Picture: Consumer insight pulling all the market and customer information together, to generate penetrating discoveries about consumer motivations
Scanning through the 1000+ news links in my Google Reader, I came across an article posted on one of my favourite research blogs, Greenbook, about the ongoing debate on the difference between market research and customer insight - What’s the difference between Consumer Insights and Market Research? – Edward Appleton teases out some of the differences between describing our industry as “market(ing) research” vs. “consumer insights” in Europe and the U.S.
This debate has been around for years now, and each time I am contacted by a potential client asking for consumer insight, (don't get me started on whether it should be customer insight), or sent a job specification, it doesn't take me long to realise that many don't know what consumer insight is.But the issue is more that one of definition, most of the contention I have found is amongst those of us in the market research industry.
Picture: The headache that is the consumer insght vs. market research debate
As a market researcher who has evolved, through working with companies that use consumer insights throughout their business, mainly FMCG companies, into a consumer Insight specialist, I quickly grow tired of the disdain I frequently get, when I start with a new client, particularly if it's a Government department or agency. The patronising tone of some of the social / academic researchers I have met, have made me glad I am not a permanent employee. I have been told that the research projects I have managed were ‘robust’, or ’reliable.’ But results soon prove them wrong, plus I also apply my consumer insight knowledge to these consumers / customers.
Another refrain, that I still hear too often from other research colleagues, is it is not my job to deliver insights. Yes, even though that's exactly what I am employed to do, I am told in no uncertain terms that insight development and delivery is the sole remit of the research agency. Where I can, I show these people that working closely with agencies will result in insights that are relevant to the organisation and more important are applicable. Doesn't always work, but I keep trying.
I have worked in many organisations who have both a market research team and a consumer insight team. What is the difference. Well the Market research team tends to all the ‘research’ needs, surveys, groups, market trends. And once they have put together their reports, the insight teams, take that information and combine with other relevant customer, consumer / shopper and market information, and wa la! insights the rest of the business can trust. After all, the CI team are seen as the "eyes and ears" of the customer, brimming with understanding not only the customer but the business and it’s place in the marketplace.
Whatever, we call ourselves, and whatever our motives, I agree with much of Mr Appleton's views, especially his statement: “I suspect that our preoccupation with titles and descriptors stems less from an identity crisis, and more from an underlying resentment that we don’t feel that we get the respect and recognition we feel we deserve."
Picture: Market research, often seen as producers of reams of data and information but not usable insights
As I said, the market research industry has been debating what we call ourselves for over a decade now, and still there is a divide. But, no matter what we call ourselves, we have a perception problem. Often seen as dull as the Volvo, and to be honest, I do think the same of some of my colleagues. I do resent the percetion of us all, as librarians, analysts or worst still nerds, who are good at mining information, but useless when it comes to understanding and applying to the rest of arketing, never to talk of strategy. Thus often the contributions we could make to the success of an organisation is often over-looked.
It is time for my research colleagues to shout and scream that they are the true "eyes and ears" of the customer within an organisation, but many will need to lift their much scrateched heads out of their 1000 page data tables and power-point slides, and keep up-to-date with new techniques, technologies and thinking. Plus ppolish up their presentation and influencing skills.
For me hiding in the market reasearch cubby hole, is not an option. In the words of Mr Appleton, I have evolved from being a mere market researcher, into an insight specialist. As a freelancer, if I want to keep working, I can't afford to stay in the dark or the past.
But I haven't given up hope that those stil in the dark will move towards the light and beef up their insight knowledge and skills.
So, like Edward Appleton, I'm off the fence, and I "... think Insights is where we need to be as a body – consultative partners, without denying our crucial empirical, unbiased credentials as researchers." I do think that insights professional are evolved researchers, because to succeed in the new world, we need to be.
You can read Edward Appleton's full article - What’s the difference between Consumer Insights and Market Research? on http://www.greenbookblog.org
Now that's off my chest, what do you think? Are you fed up with all the talk about the difference between market research and customer insight, or has the debate passed you by?
