Market Research: Looking Forward into 2022

One of the most glaring changes the qualitative Market Research field has experienced since the beginning of the pandemic is the rapid adoption of technology. Whether it be Zoom, Teams, WebEx, or another platform, Insights Team members scattered to find ways to make their research successful despite the new restrictions faced. Here is what we can expect for market research looking forward into 2022…

Covid-19 made technology even more significant and allowed zero resistance to its adoption. Now that we are nearing 2-years since the start of the pandemic, we’ve seen Researchers and Insights Teams embrace technology and incorporate it with their pre-established methods to provide even deeper insights. This doesn’t appear to be a trend that will fade with the pandemic, with as much as 65% of surveys being completed on a mobile device in 2021. 

Marketers have even more of a reason to rejoice, as they have realized the cost savings that improved technology can generate. As opposed to the process of planning for travel and hotel stays, Researchers can now conduct their groups from the comfort of their own computer. Not only does this allow them to focus on the parts of their research that matter most, but breaks down the difficulties brought on by the need for respondents with geographic variance.  

While there are many changes in the qualitative field, the one thing that will never change is the empathy behind it. Quantitative methods have upsides, but now more than ever we are seeing the importance of open dialogue and truly understand how the end-user feels before, after and during the transaction. Researchers will need to supplement findings with storytelling to truly drive the informed message found in the research. 

During these chaotic times, clever and proactive problem identification and solving skills have shown to be of the upmost importance. Advantages will be realized by those that see adaptability as a key skill in their employees and their business processes. Unpredictability is around every corner, and researchers must remain diligent with their reaction time and creativity. 

Here’s to making 2022 the most productive year yet!