Always sharp, never shallow

As a consumer insights & market research we don't believe in the compromise of long, in-depth and expensive or fast but less sharp results market research.

As a research agency, it's okay to take a hard look at a traditional way of working. And that's exactly what we did in 2019, at the launch of One Inch Whale. While there is apparently an obvious contradiction created in the research world, from both the agencies and the client themselves, we do not believe this to be true. People are led to believe that there is only a choice for long, in-depth and expensive market research, or that market research should be fast but therefore lack sharp results. In our opinion, there is no need for such a compromise. In fact, we always stand by our well-known oneliner: Always sharp, never shallow! As a consumer insights & market research agency we guarantee depth and sharpness. Let us explain how...

Always sharp

By always being sharp, we like to get straight to the point. We value simplicity and agility, and are focused on providing clear and actionable advice. It's about eliminating waste in terms of processes, methods or outcomes.

We approach projects as simply as possible, in order to get to the heart of the matter and answer the customer's question in the most efficient way. We do not like asking questions that do not matter or are not relevant in certain cases. The same applies to reporting. Research shows that 60% of all research agencies are unable to deliver clear information according to their clients. While there is usually a tendency to provide a lot of information and data in reports - which only causes confusion and hampers decisions - we believe in simple, clear messages that allow you, as a client, to work effectively.

Moreover, we are agile throughout the research process, anything but linear. By opting for an iterative process, we are able to continuously adapt the research design where necessary. This way, we can quickly adapt when necessary, in order to immediately respond to the needs of the moment.

The majority of research agencies are only too willing to lose themselves in details, which means that the client receives less accurate results. Moreover, the majority of clients state that the delivered reports are not clearly communicated to them. In general, the research industry appears to be good at analysing, but has difficulty in getting the message across and translating it into relevant business insights.

That is why we always keep the objectives of the research in mind. Starting from what is already available, and only filling in the empty gaps with the most appropriate research methods. We avoid the popular 'Fear of Missing Out in the research' by being brave enough to leave certain things out of the research or reporting, just because it really doesn't matter (see 'FOMO in the research is so 2019'). Conclusions and recommendations are often mixed up - if they are even formulated at all - but we actually propose specific goals and actions.

All too often, there is a tendency to ask as many things as possible, and sometimes in such a way that the respondent cannot formulate the answer. This way, the research only becomes longer, more expensive and the results less sharp. You will get better results or more logical answers with a different research technique than questioning the customer directly. For example, we know what to ask consumers and what not to ask them, or better: what questions they are able to answer, which leads to shorter and more relevant questionnaires. And it is often better to involve a few relevant profiles than to sample hundreds of people.

All ballast slows down the research process, and that is what we want to avoid. In essence, this means: 1) Setting up questionnaires and stripping down reports so that they ask or tell the essence; 2) Only using certain research techniques or technologies if it helps answering the research questions; 3) Having a minimal back office and only calling in experts and other parties when necessary. All this to eliminate delaying elements throughout the research process.

Never shallow

We are never shallow because of our authenticity. We dive into each project as deeply as we can, thanks to our determined dedication and never-ending curiosity. We firmly believe in our partnerships and collaborations. Moreover, we look at what is already known and available, offer real insights and create solutions that are necessary to shape the future. And we do so by combining both creativity and logic.

To create more depth in the solution, certain issues are considered from different angles. Innovations are created by working together with relevant parties and stakeholders. Only when we are convinced that specific partners or experts can create depth in a certain research, we appeal to their expertise. Fortunately, through our network we can count on professional trend watchers, sensory specialists, ... Moreover, we have already been able to form exclusive partnerships, for example with regard to predictive intelligence and colour science.

Hindsight: All information that is already available, is checked for relevance and included in research and reporting. What is already known? How can that help us make decisions? And what can we learn from it?

Insight: Insights are formulated based on all the information we have at our disposal. Sometimes it is about hidden truths. Things that seem obvious at the moment of discovery, but actually are not. Eureka!

Foresight: In addition, we are going to look ahead and try to predict the future. For example: how can you, as a customer, still be relevant in five years' time and keep up with the trends that are coming?

We think out of the box, but anchor this in a logic: the design thinking process. A logically structured process that does require the necessary creativity in the various phases of that process. Think of it as consulting the rational and emotional brain, in order to arrive at the right research, insights and recommendations.

 

By leveraging consumer insights and market research in this way, we can say with certainty that our approach works. This is proven by the completed projects and recurring collaborations with numerous respected companies.

Are you facing a challenge like one of our cases? Or are you convinced - after this overview of our beliefs - that we can assist you in any way? Feel free to contact us for an open conversation and let's see what One Inch Whale can do for you.