Posted by Petra

Keep it In-House or Outsource – CATI

Business, Outsourcing, Technology 0

In the modern age, market research agencies have a wide range of IT requirements, including system design, CATI and CAWI survey programming, data processing, sample and customer resource management.

So there is no argument that specialists in these fields are not required. The question is whether to hire a full-time, in-house team, or contract out and bring in expert companies specialized in Market Research related IT only when needed. There are pros and cons to each approach, which are summarised below.

Outsourcing

The benefit of this approach is that a company can bring in someone with a very specific skill set to take on a particular task. Let’s say that you need a programmed CATI survey in a particular software. Once that task is accomplished, they may not need those particular skills again, so it makes sense to hire the specialist only for the duration of the CATI project.

This makes financial sense and also means that a company can bring in a specialist absolutely focussed on the issue at hand who is specialized in the CATI software you are using, whereas a full-time employee would likely have a more general set of skills that could be applied to a variety of situations.

When a company outsources, it also doesn’t need to invest in the equipment or software licence necessary to do that particular job. For the CATI project, the contractor will either provide their own survey software or they will include the cost of acquiring the equipment in their fee, which will be less than if the company bought the extra licenses outright.

The disadvantages of outsourcing start with the fact that a contractor who can provide survey programming staff for example, can command a much higher hourly rate than an in-house operative. However, there are several silver linings here: an hourly rate of a company like Davilio will probably cost less than an in-house employee in western Europe. It can also be both difficult and time consuming to find a company  with the right skills at the right level who is also trustworthy, affordable and available when needed.

Sometimes, as well, companies just don’t know what to look for. In time, any company will build up a book of contacts they can rely on for outsourced  work, but this will need to be constantly updated.

In-house data team

Building up an in-house data processing and survey programming teams means that they can be trained to the company’s specific needs, and they will always be available when needed. This can be especially invaluable when an emergency arises..

In such a case there is no time to look for a specialist, call them and be told they can fit you in next Monday. The situation needs to be locked down immediately, and the damage dealt with.

With an in-house team, the company can ensure they are trained to the requisite level and, via exclusive contracts, can hang on to any star performers whose work differentiates the company from the competition.

For instance, if the company stands out for the number of completes of the CATI projects, it is hardly in their interests for the survey programmer responsible for the design of the questionnaire to be doing similar work for twenty other companies.

The cons to building an in-house data processing and survey programming teams can mainly be seen in terms of initial financial outlay. Finding the right people and training them can be a costly and drawn out affair. The training never stops either, as they will need to constantly update their skills and knowledge, gain certificates and so on.

Of course, they will also need to be kept on a regular salary with employee benefits. If these employees have in-demand skills at a high level, which they should, then they will need to be paid at a very competitive rate in order to keep them within the company.

However, the principle that you get what you pay for is no reason not to go down this route. In-house employees will also have a greater personal investment in making sure the job is done right and will be more likely to go the extra mile and provide exemplary service.

They also know exactly what is needed and are familiar with all aspects of the company. While an outside contractor can be brought up to speed, this takes time, which needs to be paid for.

Also, some details that might seem irrelevant at the time could prove crucial if omitted. With an in-house specialist, costs can be kept under control, and expenses won’t suddenly balloon, as they will remain on the same salary with whatever work they are required to do.

Companies such as DJS Research have found that keeping an in-house data team works for them, but Ipsos felt that outsourcing a variety of roles is the most economical way for them to progress. It is clear that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this dilemma.

Final Considerations

There are plenty of companies that really don’t need to outsource their technology needs. They can cash-flow an in-house data department with ease and they have enough expertise and technology related work to justify paying a data crew, annually. For other companies, there may not be a need to hire, train, develop and, direct an in-house, data department. For those businesses, and in particular, startups, a reliable and experienced third party is an undeniable asset. Businesses who want to swim with the big fish in the evolving rapids of technological change have to find solutions that fit their budgets and their true business needs. If you’re a startup, it may make a ton of sense to hire and leverage the collective expertise of an outside firm to get your business on the right path and to allow you to focus on other areas of the business. Weigh your risks and make an educated decision that’s right for your new business – Davilio is the perfect partner for you with proven quality, excellent data team experienced in niche softwares and a price that can not be beaten.

 

Posted by Petra

Top 7 Advantages of Outsourcing Your Survey Programming

Business, Outsourcing 0

Most of the experts in the Market Research industry would unanimously agree that for a business to take off, having a first-hand information about your market and the reason why consumers would choose your product or service is very important. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the right market and consumer insight is probably of greater importance than anything else in the business, including finance, skilled workforce, the right machinery and the talent. Already established companies engage in conducting market research on the account of the demand made by its various clients with respect to their market, products or services. Hence it comes as a big relief when companies outsource their market research projects or specific tasks to experienced professionals as they can be not only expensive but also time-consuming. Being covered by a specialized external agency when you outsource a part of your Market Research, say, Survey Programming will bring about many benefits – here are the top 7:

 

  1. The work is done by experts. Your employees have salaries, so instead of coming up with a payroll for one person, you will be paying a team of experts in all the fields of market research who will implement methodologies and strategies that work. Essentially, you are paying for results and way affordable than an employee.

 

  1. An outsider insight. Working on your company day in, day out gives you the chance to understand your business more, but there is always something that is lagging. For instance, knowing what to optimize for your business to grow might be blurry to see. Hiring an outsourced expert can give you a new perspective of how to approach your operations today.

 

  1. Sure return on investment. When you hire an expert in a technical field of market research let’s say, you are sure your funds will be invested properly. Since the specialist’s focus will be on survey programming for example, they will certainly spend time making sure you get the results you paid for, plus more. This helps you save time and money, while growing your business with experts.

 

  1. Getting the latest industry updates. Since technical market research experts spend most of their time learning new skills and improving on existing techniques and strategies, it’s fair to say they keep up with the ever changing and growing survey arena. With industry connections like these, it’s easy to get help when a big and important change is about to take place in the industry at large.

 

  1. Focus more on the core of your business. The outsourcing of the technical side of market research is mostly considered by companies who wish to keep the process independent from the core of the company. This helps them throw ideas around and develop better strategies that are not clouded by the company itself. With the right information and access, your survey agency can plan, develop and execute on research strategies that yield results. The key here is to trust the company you hire and making sure you receive reports and live status updates on projects.

 

  1. Ongoing optimization. This is true, because, well, your survey programing agency needs to constantly prove ROI by delivering on proposed end goals– or you might cancel your retainer! They’re genuinely interested in, and committed to, continually optimizing your strategy for best results. Outsourcing your survey scripting means there’s less risk of stagnation or neglect.

 

  1. Get to do more with less. Handling your survey scripting in-house might make it tough to use all the digital channels available to grow your business. You might need help with data processing, survey design, or data delivery in SPSS but with expensive in-house employee- it’s practically impossible to create all this.Outsourcing can let you use multiple channels with ease. You can hire an agency who is an expert of all these things and which team will seamlessly synchronise. With a variety of outsourcing services available, you can turn over entire scripting functions to a capable third party.

 

Davilio is a trusted partner to an already significant client base. It is a preferred and ideal agency of many market research companies who appreciate their time and know the importance of these 7 factors. Feel free to drop us a quote at info@davilio.com

Posted by Petra

Benefits of Market Research Outsourcing

Business, Outsourcing 0

When figuring out if a new product should hit the market, conducting a market research is one of the best ways in determining what people consider and how they behave. It is essential for companies to determine their target customers’ wants and needs. It also shouldn’t be mistaken with marketing research – a term which is often used in business circles. These terms hold opposing meanings, of course. While market research solely focus on the people, marketing research focuses more on the processes a company should change, add or remove from their current strategies. Both can actually be outsourced to a company that provides various research services, but since doing a market research is a more specific act and requires very specific data, which focuses more on the target market of a business, companies tend to outsource it more.

Since we live in a day and age where big data is getting so big, and the regular people and customers have shown big interest in promotional material on the internet – be that social media and likes, online trading sites etc, data has been growing at an exponential rate. Nowadays, it certainly has a scalable impact on various marketing efforts, and a lot of business models use this to collect data. This triggers the pressure for marketing leaders to comprehensively understand more of their customers, potential markets and competitors. As a result, outsourcing Market Research is being considered by companies because of the many benefits that it offers.

Professional Practices

Companies that outsource their market research processes see to it that their outsourcing partners experts in this field since they are specializing in concrete niches of the market. The bonus is that if a company is a big player with many projects, it will benefit from the added values they’ll offer and provide in the future. In addition to that, the in-house team would be able to focus more time on studying or creating strategies for the company and doing more sales. Letting the experts do what they always do will benefit the company in the long run – cheaper rates, no operational costs and more sales.

Efficiency

What’s the difference between being effective and efficient? Being efficient means to be more productive with minimal effort, time and expense. Therefore, a lot of companies who are just starting out or are mid-sized naturally prefer this. Outsourcing, as what people already know, can really be a good way to save money and succeed in a project. This advantage actually goes hand in hand with various perks as well. Those perks  include more than enough experienced staff, faster and extensive data processing, reliable sources, authentic information and high-quality reports delivered in due time. That means, that the market research industry can view outsourcing as a positive way to become more efficient.

Some points to be taken into account are:

 

  • Outsourcing to niche and dedicated Market Research companies that have up-to-date knowledge of tools for analysis and technical efficiency is pretty smart. Market Research involves a lot of advanced technology for faster and extensive data acquisition, that’s why outsourcing some of the burden will be a positive way to meet the company’s standard in efficiency.
  • When a Market Research department is outsourced, it can effectively minimize operational costs while maximizing value. It is a fact that it is more effective for more people to work on a dedicated project for a lower cost than to hire them on long term.
  • Partnering with a trusted outsourcing company for niche market research activities like survey programming or data analysis  will assure a quick turnaround of reports. With those efforts out of your hands, you will have more time to focus on your existing clients or find more of them.

 

All that being said, outsourcing companies like Davil.io offer market research technical services like Nebu and Askia scripting  that can add more value to your business strategies at cheaper rates, which ultimately is the thing that makes most sense.