Consider getting access to exclusive RBDR benefits on Patreon! Click here for more information.
———————————————————————-
June 7, 2018. Today on RBDR:
An emailer explains to RBDR Producer Bob Lederer a group of troubling trends he sees in the client-supplier marketplace. His questions whether the changes he perceives are temporary because they seem out of sorts considering the strength of the economy.
No need to spend time searching for today’s RBDR video. Subscribe to receive a FREE, personal email as soon as the new RBDR is uploaded. Click here.
Hi Bob,
I saw this happen in the mystery shopping industry when the internet allowed much of the operational work (scheduling shoppers, managing data, online reporting) became centralized among 3-4 platforms. The industry quickly commoditized itself – even offering DIY services to clients. Clients took control of the business and started to specify which platform needed to be used (for legacy data) as well as how they wanted the data served to them.
Granted, mystery shopping is not the same as marketing research, but there’s been a trend for clients to use more of the DIY platforms since they first started around 20 years ago. It’s quite easy to go to SurveyMonkey or any of the hundred or so DIY platforms, create a questionnaire and deploy to a select audience. The key for research consultants is to get engaged with he client in designing, managing and analyzing the results.
In my practice, I’ve been transparent with clients about the difference in field services (including DIY platforms) and my professional services. I’ve helped set up a few clients with accounts on various DIY platforms. I’m probably not the norm, but I find it refreshing to have clients contract directly for field services while paying my consulting fees separately. No mark up needed, and the cash flow is better since there’s not much margin there anymore.
My 2¢
Mark