COVID-19 and Conducting Market Research
18 May 2020

COVID-19 Impact on Market Research

In these unprecedented times, ‘business as usual’ is not always the case. At Provoke Insights, we are continually committed to providing you with the highest quality strategy and research. 

As our company has always supported our team working-at-home for a couple of days of the week, the transition to working virtually entirely has not been an issue. Our colleagues meet multiple times throughout the day to provide statuses on projects and give feedback and assist in initiatives.

We would be lying if we said COVID-19 has not impacted market research. However, at Provoke Insights, our agile approach has allowed us to adapt quickly. We are also continually assessing how we can develop the most effective research during these changing times.  

In-Person Research

Focus groups and in-person in-depth individual interviews have come to a halt due to the need for social distancing. At Provoke Insights, while we conduct online qualitative often, we have recently had to transfer an offline 30-focus-group project online in just a few days to online due to COVID-19. 

The virus impacts the recruitment process for online focus groups. The show-rate is much lower than the average show-rate (before the pandemic). Some of the causes are the following:

  • Essential workers such as warehouse and supermarket staff are often called in for extra hours at the last minute.
  • Parents had difficulty finding childcare as kids no longer had school or any daycare.
  • Overall, people are stressed due to income strain.
  • Some had to pull out as they fell ill due to the virus.
  • Participants under the age of 25 years old are less responsive, as many are undergoing an unusually large transition, moving home from college back into their parents’ homes.

At Provoke Insights, we have put the following procedures in place:

  • Over-recruit the number of participants per group by a significant amount
  • Additional reminders for those whom we recruit
  • Higher incentives to improve show-rate

Using Technology During Online Qualitative

Participants’ WIFI service may be slow due to high usage, or specific audiences are not very technologically savvy. As a result, at Provoke Insights, we take the target audience into account. For particular audiences, we recommend using qualitative technology that does not require high-speed wifi or is not too complicated.

The Research Topic & Questions   

COVID-19 is on many people’s minds, and it impacts the way people respond to questions. When developing guides and questionnaires, you need to understand the objective of the research and look at feedback regarding how the world is currently or diving into insights that are more long-term. Consequently, it is more important than ever to write questions smartly to understand the bigger picture rather than focus solely on the immediate environment. We review all initiatives to ensure that the current climate will not impact the project’s results. 

Refreshing Findings

While in a ‘normal’ year, it is crucial to update your research and findings to see if behaviors and the market have changed. This year, it is especially essential to understand that the research you may have conducted last year may no longer be relevant. Consumers’ mindsets are changing, and the way they behave will shift over the next few months.

If you are considering researching during this time, please reach out to Provoke Insights to address any concerns you may have. You can reach us using the contact page or by emailing [email protected]

In addition, check out Provoke Insights research services here.

Sunpower: An NPS and Competitive Assessment Study
18 May 2020

Background & Marketing Problem

Sunpower is a top solar panel company with retail in over 20 countries worldwide. Founded in 1985, the American energy company has manufactured solar panels for 35 years. The manufacturer was one of the first solar power companies, coming as a result of research conducted at Stanford University. In need of understanding their place in the solar power marketplace, Sunpower was looking for an NPS study.

Sunpower approached Provoke Insights to conduct an annual survey on the solar consumer purchase journey. Already a leader in the field, the company wanted to better understand its standing compared to the competition. The provider wanted to identify any competitive advantages and contemplate improvement efforts. In addition, an economic model was developed as a result of the research. Finally, the company wanted to gain a better understanding of its top competitors, as well as determine essential awareness, purchase, satisfaction, and referral drivers.

Market Research Solution

One of the best ways to understand how customers view your company’s product is through Net Promoter Score (NPS). NPS is a score that ranges from -100 to 100, which measures how likely a consumer is to recommend a product to a friend. The method helps measure both success and brand loyalty. NPS changes conducted over a period of years also helps highlight how a brand is either progressing/regressing in terms of its product’s reception.

Provoke Insights developed and conducted a 30 minute, 80 question survey among solar power customers with solar panels installed on their roofs. Accordingly, the survey was sent to both customers of Sunpower and its competitors. Further, a structural equation model was used to determine which attributes were drivers of NPS score and by how much.

Results of the Research

A comprehensive report was developed that provided a clear understanding of the market, and how the solar panel company compared to the competition. The annual analysis gave Sunpower a yearly benchmark to compare their position versus competitors in the market. In addition, the analysis helped Sunpower understand what drives awareness, and sales, and how to challenge the competition.

The information was used to drive key decisions in marketing, customer services, and the sales process. You can read more about the research here: https://solarbuildermag.com/news/fact-people-want-solar-energy-stats/