6 Virtues of Kick-Ass Market Research Agency Data Project

What is the shortest way from raw data to report shared with happy customer? Is it that huge Excel wired trough VB script to data source uploaded to SharePoint? Not mentioning changes in formulas or visual design. There is a way how to iterate trough the project with the customer faster.

Market research agency data processing

1. Blending of data sources (SQL DB, Facebook, KakaoTalk, Q&A forms)
2. Pixel perfect dashboards (chart types, buttons, size of tables)
3. Analytics delivery process (security & interactive reports)
4. Rapid response time (24 hours a day)
5. Keep reports up to date (ETL & sipping tequila sunrise)
6. API and SDK (to build own portal)

Criteria that decide if customer will choose the agency

Below is the interactive chart, that lists selection criteria, that are important for customers of market research agencies. It is based on survey done by GreenBook in fall 2014. It sorts criteria from most important to the least important.

Top factors important for data analytics processing

We combined all questions answered as important into the High Importance indicator. You can clearly see how relevant are these results to Market research agency data processing. For instance considerRapid response to request indicator.

1. Blending of data sources

Most agencies keep data in silos like Oracle, MySQL and than use “middle man tool” to export specific data. Later you plot the data into the not exactly sustainable Excel. We can fix it with solution that:

• connects directly to source DB without SQL knowledge,
• or to “middle man DB access system” (eliminates IT dpt. restrictions),
• connect to social networks with pre-build connectors (Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, KakaoTalk),
• builds questionnaires apps (iPhone, Android,web) to harvest data directly into data warehouse.

2. Pixel perfect reports

Each customer requires branded reports (read about White-labeling). Report should include only few buttons, filters, drill-downs. Just like in the Excel. But there are best practices:

• kind of time machine feature (multiple versions of report), so customer or you can move forth and back before final approval,
• build in info-graphics creator,
• control over whole design trough CSS and design features.

3. Analytics delivery process (key to save a time)

Let’s say we created report for car dealerships in regards of car brand sales. So one report interesting for multiple customers. We could save tons of time, if we distribute it with restricted access to specific KPIs. We need:

• custom login for customer,
• interactive web reports,
• specify which KPIs should be seen by user,
• or create copy from the report (save it as an template),
• share it to customers instantly (without deploying it to sharing server),
• automatic sharing (generated PDF or link generated every Monday etc.).

4. Rapid response time to request

This is highly ranked indicator for agency customers (89% respondents marked it as critical). Secured social network for business data analysis between agency and customer can improve the response time significantly trough:

• direct web report (no deployment to sharing server),
• comments to report, charts by you/customer in FacebookStyle,
• attachments associated with report data downloadable from report,
• report templates and instant copies of reports.

5. Keep reports up to date

Ideally your charts and tables should have live connection to data. It means from bottom to top an ETL process should provide data for report components. It involves ability to have:

• charts, tables connected to combined live data;
• let’s say each chart shows always data for last week;
• save and reuse calculated formulas/data cleaning scripts;
• templates with tags and build in search engine (meta data).

6. API and SDK (building custom analytics portal)

I admit, that this point includes some coding. But can help you build custom app for data collecting or analytics portal, trough which you can offer your analytics services. See Choosenergy.com and as well our platform focused posts:

• copy paste live charts into your web portal (easy one),
• have a BI platform with filters, drill-downs available trough REST API,
• BI SDK that includes charting library,
• BI SDK that support iOS, Android.

Well it is not an ultimate list to improve data analytics process at digital or market research agencies. But at BellaDati we can help you to innovate and deliver data analytics faster to your clients.