Division head, Leanne Freeman, says, "We're finding that our clients need deeper consumer insights; they want to know what consumers really think about the products on our shelves. Consumer research adds richness to existing company research and has the ability to enhance reports beyond figures, by adding a human element to data. So while we've always offered consumer research products, we're now focusing our attention on them much more through the Consumer Division to deliver such solutions."
The division draws on the company's established experience in the retail and wholesale sectors to provide customised solutions to understanding consumer behaviour. "We've been conducting research into South Africa's consumer products, manufacturing, retail and foodservice industries for more than 30 years. Over this time, we have honed our expertise to offer our clients solid qualitative and quantitative research that delivers valuable and meaningful market insights into their products and brands. Consumer Division is now leveraging this experience even further to delve into how specific consumers view those brands and why," says BMi Research CEO, Gareth Pearson.
To this end, the division researches everything from shopping patterns and how consumers perceive products in-store to what influences their purchasing decisions and how they use the products in their own homes.
Freeman adds that new technologies - something the company is well known for pioneering - help facilitate these studies. "We aim to optimise available technology to complement our research insights. This will allow us to offer our clients a holistic range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies that provide multidimensional, value-added solutions to consumer understanding of their products and brands. Initially we'll offer methodologies that meet their current needs, but will slowly expand this to include ground-breaking new methods that reflect the evolving marketplace," she says.
This is in line with current research trends to offer multi-layered approaches to data search and capture. Some of the soon to be introduced methodologies will include online research and mobile/viral surveys. The division will soon be setting its sights on specific shopper-focused methodologies, such as in-store research using CCTV footage and basket analytics. As with all current procedures, these new methodologies will adhere to SAMRA and ESOMAR codes of conduct.
Aside from technology, the division also concentrates heavily on delivering research of international standards. Freeman's 9-year stint in the UK has ensured a strong focus on strategy and service delivery, with new and existing clients being assured of the highest quality consumer research.
The new division offers consumer research solutions in the following areas: shopper behaviour; packs and packaging; product usage; taste testing; the retail environment; promotional effectiveness; new product development and testing; concept development and testing; segmentation; and advertising research. Clients have access to tailor-made research teams to ensure their specific research requirements within these different categories are met.
