Confirmit Survey Highlights MR Tech Trends

More than half (57%) of the respondents questioned in Confirmit's annual market research software survey cite declining response rates as one of the three major challenges facing the industry. A quarter (25%) say it is the most important challenge for technology to address.

The survey is carried out among software and technology decision makers/influencers within US research companies, and provides a snapshot of the key issues and trends affecting technology. It also provides a benchmark to ensure software delivery is in line with customers' needs and expectations.

In the latest study, future technology requirements of MR organizations also include better tools to automate the production of charts and PowerPoint decks, with 74% of respondents stating this as one of their wishes.

Multi-mode data collection is considered by 88% of respondents to be essential, very important or moderately important when choosing a new data collection tool.

Once again, web-based research has continued to grow in the last three years, while the use of paper-based research continues to decline. However, the use of CATI has remained consistent over the past three years, and the industry predicts a gradual rather than dramatic change in dialling habits (from manual to predictive) over the coming year.

'The survey clearly shows the need for the next generation of MR software to focus on more sophisticated functionality for capturing data using a mixture of collection methods, and analysis tools that can more clearly and simply turn this data into usable insight,' stated Chief Strategy Officer Pat Molloy.

'By combining these offerings and delivering them via a sophisticated and secure on-demand platform, software providers can support MR agencies' efforts to maximize response rates by appealing to a wider range of respondents, and demonstrate that action can be directly linked to responses, through better analysis tools,' he added.

Oslo-headquartered Confirmit provides a wide range of software products for data collection, panel management, data processing, analysis and reporting. Earlier this month, the firm launched Horizons - a new platform allowing clients to conduct surveys using a variety of data collection methods and channel them into in a single feedback program.

Confirmit is online at: www.confirmit.com , while a full copy of its 2008 survey findings can be found at: www.confirmit.com/pdf/2008ConfirmitAnnualMRSoftwareSurvey.pdf .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.