The proverb “no pain, no gain” sums up the challenge of transitioning a tracking study to a new research partner. While concerns about data quality, logistical hurdles, or disrupting long-standing metrics can cause hesitation, the change often results in a more actionable, future-ready program that’s better aligned with evolving business needs. 

This article outlines the common challenges of transitioning tracking studies, offers practical solutions, and highlights the long-term benefits for brands, marketers, and insights teams.

Barriers to Transitioning

Changing a tracking study can be both practically and emotionally challenging:

Practical Challenges
On a practical level, switching suppliers involves time and effort from both you and suppliers. Even if the long-term savings are clear, the initial investment in redesigning and testing new processes can be significant. Methodological shifts like changes to sample sources, recruitment, incentives, or survey platforms can affect results, making it hard to tell whether differences reflect real changes in audience behaviour or are simply due to the changes made to the survey instrument, sample used, and/or overall study design. These potential changes can disrupt longstanding trends, often leading to resistance to change.

Emotional Resistance
A familiar tracker can feel safe, even when its relevance or accuracy is in question. It may seem reliable, but if your business or the market has evolved, sticking with outdated methods can limit progress. There’s also fear of what change might reveal—shifting suppliers can strain relationships and force teams to confront tough questions, like whether key metrics were reliable. These conversations aren’t easy, especially when past results shaped major decisions. Still, change offers a chance to reset, improve, and build a study that better fits the present and prepares for the future.

Knowing When to Transition

Here are key questions to help you assess whether your current tracker still meets your needs, along with tips for answering them confidently:

Is the tracker underutilised? If few people use the data or trust the insights, it may be time to reassess. Workshops or surveys with stakeholders can reveal what’s useful, what’s not, and what’s missing.

Is it delivering the right insights? If the tracker can’t answer key business questions or feels disconnected from strategic goals, it may no longer be fit for purpose. Also consider ROI—are you getting value from the investment?

Is the survey experience effective? Over time, trackers can become bloated, leading to long, tedious surveys. If the survey isn’t engaging or mobile-friendly, data quality suffers. Metrics like length of interview and dropout rates can signal when it’s time for a redesign.

Is sample quality consistent? Poor sample quality undermines trust in the data. Evaluate not just the results, but how they’re collected. An audit can uncover issues like inconsistent sourcing or shifts in audience composition.

Is the tracker keeping up with change? As technology and consumer behaviour evolve, so should your tracker. A transition is a chance to refresh content, update methods, and modernise the respondent experience.

Key Considerations Before Transitioning

Think of transitioning like moving homes—you must decide what to keep and what to leave behind. Focus on:

Sample Composition: Variability in panels, recruitment methods, or supplier mixes can skew results in ways that don’t reflect actual changes in the market. That’s why source transparency matters. You need to clearly understand where your sample is coming from to trust the data.

High-quality panels like LifePoints help support consistency over time. Careful sourcing, blending, and quality checks also ensure reliable sample that can scale as your needs evolve.

Survey Design: A well-crafted, mobile-friendly survey improves engagement and data quality. Use clear language and consider enhancements like visuals or gamification, while balancing the need for trendability.

Results: Effective dashboards help you quickly interpret results and drill down by demographics, brand, geography, etc. These tools that quantify data into easily digestible visuals are vital for turning data into action.

Maintaining Consistency During Migration

If you’re not starting fresh, your transition should include a plan to bridge results between suppliers. This helps preserve trendability and ensures the new data is accepted and understood. Bridging involves aligning definitions, metrics, and sample frames to match the old and new studies as closely as possible, while also identifying changes introduced by the transition. If feasible, running parallel studies with both the current and new suppliers is a helpful practice as it allows you to compare consistent elements, preview improvements, and understand how, and to what extent, the supplier change may affect your data.

Conclusion

Even the best trackers can become outdated. Rather than letting a stagnant study continue, consider whether revitalising with your current provider or transitioning to a new one is the better path forward. With the right partner, you can maintain your trends while enhancing your study’s value and relevance.

Download the full guide here to discover the pivotal role of tracking in today’s dynamic marketplace.