MR Agency £quotecheck 2002

As a research provider, do your know how your prices compare with the market? Are you charging your clients too much? Could you benefit from greater marketplace intelligence? Independent consultants Richard Horswell and Sally Donovan are possibly able to help you with these difficult questions.

Horsell and Donovan are currently busy conducting a third survey into research agency pricing. They are inviting agencies to quote for a range of fictitious projects. The plan is then to collate the quotes and feed them back on an anonymous basis to participants. It is hoped that the data will enable agencies to see how they stack up against the competition.

In two previous surveys, Horsell and Donovan found huge variations in the prices quoted for the same brief. In almost all cases, the highest price was at least double the lowest. Clearly, price is only one consideration in deciding who gets the job. However, as Horsell and Donovan point out, it is an important one. Increased pressures on both research budgets and agency margins make it more crucial than ever to know how your prices stack up.

The survey is scheduled to take place over the first half of June 2002. If you would like further details please contact Sally (01844 260432) or Richard (01283 704475).

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.