Surveys and interviews are the two pillars on which market research is based, as both provide value-added information about consumers, although with different approaches and depths.
The SURVEYS offer a very broad overview of our target audiences, which allows us to collect quantifiable data from a more than considerable sample of this group and, given the structure of its methodology -based on specific questions-, it is possible to collect quantitative information and compare responses, analyze trends and identify behavioral patterns.
Among its advantages we could count quantification (data and figures easy to compute), efficiency (fast data collection simultaneously), level of reach (many people in a short period of time) and, finally, generalization (the ease of understanding trends and patterns in a broad way).
However, surveys also have certain limitations, because although they are capable of collecting large volumes of information, they do not record many nuances, and the answers obtained may be influenced by the formulation of questions and the selection and universe of the samples.
For their part, INTERVIEWS make it possible to go further in gaining in-depth knowledge of consumers’ individuality, and to understand the motivations and emotions behind their responses. This makes it possible to understand the opinions expressed in context, to adapt the results to different lines of inquiry and, finally, to perceive nuances that other consultation formulas are not capable of perceiving.
Although it is true that, depending on the object of the research, greater use is made of one than the other, both are perfectly complementary. FOCUS Marketing Research South West Europe’s extensive experience in market research allows us to affirm that the right choice depends on the objectives pursued by the organizations at any given time, depending on whether the aim is to obtain a general overview or to gain a complete and detailed understanding of the target audience.
Surveys and interviews are indispensable tools for market research; the secret is to use them in a strategic and complementary way.
