Agencies to feel ‘pinch' from DIY survey software

US-- An expected boom in the uptake of do-it-yourself survey tools within corporations could leave research agencies feeling the pinch, according to Forrester's predictions for the year ahead.

Brad Bortner, an analyst with the IT market research agency, says the growing sophistication of off-the-shelf survey software and the decline in price are enabling companies to run small surveys “for hundreds, not tens of thousands, of dollars”.

A survey conducted by Forrester in the third quarter 2007 found 43% of North American and European enterprises planning to invest or consider an investment in survey tools over the next 12 months, and Bortner expects that use of these tools will “fan out” beyond the MR team, into sales, marketing, product management and HR departments.

Add to this the buzz about online communities. Bortner predicts the industry will see at least one-quarter of the Fortune 100 investing in their own panels this year, where they can learn about and create higher levels of engagement with their own customers.

“Market researchers are telling Forrester that the use of online panels and sophisticated tool sets are making them reconsider outsourcing the fielding of surveys,” writes Bortner. “While we don't expect outsourcing to change dramatically in 2008, any trend to move in-house will serve to keep a lid on primary research vendors' pricing power.”

Author: Brian Tarran