How do you decide how many telephone or mail surveys to complete?

The number of surveys completed is related to statistical accuracy, more surveys completed results in a higher level of statistical accuracy. Perfect statistical accuracy would come from surveying every single person or household, which is too expensive, even for the largest organizations. Therefore, it is necessary to balance the number of surveys completed, and the level of statistical accuracy. Perspectives Consulting Group, Inc. carefully examines the information needs of each client to determine the optimum level of statistical accuracy. In some cases, the statistical accuracy needs to be quite high, such as +/- 3%, while in other cases statistical accuracy of +/- 7% is sufficient and cost effective.

Why do you require on-site visits with the client at the beginning and end of the project?

Perspectives Consulting Group, Inc. believes on-site visits are essential to completing a successful project. At the beginning of the project we spend time meeting with members of your organization to understand your current situation, your objectives for the project, and your information needs. When the project is complete we want to meet with the same members of your organization to discuss the results of the study and the information in the final report. We have found that most return visits result in two to four hours of in-depth discussion regarding how to apply the information from the study. The most important reason for on-site visits is that no two clients and projects are the same - every situation is unique.

How does your total project cost work?

Since 1987, Perspectives Consulting Group, Inc. has worked with hundreds of nonprofit, public sector and corporate organizations providing information to help them with their market research and strategic planning needs. Our considerable experience in conducting market research and strategic planning enables us to accurately predict the total cost of a project before the project begins. Because we are able to do this, we quote the cost of the project as a not-to-exceed, guaranteed cost, which means the cost listed in the proposal is the cost of the project. Once the project starts, the project cost will not change from the amount listed in the proposal. We believe it is only fair to our clients to provide a not-to-exceed, guaranteed project cost, so that you will know exactly how much the project will cost and not worry about unknown charges.

When is market research the most effective?

If your organization has conducted market research in the past, then it is preferable to conduct surveys at approximately the same time of year for comparability purposes. We know from experience that you can obtain very different results to the same question depending on the time of year you ask. For example, asking city residents about parks and recreation in the middle of winter can result in different responses than if we ask in the middle of summer. If your organization has not conducted market research in the past, then we can conduct research nearly anytime. However, experience teaches us that there are times not to conduct market research. Two of the times of year we avoid are during the holidays, and during the prime vacation times. We avoid interviewing and holding focus groups between Thanksgiving and New Years as our request for people’s time, either on the telephone or by mail is more likely to be rebuffed. We are also sensitive to the vacation schedules of the community. We avoid interviewing or surveying during school vacation periods like spring break week and during the prime vacation weeks in the summer around Memorial Day, July 4 th and Labor Day.

What are the steps in a typical market research project?

Our first priority is to understand your objectives. What do you want to know, and how will it help you to make informed and effective decisions? We spend time with your management and staff to learn about your current situation, and most importantly, to fully understand your concerns and objectives. Once we understand your objectives we can recommend an appropriate research method that will achieve your objectives and provide a return on investment. Next is the research development phase of the project, which includes designing the surveys or discussion guides. This is a critical part of the project, as we are dedicated to making sure the research methods will provide information that meets all of your objectives. Executing the research normally takes a few weeks, and as soon as the interviewing is completed we begin work on the analysis of the data, and the reporting of the results. When the report is completed we will work with you to present the results to management and staff. The entire market research process can take anywhere from several weeks to several months depending on the time required to develop the research instrument and the type of research method utilized.