New Product/Service Perceptions

Situation:
A global transportation corporation wanted to confirm the perceived need for a new service among its core customer base.  In addition to better understanding the market need for the new service, the Corporation desired information on shipper behavior relative to annual expenditures, preferred delivery times, and daily inbound/outbound package volume.  Key motivators impacting the customer’s choice of vendor, as well as use of the new service at the expense of one of its sister company’s most profitable products, were equally important issues to evaluate.   

Solution:
Campos Inc. recommended ten focus groups in five of the corporation’s key markets and partnered with the Corporation to carefully screen qualified candidates based on relevant criteria.  By structuring a discussion outline that incorporated thoughtful questions and group exercises to guide customer feedback and perceptions, Campos ensured that the Corporation’s key objectives were met and its most critical questions were resolved.  Campos also facilitated all sessions and provided the final written report and recommendations that guided the corporation’s short- and long-term strategies. 

Use of stimulus materials during the focus group sessions—such as a short survey—further expanded the Corporation’s knowledge of customer shipping behaviors and aided the facilitator’s ability to probe more deeply into areas that were relevant and important to these stakeholders. 

Results:
The Corporation gained significant insight into customer perceptions regarding its new service offering, as well as an increased understanding of key factors that impact its overall image and business model.  Customer reactions to the Corporation’s name awareness, brand promise, competitive differentiation, and value proposition were uncovered.  The potential cannibalization of its sister company’s existing product offering was also confirmed. 

Although the qualitative research identified a general lack of interest in this service at the associated premium price, it did identify targeted instances where the new offering was perceived to be valuable, desirable, and cost effective.    Moreover, focus group participants provided indispensable insight about acceptable pricing strategies for the service in these instances. 

As a result of the depth of information gathered in Campos’ qualitative research process, the Corporation gained the initial intelligence needed to: make smarter business decisions regarding the perceived market demand for the new service; structure appropriate price points that directly correlate to enhanced value; and craft compelling key messages that address initial customer concerns associated with delivery times, higher premiums, and network reliability.  Enhanced understanding of the Corporation’s perceived image—in comparison to its primary competition—was ultimately used to guide future strategies and planning in marketing, communications, strategic planning, and employee and contractor relations.


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