Research Biz

It was 25 years ago today that our company's founder launched a national consumer survey about coinage, at the request of the US General Accounting Office. There were concerns that advertising for a new golden-colored dollar coin featuring Sacagawea on the obverse may be misleading citizens into thinking there was real gold in the coin's alloy. As it turned out, the study (by ICR) determined that nearly 13% of Americans believed there was gold metal in this coin worth a dollar -- about 16% of women, versus about 10% of men. Read more at the link in the comments.

Which of these data visualizations better answers the question, "Is the Channel Tunnel between the UK and France built underneath the seabed?" One diagram shows chalk and clay in light gray and dark blue colors, which could easily be confusing against the light blue color of the water in the English Channel. The second diagram shows chalk and clay in more appropriate dark brown and taupe colors, which render as much more distinct against the depiction of light blue sea water.

We are working through some survey data today about how consumers justify (in comment form) the rating they give for their likelihood to recommend a service brand they use. Ratings were given on a standard 11-point scale, zero to ten, per Fred Reichheld. The findings aren't exactly surprising, as they are rather tautological -- if you're likely to recommend a brand, you're likely to say something nice about it. However, do note that the RANGE of likelihood to recommend (LTR) is not entirely polarized. You're going to have customers who say nice things about your products, but they are not giving you a 10 score, rather they are only a 7 or 8 likely to recommend you to others. And conversely, you'll have some customers who talk down your brand, even though they're still at least maybe a 5 or a 6 in terms of LTR. Since they're not a zero or a one, with some effort, these customers can be redeemed by delivering better quality and performance, while communicating that your company acknowledges their concerns.

Not to brag, but...

We support several enterprise clients of SurveyMonkey through that company's Expert Services offering. If your company utilizes the SurveyMonkey platform for data collection, and you're thinking about expanding your capabilities in that regard, give us a call for guidance!

Are our youngest generations of adult consumers more health conscious, or more gullible, or both? Data source: Prinova Global

Research Biz has found its way to the Bluesky social media platform, which many see as a more welcoming alternative to the X platform. We currently hold the ONLY profile on that platform that offers expert witness services in the field of market research.

Today we celebrate the 235th birthday of the State of North Carolina. The Tarheel State is unique in the unusual legislative sense that the state may not fund projects that are dedicated exclusively to bicycle and pedestrian traffic. North Carolina claims to be the only state that uses all four of the major types of wine grapes in production in that state. And an interesting fact is that while NC is listed as a top 10 state for number of resident horses, it doesn't feature any horse racing. And we can make a toast to all these claims, because North Carolina is the only state with an official toast: "Here's to the land of the long leaf pine, The summer land where the sun doth shine, Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great, Here's to 'Down Home,' the Old North State!" Here are a few of the noteworthy companies that were either founded in, or are headquartered in North Carolina: * Epic Games * Lenovo (US) * SAS * Hardees * Golden Corral Corporation * Bojangles' Restaurants, Inc. * Mt. Olive Pickle Company Inc. * Krispy Kreme * Bank of America * Harris Teeter * Burt's Bees * Food Lion * The Norman Group

Today is the state of Montana's 135th birthday. Montana is the 4th largest US state in area, but only the 43rd largest state in population, making it the 3rd least densely populated state -- about the same density of people as Australia or Namibia. It is unique in terms of employment law, by restricting employers from firing any employee "at will" -- in other words, after any probationary period, a worker cannot be fired from their job without "good cause." It was the only state without a modern naval ship named in its honor, until the USS Montana submarine was launched in 2021 (Captain Vasili Borodin would be pleased). Montana also happens to be the only state with just one time zone *and* different time zones immediately to its west and its east. The greatest temperature shift in a single place in a 24-hour period is 103°F, recorded in 1972 in Loma, Montana. The only place in America where rainfall can divide and go to three different oceans is found in Flathead County, at Triple Divide Peak. And if you stand on the southeast corner of Montana, you are closer to Texas than you are to the northwest corner of Montana. Now, on to the business front -- the second-oldest continuously operating Chinese restaurant in the United States is the Pekin Noodle Parlor in Butte, established only a few years after a place in Chicago called the Chicago Café. The largest employer in Montana is the MONTANA HEALTH NETWORK INC. The first Montana business to qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program during the COVID pandemic was Mountain Mudd Espresso. And Pacific Steel and Recycling was the first Montana firm to ever purchase carbon offsets from the Well Done Foundation. And Printing for Less was the first Montana company (in 2005) to set up a Health Savings Account insurance program for its employees. #Montana #OroYPlata #LetHerBuck #YouBetcha

November 1st is Global Business Analysis Day. Today, we celebrate the power of data-driven insights in making informed business decisions, improving processes, and driving growth. At Research Biz we’re passionate about uncovering the insights that help our clients thrive in their markets -- without breaking the bank. ?? With decades of experience in market research, from quantitative web survey design to qualitative focus groups and interviews, we understand that powerful insights don’t have to come at a premium. That’s why Research Biz offers a solution that’s about half the cost of our competitors, without sacrificing quality or reliability. Our streamlined approach allows us to deliver high-quality data and actionable recommendations that empower you to stay ahead of the curve. Whether you’re looking to understand customer preferences, measure brand awareness, or gather feedback for new product development, we’ve got you covered. Let’s connect to discuss how we can bring meaningful data and strategic insights to your business, cost-effectively. ?? #GlobalBusinessAnalysisDay #MarketResearch #BusinessInsights #DataDriven #BusinessGrowth #ResearchBiz