To all our clients, partners, and prospective clients:
The current COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak has had a demonstrable impact on the business community in the US and abroad. Primary marketing research—the core of what Study Hall Research does—is certainly no exception. We felt it was important for us to communicate with our clients, partners and prospective clients to inform and educate you regarding our efforts to provide not only the most comprehensive qualitative and quantitative data collection and research services, but also the safest.
Please be reassured: It is possible to continue marketing research activities during this time period.
But the safety of our clients, research participants and staff will remain a top priority for us. Therefore, it is important for you to know the following:
1. Study Hall Research offers an entire suite of digital and/or remote qualitative and hybrid research solutions.
As a possible alternative to qualitative research, we encourage you to ask about any or all of our digital and remote qualitative research solutions. These solutions generate the same depth and breadth of primary research insights, while meeting logistical or recruitment challenges, achieving cost-efficient and time-effective solutions, and allowing participants to engage with us via remote applications. Study Hall offers the following digital research options:
- Online surveys via our QuickStudy® online survey platform. For any survey needs from large to small, from the simplest to the most complex survey questions and topics. As a full-service research consultancy, we can combine our strengths in panel, data collection methodologies, technology systems and platforms for research, plus significant digital quantitative survey experience.
- Digital Depth Interviews® (DDI). Combine all the convenience of an online method with the reassurance gained from experiencing the visual and audio signals of a participant as they interact with the Moderator or interviewer. Webcam and streaming technology provide a truly qualitative environment, even in the most remote regions of the world, when travel is not an option. We use only the most secure and current technologies to ensure quality and clarity of the streaming.
- Digital Dialogue®. Digital Dialogue® is our proprietary online community research that uses a synchronous and/or asynchronous bulletin board approach to topics. Digital Dialogues® are highly involved discussions that unfold over extended time frames (typically 3-4-5 days for a set timeframe per day). Participants share their thoughts with great clarity and depth on Digital Dialogue® boards, and have the capacity to upload or download visuals, images, creative exercises and more. They log in at their convenience resulting in more time spent on the research and rich insights that go deeper than the average focus group. Because Digital Dialogue® is online, it allows clients to: overcome time zone limitations; extend a study’s geographic reach to larger respondent groups; generate more in-depth transcripts for greater insight; see respondents’ bulletin board diaries and other creative uploads or inputs; and create and modify content ‘on the fly’ for each day of discussion—based on prior discussion days, topics, etc.; and break larger Digital Dialogue® communities into smaller sub-groups for individual or small group follow-ups, ‘off-ramp’ conversations, and more. The end result for you? Very deep and broad comments and insights, offering a comprehensive, multi-dimensional level of understanding.
- Online focus groups. Gain a fast top-level reaction to concepts and media from geographically dispersed respondents. We use the same range of focus group moderation techniques via a visual webcam platform to elicit direct, honest feedback—thus helping you to quickly get to the heart of any issue. We can book, recruit and run your groups in the same short timeframe (or less) that we use for traditional in-person groups. Online focus groups let us respond quickly to your needs.
- Mobile Qualitative. Study Hall’s mobile qualitative research platform allows moderators, observers and participants to engage in research from tablets or smartphones. Mobile applications fully integrate into our online platforms to maintain the same tracking, reporting and analysis tools we use on Digital Dialogue, online community and other research methods. This allows us to take research into the field regardless of respondents preferred access methods.
- Video Diaries. An innovative technology that is well-suited for ethnographic or other similar research. The video diary approach generally yields strong visual insights along with respondent feedback that comes with no outside influences. This method is highly personal, highly mobile, and highly engaging for the respondent.
2. If in-person research is needed, we are following both CDC and our own additional internal rules and guidelines.
Any qualitative research facility we use must…
- Be in compliance with the CDC’s recommendations and guidelines for preventing the spread of viruses, including the coronavirus, and for overall site sanitization. In this unpredictable environment, high traffic areas must be proven to receive attention multiple times throughout the day.
- Provide Study Hall Research with advance proof of their cleaning regimen on highly trafficked surfaces throughout their facilities, using medical-grade cleaning solutions approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for their effectiveness in killing the coronavirus.
- And be of sufficient size to allow a minimum of 5-6 feet between any research participants for appropriate safety and social distancing.
- Any research participants are being required to submit to temperature checks and other health screenings prior to research participation.
- And we will mandate participants to stay home if they are feeling even remotely sick.
- Prior to any groups, all participants are being required to wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and water and use hand sanitizer when entering the research interview site.
- We are suspending—for the foreseeable future—any in-person field interview research (e.g. in-home interviews, shopalongs, dinealongs) where we have less control over sanitization variables.
3. We will continue to monitor the situation and the CDC guidelines, and will adapt our responses accordingly.
Our long history of research in the healthcare and medical sectors means we have numerous highly-respected clients in these fields. These include hospital executives, physicians, public health experts, managed care providers, and others.
Study Hall Research is—and will continue to be—in regular contact with these industry experts about how to adapt our research solutions and activities to fit within current and evolving health guidelines.
But it is critical for you to know that it is possible to continue marketing research and data collection activity during this challenging time. And Study Hall Research will continue to provide the same high levels of strategic counsel, data analysis and interpretation, and results-oriented business guidance to all our clients, regardless of research method.
Therefore, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us to discuss how to continue with your marketing research initiatives even in the face of COVID-19. We can be reached at 813.849.4255 x202 or x203.
We send this update with sincere wishes for your safety and continued health, and with our confidence that the nation will move with unity to address the situation using all available resources.
Best regards,
Rob Iles
Partner – Managing Director
Rodney Kayton
Managing Partner