New Product Design / Concept Testing
Customer Retention Product Design: A regional telecommunications company was facing an imminent deregulated telecommunications industry. As part of their strategy to discourage customers from switching to other local carriers, the client was planning to roll out a new product. The client wanted to understand how consumers would react to this product and what impact, if any, this would have on customer loyalty. Focus groups were used to explore the appeal and usefulness of the product among various groups of consumers. Results were used to refine the product's design and develop a marketing plan to introduce the product.

Testing Labels and Packaging: A liquor distributor wanted to launch a new line of spirits and wished to understand consumers' perceptions of the product packaging and their reactions to its taste. Focus group research revealed that though most participants enjoyed the taste of the liquor, the packaging of the bottle was not seen as consistent with the product's desired image. Participants also agreed that the bottle design seemed "cheap" and that most would not expect premium liquor to be inside it. The client was able to pull the product before it went to market in order to re-design the label. The final label design was one that consumers felt was appropriate for a premium liquor and which also reflected their expectations of the contents of the bottle.

Telecommunications Product Package Optimization: A telephone company offering a comprehensive package of telephone services including both local and long distance service sought to determine the optimal configuration of product features to offer in its various operating areas. The research utilized a conjoint methodology to determine the trade-offs consumers are willing to make between cost and features of phone service packages. The research was used to determine which packages would generate the highest consumer purchase intent and which features of the product packages would drive satisfaction with the product.

Real Estate Company Internet Sales Study: MDRG handled consulting and quantitative research for a traditional real estate company to test the concept of providing the services of a real estate agent online at a diminished cost to consumers. The research was designed to identify perceptual obstacles to buying or selling real estate over the Internet; to identify the target market for the service; and to determine whether the product would be successful if it were a pure Internet service or require a physical presence or possibly telephone access. Research results were used to refine the website to preempt the most frequently asked questions, to target consumers most likely to utilize the service and build a strategic plan for building the online business.

Maximizing Sales Efforts: A large, regional telecommunications company wanted to evaluate a service they had developed for a specific demographic group. Research revealed that customers who tended to enthusiastically respond to the service tended to be those who had been educated about the benefits of the service by their salesman. Those customers who were not as enthusiastic, and even expressed some negative viewpoints about the service, tended to be individuals who lacked a clear understanding of how the service worked, and how it benefited them. The client was advised that in order to maximize positive response to the service, sales training should focus on explaining specific features and benefits of the service.