Consumer research is when companies try to understand what people think about the things they sell. They can’t be sure if people like their products, so they must ask lots of people who have used it in the past. They usually ask questions like what they like, don’t like and could change about their products as well as if they think the price is alright. It helps them improve their products and hopefully make more people want to buy them.
I have worked as part of a sales team and it’s all about customer research. From the way the customer looks at a product you should be able to tell if they are interested in it or not. You should be just as interested to answer all questions they may have as that eases the worry from them.
Consumer Research benefits companies and businesses alike. Business receive the benefit of consumer research by making their products and services better. Consumers benefit through improved products in the form of better experiences and more efficient products to meet their needs. Consumer research is ultimately very good for the free market, as it is just more tool to help businesses stay competitive, ultimately helping the consumer.
The above story and insights are from a go-getter interested in improving their career and business ventures. This is part of the RichardStep Steppers plan to get more out of life! Now, let’s jump into some potential customer interviews and survey responses to see what people really think about this topic.
Doing Customer Research
To you, what are some of the biggest benefits usually associated with this topic?
The more you know about your customers, the better you will be prepared to cater to their needs. If you know a customer’s likes and dislikes you will have an easier time offering them the products or services that they want. You will also have a better understanding of how to reach your customer in the most effective ways. What mediums do they use? What is the best way to get a message to them that they will respond to etc…
Sometimes, I think this kind of stuff could really help people in life – what do you think?
All people need to shop at some point in their lives or another unless they are completely self dependent. With conducting research on these experiences that people go through, you can provide the positive or negative information to large stores or businesses. Hopefully, by providing this information, businesses will improve on their customer service and make movements to make shopping, a mandatory task for most people, that much more enjoyable, and that much less stressful.
Please tell me about your own experience with this topic and how it helped someone be better.
I do not know how it may make someone a better person. However, i do believe it will make them better business men/women. If you research your target customers, you will know what they want and need. You will understand their questions and issues and be able to better help them. You will be able to provide better answers to their questions.
How do you bring this topic into your life?
These are many books available at the library and in book stores that offer examples and suggestions on how to offer Good Customer Service. The internet has a wealth of information, by doing a search a person could have many different websites to choose from. Ask friends and family who currently work in a customer service industry, first hand knowledge can’t be beat.
How would you recommend someone dive into this topic further?
If it is a company under question, they could contact a consulting firm which would help them collect data and information about customers. Another way would be to collect and compile data within and then present it to management for review.
If you had to pick who’s the worst at this subject, who would it be?
I believe that companies that are involved in food service could learn a good deal about this. This includes the employees that work these companies. It is imperative to know your customer and I feel that most companies in the food industry are ignorant to the changing times and tastes of customers.
What advice would you give someone looking into this topic?
In market research, the business conducts studies with potential customers to find out how they feel about the business’s product or service and the competitors’ offerings. These studies also inquire into potential customers’ shopping habits and preferences. Presenting your target customers with surveys or questionnaires is a great way to answer specific questions you have about those potential customers.
Share with us your thoughts on what’s most damaging when it comes to this subject.
Asking very personal questions should be avoided during customer research. Preventing customers from using services quickly to answer questions is always to be avoided. Making customers feel as though they are being watched is the wrong way to try to understand customers.
How could this topic make you more effective?
The use of surveys with general and specific questions is a good way to start out. A way I would research customers is through buying habits and demographics. The best way to do customer research is through a combination of questionnaires and market research.
Can you give us any hints or tips for working this topic into our lives?
Customer research can be tricky because people are willing to provide different amounts of information or respond to different formats. Collecting feedback in various formats (online survey, phone, ect) may be beneficial in getting the opinions of a variety of customers. Offering an incentive may help to collect more data from customers.
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