GreenBook® Research Industry Trends Report

Spring 2011Factors Affecting Data Collection ChoicesRegardless of client or supplier side, the primaryfactors driving data collection decisions are theperceived effectiveness, the ability to controlquality, and costs. However, significant differenceswere observed between clients and suppliers onthe familiarity with technique (suppliers were24 ppt higher), the firm’s main product/methodtraditionally used (suppliers were 20 ppts higher),and either the client requests or the supplierrecommends (suppliers were 38 ppts higher). Withthe exception of consultants, these levels werereplicated across all types of suppliers. This furtherimplies that suppliers “stick to their knitting”,in offering products and services that they havespecific expertise in.Importance of factors in making decisions about data collection methods (Top TwoBoxes on 5-Point Scale)Client TotalSupplierTotalGap Full-Service ConsultantCATI/OnlineProviderData Collection/Field ServiceTotal Respondents: (131) (542) + / - (269) (160) (38) (48)% % % % % %Effectiveness 91% 94% -3% 95% 93% 92% 92%Timeliness of results 85% 79% +6% 76% 81% 82% 85%Ability to control quality 82% 90% -8% 91% 89% 87% 90%Cost 79% 82% -3% 79% 84% 76% 88%Clients/manager understand it 66% 75% -9% 77% 72% 79% 75%Data security 57% 62% -5% 61% 59% 76% 67%Simplicity/not complicated 52% 45% +7% 42% 42% 55% 58%Familiarity with technique 45% 69% -24% 70% 69% 76% 67%Firm’s main product/methodtraditionally used31% 51% -20% 55% 39% 71% 63%Something new and different 29% 27% +2% 31% 22% 34% 29%Client requests/supplierrecommends27% 65% -38% 65% 58% 89% 81%Primary factors driving data collection decisions are theperceived effectiveness, the ability to control quality, and costswww.greenbook.org19