Case Study
Communipanel: An Efficient Way to Stay Ahead of the Competition
overview
Competition among wireless service providers is increasing as mergers continue to narrow the playing field and technology advancements require quick strategic decisions to improve customer satisfaction. Maintaining relevance with current customers is even more critical for regional providers with a limited footprint and a smaller customer base.
Given this, what can a regional wireless service provider do to remain competitive? How can they innovate to meet current customers’ needs, while also capturing new customers?
Looking for a cost-efficient and flexible research approach, a well-known regional wireless service provider reached out to C+R; they wanted quick access to qualitative and quantitative insights from consumers and non-consumers. Our long-term agile communipanel was the perfect solution.
THE PROBLEM
Looking for a Cost-Effective Consumer Research Solution
Our client, a well-known regional wireless service provider, was looking for a cost-efficient way to access and understand the needs of both their current customers and non-customers.
Given our client’s smaller service footprint, consumer research had historically proven expensive and time-intensive. Our challenge was to create a quick-turn system that would allow our client to conduct research quickly and cost-effectively.
Specifically, our client wanted to conduct qualitative and quantitative research to:
- Explore perceptions, interests, and needs across customers and non-customers
- Understand the customer and non-customer experience and mindset
- Identify needs/desires related to products/services/messaging
OUR APPROACH
Communipanel Research – Small on Cost, Big on Insights
To help our clients answer their key business questions, we created an online communipanel with a mix of customers and non-customers. The communipanel is comprised of approximately 2,000 consumers housed in a proprietary database and a community subset of 500 consumers. Members of the communipanel are located within specific zip codes aligned with our client’s footprint. The panel is ongoing and undergoes a refresh every six months to remove consumers who are no longer active.
Throughout the life of the communipanel, our client has conducted both qualitative and quantitative research, including surveys with open ends, digital discussions, and online experience research. To maintain member engagement, C+R uses creative research tools like heat maps, max diff, and sorting exercises. For this on-going endeavor, we’ve also leveraged statistical analysis for several strategic initiatives including pricing research and clustering/modeling. Equally as important, to maintain client engagement, C+R regularly hosts meetings and mid-point check-ins, sends email summaries, and shares feedback via ongoing feedback loops. These communication mechanisms have allowed both teams to quickly adjust research plans and ensure the necessary insights are captured.
The result
More Than 30 Research Initiatives of Every Size and Audience
C+R has cost-effectively conducted more than 30 research initiatives (with a wide range of size and audience) through this long-term online communipanel. Research has ranged from early to end stage and included concept and messaging feedback, advertising tests, new product development, and competitive assessment. Throughout our research, we’ve been able to uncover key differences between customers and non-customers; these insights have allowed our client to quickly develop strategies to better meet both audiences’ needs.
proven experience
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