The following blog post was written by Josh Elander, Research Associate at RMS. Surveys are a premier research method for obtaining honest and effective feedback from consumers, but they’re also a valuable way to gain insights from your employees. We have a long history of conducting employee surveys for companies looking to gauge the satisfaction among employees on several workplace factors. Here’s what you can expect when you make the move to conduct an employee satisfaction survey, and why you should. Your Employees Will Appreciate the Effort One of most important aspects of the survey is ..read more

This blog post is a summary of a recent project completed by Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS). Background: An organization aiming to offer residential living services in New York State recently partnered with Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) to conduct feasibility research. The client wanted to better understand the primary market area (PMA) and identify whether it is feasible to open a facility in the proposed location. The market research objective was to provide decision-making insights needed to determine whether there is sufficient demand for an adult ho ..read more

In the world of market research, new approaches and strategies are being developed rapidly. One of the ways we like to stay smart on industry trends is by reviewing the GreenBook Research Industry Trends (GRIT) Report. Below are a few tidbits from the Q3 and Q4 report, which we found particularly insightful. Mobile Surveys Are The New Normal Not surprisingly, many suppliers and buyers of research reported that mobile surveys were the most commonly used approach in 2016. In a world where many of us have one item that’s always in reach (our phone) asking questions through this widely used mediu ..read more

This blog post is a summary of a recent project completed by Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS). Background: A national retailer recently partnered with Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) to conduct consumer usage research. The client wanted to better understand consumer perceptions, receipt, use, and sales drivers of circular advertising. The market research objective was to provide decision-making insights needed to determine usage, as well as whether circular advertisement preferences vary by market. Approach: To identify consumer usage and preferences regardi ..read more

With patient-centered healthcare on the rise, CAHPS® surveys are more prevalent now than ever before. Being such an essential aspect of your organization’s success, how do you go about deciding which CMS-approved CAHPS vendor to partner with for your surveying? If you’re in the position of participating in any of the CAHPS surveys, here are some factors you should look for in a prospective vendor: Partnership – Whether it’s your first time conducting CAHPS surveys or the tenth time, a prospective vendor should be willing and able to walk you through the process in its entirety. It’s important ..read more

The following post was written by Tal Gordon, Intern at RMS. The market research industry is flooded with an abundance of phrases and lingo that is commonly used between businesses, employers, and clients. The use of acronyms in particular has gained in popularity, thanks largely due to the prevalence of social media usage, but also in an effort to become more efficient. We have put together a brief list of market research acronyms to provide more insight into the most commonly used terms. NPS – Net Promoter Score The NPS measures consumer loyalty pertaining to a particular product or ser ..read more

According to a recent poll of Central New Yorkers conducted by Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) ViewPoint, 24% of individuals purchase 10 to 12 gifts this holiday season, with 21% purchasing for 7 to 9 people, and 19% for both 4 to 6 and more than 15 people. When it comes to starting their holiday shopping, many (32%) stated that they start up to 3 months beforehand, while 25% start less than a month before and 16% start shopping on Black Friday. Nearly half (48%) of participants took on the Black Friday crowds this season, and of those who shop on Black Friday, only 38% will a ..read more

When it comes to focus groups, it’s crucial to recruit the right participants. Typically a focus group includes a small number of people, often between 8 to 12 participants, plus a moderator that helps guide the discussion. The moderator’s goal is to get participants to answer the pre-defined questions in the moderator’s guide, but also to get the respondents engaged with each other in order to facilitate an in-depth discussion on the topic at hand. So how do you get the right people for the job? Define the Purpose of the Focus Group – Before you start recruiting members for your focus group ..read more

The following post was written by Mark Dengler, President at RMS. In the market research world, the voice of the customer (VoC) is key to understanding and managing customer experiences as well as enhancing product/service design. You should always be listening to your customers and what they are saying, whether it be directly to your organization’s staff, indirectly through consumer review websites, or social media. The vast majority of all companies primarily compete based upon customer experience. Therefore, listening to your customers is vital to a company’s long term growth and succe ..read more

During the fall, we see an uptick in research on district perception and public opinion from our secondary education clients. It’s common for school districts to gauge the community’s perception on proposed curriculum, budget, and instructional changes prior to the public vote the following spring, or prior to implementation. By conducting the research, the district has an opportunity to determine whether the proposed changes meet the needs of residents, and if not, how the district can update the plan to garner public support. The research is often carried out through the implementation of o ..read more