A well-planed and developed Customer Focus Group can achieve valuable insight into both products and customer service. These insights can then go on to form part of a business improvement strategy that will enable your management team to make improvements to the business based on real customer feedback.
Qualitative Research
This qualitative type of research is normally designed to explore predetermined topics to get opinions and perceptions via a group discussion that is centred around an experienced moderator.
Benefits of Focus Groups
The benefits of holding customer focus groups, if planned correctly, can be invaluable. The feedback gained can produce initiatives that should change the course of a business for the better.
Insight for Managers
Managers are consumed with their daily job of managing the business. Sometimes managers are so involved and immersed, they don’t have the time to stand back and see what could be the obvious changes that need to be made for the business to improve. A customer focus group will provide, sometimes the obvious, opinions and ideas that will enable you to make positive changes.
How do Focus Groups work?
Customer panels are typically made of around ten participants and last around 90 minutes. The number of focus groups required depends on the scope of the research. The profiles of customers involved is important in the planning stage to be able to analysis the feedback based on different customer demographics. On occasions, and if practical, a questionnaire is sent to possible participants to ensure the correct mix is selected that represent the target audience to get the best possible results.
Time allocated for the focus group planning is an important part of the process and will, if planned correctly, be pivotal to its success. The moderator will meet with the stakeholders to discuss and explore the topics that will need to be agreed upon, these topics will form the discussion guides for each panel. This will enable the customer forums to have an objective, stay on track, and provide the information required around the chosen subjects.
Most companies that complete this type of research initiative tend to talk about Customer Focus Groups, but sometimes we forget to consider staff focus groups. When designing and planning focus groups, My View Research strongly recommend that staff focus groups should be considered. These can form an invaluable part of the process. When taking the staff’s feedback, alongside the customer’s feedback, this can create an excellent platform for change.
Focus groups and customer panels can be carried out in a group face-2-face environment, or online using virtual customer panels.
Talk to My View Research to find out the best method for you to gather customer and staff feedback.
My View Research specialises in customer research initiatives including mystery shopping, customer surveys, customer panels and social media reputation management.
