Market research software is in some ways no different from other software, but you are likely to need and understand detailed features for survey data collection, analysis and reporting. These detailed requirements mean that you will want to care about productivity, best practices and, often, learning the full scope of any software product.
If you type ‘survey software’ into Google, you will be presented several alternatives – for example, Qualtrics, QuestionPro, SmartSurvey, SoGoSurvey, SurveyGizmo, SurveyMonkey, SurveyPlanet and SurveySparrow.
I heard someone at a US conference in 2001 say that by 2010 there will be no more paper surveys; all surveys will be online. Predictions are dangerous, and the speaker was wrong, of course.
Online data collection has become the most common methodology for most market research surveys around the world. However, in some countries, for example, in Asia Pacific, where we operate extensively, data collection online still represents less than 50% of all fieldwork.
In my experience, I find that most people who buy research software spend most of their time considering the look and feel of the software and the features it contains…What is often given little or no consideration is how productive the staff using the software will be.
Market research software products have expanded over the last 20 years….there are software packages or platforms that cover one or more of these different tasks. Should you buy and end-to-end product?
For too long, research agencies have produced tables, counts and percentages from their survey data and then used different methods to put those figures into reports in the forms of tables, charts and other infographics.
As a seller of software for market research, you might think it is difficult for me to be objective in offering advice to potential buyers about what matters most in that purchase decision (continued from Part 1).
As a seller of software for market research, you might think it is difficult for me to be objective in offering advice to potential buyers about what matters most in that purchase decision.
Market research has adopted technology at varying speeds in its history, often at a different rate to other industries. Why is this? Is it important? CAPI, CAWI, CATI, tabulations, reporting and dashboarding all pose different wants and needs.
ABOUT US
MRDC Software has been supplying software for market research since 1992. It is known around the world for its leading tabulation software, MRDCL, but has expanded its portfolio of products to have productivity-focused software for data collection, data analysis, reporting and dashboards.
UNITED KINGDOM
Meadow View House
Fordcombe Road
Fordcombe
Kent
TN3 0RT
T: +44 (0)7522 546187
E: sales@mrdcsoftware.com
ASIA PACIFIC
As leading suppliers of software in Asia Pacific, we have a team of sales, support and software developers at our offices in the Philippines. Please contact our sales executive in Manila for further help.
E: nikki.sunga@mrdcsoftware.com