Market Research and the Hidden truth

Latest market research makes the headlines, helps in making government policies and it is a source of awareness for the society as a whole.

As general public we are enthusiastic about the outcomes yet unaware of the realities behind it.

I graduated with the computer science degree, back then getting information from the clients about the required software automation was initial task of our projects and I always loved to be a part of gathering data as I found customers to be eager to share their information about the business model, in fact at times the details were often much more than what we required for that particular project.

Why am I comparing my software projects with market research .It is simple, when we make a software we do all the research , gather all the information and thus try to achieve a final product which fulfils all the requirements .The perfect outcome is impossible without proper elaborated research and analysis.

Market research is the process of determining the viability of a new service or product through research conducted directly with potential customers.

Market research allows a company to discover the target market and get opinions and other feedback from consumers about their interest in the product or service.

It is research that helps make better government policies by understanding business requirements focusing at a root level. It can be in any form ranging from graduate surveys involved in higher education research to finding out about how businesses are being affected by Covid19.

Most of us, including myself, are very enthusiastic about the findings of such researches but unaware of the harsh reality involved .I discovered the challenges only after stepping in the whirlpool its self.

2020, the year of changes .I came across an attractive opportunity which offered flexible working hours and a chance to chit chat with people across the globe in the loneliest times ever.

It was a market research interviewer job in an independent research company, where we could choose our working hours .The pay was minimal but my reasons for accepting the job were different. I was excited about talking to different people every day, gathering important information and being a front line member of something valuable.

What sounded like fun became a challenge soon after. Individuals and businesses as a whole were reluctant to share any information, some of them even had policies around not taking part in any market research, while others thought of it as a simple waste of time .We would tell them that we were calling on behalf of important government departments and they would hang up.

This was something extremely unforeseen for me. Why would organizations and individuals close their eyes at something which could potentially benefit them in the long run?

As an interviewer I could only think of one reason, they didn’t see the bigger picture .Just to save 15 minutes of answering a survey they lost their chance of being a part of something which could later help change policies and make a difference.

Not everyone was like that there were still people and businesses who trusted the system and it was because of them that we continued .

Working in the market research sector has changed my perspective towards these little surveys offered to us from time to time .I now believe that they are first steps towards change. Change and improvement are only possible once the problem is visible at the surface.

We need to build awareness and trust around the importance of market research and see beyond the immediate benefit.

So , next time think twice before you turn down an email or hang-up on a phone call requesting your views on a survey sheet.