Simpson Carpenter Sifts Data Seam

In the UK, full-service research and insights consultancy Simpson Carpenter has developed an analytics service called Klondike, through which clients can drill into previously untapped text data and extract consumer insights regardless of source.

Klondike has been developed by the firm's team of data scientists, led by its Director of Advanced Analytics, Frank Hedler (pictured). It uses natural language processing algorithms developed by the Stanford NLP Group and the University of Massachusetts, to analyse online and off-line data from sources such as traditional surveys, forums, blogs, and inbound e-mail. The results are accessible via online platforms, and can be used to help improve products and services, manage brand reputation, and uncover new opportunities.

Hedler says the tool has been developed to help with the ever-growing stream of user-generated content, which businesses often have no idea how to use, and frequently end up not using at all. 'Customer forums, blogs and review sites can all complement survey data to provide richer and deeper insight about a business's strengths and weaknesses', he explains. 'Product reviews, for instance, represent an increasingly important source of information for consumers in their decision making process. It's essential for businesses to know what consumers are writing and reading about their services and how they rate them'.

Web site: www.simpsoncarpenter.com .