online surveys and in-depth phone conversations, the latter of which were conducted several times a week with each broker. We were able to learn, in the detail our client needed for actionable change, how these brokers spent their days and, more importantly, what the "pain points" in dealing with MetLife and its competitors were. MetLife is using this information to develop products and programs that are helping brokers avoid a number of these "frustrations." As a result, the research is helping to more positively position MetLife in the minds of this very important distribution channel.
And, while the process and results would be interesting to anyone in the financial services industry, we think the structure and methodology will be appealing to anyone who yearns for more real-time, in-depth, feedback from customers, prospects, or distributors, at lower costs and quicker turnaround times than ethnographic or other qualitative approaches may provide.
Think ahead 5 years, what major changes for MR/Consumer Insights do you see?
Mark: The major change that I see occurring is one that concerns me. The need for faster, less expensive information is negatively affecting the quality of the insights that may be drawn from research results. Many don't think twice about planning and executing a fast and inexpensive web survey that, I fear, involves the wrong kind of participants and at a very shallow level. Or, running one focus group and using it to draw conclusions about the needs and ideas of larger populations. There are circumstances where a web survey, very quantitative in nature, is exactly the right approach; or, that one focus group is all that's needed for some ideation. Unfortunately, I see these being overused and as a consequence we are giving up deep insights that are often necessary for the best business decisions.
What inspired you to get in the field? What keeps you motivated?
Mark: Solving problems is very motivating to me and market research is the search for knowledge that leads to solutions. I began by developing and using methods and processes for quantifying what we call qualitative information to gain the benefits of both types of research approaches. That was, and still is, a motivating intellectual challenge. What also keeps me motivated is working with clients to develop solid, even creative, ways of finding solutions.