Last week, the ESOMAR Congress was held in the vibrant city of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The event exuded an electrifying atmosphere, and attendees were filled with excitement as they returned to ESOMAR’s hometown. Participants came from far and wide, embarking on journeys lasting over 20 hours to reunite with their colleagues from around the world. This event brought together a staggering 1,100 global professionals, all gathering to discuss the numerous challenges and opportunities our industry faces today.
Major takeaways from the event included a strong focus on quality, catalyzed by rapid technological advancements. The theme of “Super Charge” perfectly encapsulated the energy and enthusiasm that permeated the event. Industry professionals came together to face challenges head-on, leveraging technology like Chat GPT, to elevate the industry to new heights, all while ensuring robust quality assurance and gaining profound insights into human decision-making.
Here are the key themes and takeaways from the event:
Technology is a Dance
The ESOMAR Congress opened with a revitalizing and thought-provoking dance performance, setting the conference’s tone. It conveyed a narrative about the power and significance of technology, as well as the importance of human interaction. This theme echoed throughout the diverse sessions, highlighting how technology will shape our industry, offering support and augmentation to our creations as humans, but without replacing us.
Quality Assurance
The industry’s ongoing discussion centers around quality, and the initial step has been taken as experts and thought leaders in our field convened to exchange their ideas on how to effectively address and overcome significant challenges. It’s a collective responsibility, emphasizing the need for self-education.
Innovate MR’s very own Sandy Casey, SVP of Global Supply, took the stage to present on the crucial topic of Quality Assurance. A profound and open discussion was held, shedding light on the imperative actions that both clients and researchers should take to not only combat fraud but also effectively address the issue of respondent fatigue and dropouts. This candid conversation was a pivotal part of the Global Data Quality (GDQ) initiative, where multiple industry associations are forging a united front to tackle fraudulent practices collectively. Sandy’s insights served as a call to action, urging industry stakeholders to collaborate closely and implement strategies that safeguard data integrity and enhance the respondent experience, ultimately advancing the field of market research.
Chat GPT
Sandy Casey also delivered an insightful presentation on the topic of ChatGPT during the ESOMAR Congress. In her presentation, she enthusiastically asked, “With ChatGPT – Will we keep our jobs?! Yes!” She stressed the importance of leveraging this tool to our advantage. One remarkable example she shared highlighted how people are utilizing ChatGPT for sampling to enhance Interviewer Recruitment (IR). By using it as a guidance tool, they achieved impressive results: a 56 percent increase in IR, a 44 percent increase in conversion rates, a 25 percent increase in time spent in the field, and a remarkable 50 percent decrease in respondent dropouts when respondents engaged with the ChatGPT survey (which was shorter and easier to understand).
While emphasizing these benefits, Sandy also issued a word of caution about potential quality risks associated with a hasty copy-and-paste approach when using ChatGPT. She also intriguingly noted that organizations like Ipsos have developed methods to identify instances where ChatGPT-generated responses appear overly perfect and shared insights into their capacity to train the tool to simulate more “real” human interactions, ensuring a balanced blend of AI-powered efficiency and authentic engagement in research processes.
Human Decision-Making Insights
Coca-Cola’s presentation on the “Future of Experiences for Human Engagement” shed light on the crucial aspect of how brands connect with consumers and what lies at the heart of successful brand engagement. The session emphasized that experiences must meet four key needs: sensorial, physical, emotional, and meaningful. In a world where consumers are becoming increasingly impatient and demanding, it was made clear that not just any experience will suffice. Brands must strive to deliver truly exceptional experiences, as consumers are quick to seek alternatives if their expectations aren’t met.
European Space Agency (ESA) offered a captivating keynote presentation that delved into the intricacies of how people make choices in their daily lives. This deep dive into decision-making processes provided valuable insights into understanding human behavior, a topic of great relevance in various industries, including marketing and brand engagement.
About InnovateMR – InnovateMR is a full-service sampling and ResTech company that delivers faster, quality insights from business and consumer audiences utilizing cutting-edge technologies to support agile research. As industry pioneers, InnovateMR provides world-class end-to-end survey programming, targeted international sampling, qualitative and quantitative insights, and customized consultation services to support informed, data-driven strategies, and identify growth opportunities. Known for their celebrated status in customer service and results, InnovateMR combines boutique-level service with extensive global reach to achieve partner success.
