Posted by Vaughn Mordecai on Thu, Apr 01, 2010 @ 02:00 PM
Sometimes there's nothing better than hanging with the locals. They know all the right places, they know what to avoid, they can give you tips...the "insiders" view, and they know how to make your visit great. Every time I travel I try to get some "taste" of the local scene as much as a two day conference or client visit will allow. Many times this becomes a simple search for a truly local restaurant...a quest, as it were, for the tastes of the region.
I have a confession to make and I'll confess it right here...
"Hello, my name is Vaughn M. and I'm a food addict. I have NOT been clean of my food addiction EVER. And, in fact, I actually binged last night (no purging)." "Hello Vaughn M!"
The Food Network on television is one of the best inventions known to man (or woman), specifically the Iron Chef. For having such a girlish figure, I can eat like a horse. Though I love to watch the chefs on the food channel create artistic dishes, and like the idea of eating them, my real love is the cheap stuff. In my book, comfort food doesn't come from seven different foo-foo courses consisting of variations of Caviar, Basil, Hawaiian Moi, Lamb, Red Peppers, and Bacon but the "hard" stuff that kicks trash on your stomach and makes you feel like a stuffed turkey (...mmm...stuffed turkey). You just got to love it.
My food addiction has been both a pleasure and a curse at different travel points in my life. Here are a couple of memorable food examples for me:
- I was recently in New York, NY with my family. We were there for about a week hanging out and finding things to do. One of the most memora
ble parts of this visit was the time we took to sit down and eat a slice (of pizza) and dessert at the local shops and delis. Some of these shops and delis are horrible, some of them are heaven on earth...the best in the world. The hunt for the good ones was all part of our New York experience. - Cincinnati, OH has a very unique concept on what is considered good food...their chili. Have you ever been to Skyline Chili? Whoever imagined semi-bland chili on Spaghetti noodles...it actually kind of works. The locals seem to love it. Though the experience was memorable, the concept unique, and the "restaurant" was packed, this isn't a craving I get with any kind of regularity. The dogs were good. Their "3-way chili" must have a back-story. I think I'll ask about it next time. I will return.
- One of the most memorable eating experiences I've had while traveling was a visit to Austin, TX for a conference. A good friend and excellent market researcher (thanks MP) lined up a dinner for a group of us to a BBQ joint called The Salt Lick located about a half an hour outside of Austin in Driftwood, TX. I love BBQ, one of my favorites, and this restaurant didn't disappoint. We had a blast as we sat at a picnic table, ate family style, had great conversation, and pigged out. This was an awesome dining experience, shared with friends and colleagues in our industry, that I'll remember for the rest of my life...(you're coming to understand the true extent of my addiction).
- Some of you know that I took a trip to India a few years back. I spent about a week there traveling to different cities, staying in different hotels, visiting local businesses, and seeing local sites. After about five days of being in country, some associates and I decided to truly "go local" with a meal and visited a local Indian restaurant. The food and environment was wonderful. We sat and chatted with some locals, watched a Bollywood movie, and ate as much Indian food as we could stomach. The after effects of this experience, however, nearly destroyed me from the inside out. Up until that point, I thought I could eat just about anything. I've never been more food poisoned in my life. We ate Chinese food from hotel restaurants for the remainder of the trip and I haven't eaten Indian food since. Sometimes there's such a thing as "too local".
"Thank you for telling us your story of food addiction Vaughn M." What's the point? How does this apply to market research?
In a condensing world market (world is getting smaller - not flatter), and an increasingly competitive market research business landscape that seems to be losing its borders more and more because of new developments in technology, is there still room for regional tastes and local experts conducting local market research successfully? And, is there a strong benefit to using them in some cases?
I'd say yes. I believe that the globalization and specialization of interests we've experienced as a result of new technological advances like high bandwidth enabled streaming, social media exchange based on segmented topics, and cloud computing...providing the gateway to pulling all information sources together, has produced more of a benefit and a positive impact on these companies than you'd guess. If a company in the Ukraine wants to do a study in Laramie, WY it's now much easier for them to do it seamlessly and increases the probability that they can use the services of a local expert, rather than making a feeble attempt to conduct this research from the Ukraine themselves.
- I have a number of friends and business associates who have made their entire careers out of conducting market research in different cities in Texas. They are adept in technology, they understand their market and current market research trends and methods, and they've adapted their businesses to meet client evolution. These ladies really know their stuff (Shout out to the SWMRA gals in the Lone Star State).
- Salt Lake is another example. We Salt Lakers are a strange lot (not in a bad way). The further you get away from Utah and Idaho, the more misconception abounds about what Utah is or isn't about. The state has been built on very specific religious and cultural mores, conservative ideologies, and operational "norms". I'd venture a guess that even our "Liberals" would be considered semi-conservative in most other areas of the country. Because Utah is not very representative of the rest of the US, few people seem to care about what we think, but if you do...your research calls for it, does it make sense to use a local company?
For my
organization, most of our market research business has been aimed outside of the state of Utah (US). Over the course of the last couple of years we have turned some of our attention inside the state as well. When does it make sense to use a local provider for your market research (both US or Internationally)?
- Consider a local vendor when you are researching specialized local issues or products or when doing research for a local business targeting local respondents. Utah has a wide variety of products aimed at Utahans, or aimed at Mormons. We are the single largest consumers of Jello. We have many locally aimed products that can't be found with any frequency outside of the west. Local companies are best at dealing with these types of issues and products.
- Consider a local vendor when cultural concerns are prevalent to the subject matter. Have you ever done research in Hawaii? It's an interesting process doing telephone surveys with respondents in Hawaii. Many of the locals can pinpoint a "mainlander" within their first sentence. If you are dealing with issues that are of strong interest to the Hawaiians or other strong culturally driven locations, consider using locals to conduct this research.
- When you are bidding on research for local government, quasi-government organizations like utility companies, or universities, consider using a local vendor. Your project win-rates will improve as the organizations view local involvement as supportive of their community rather than "big business".
Are there other instances that make sense to use the market research services of the locals? For those of you who run local based businesses...here's your chance...please chime in!
Do you have food-based memories or am I just crazy?
Posted by Vaughn Mordecai on Thu, Dec 03, 2009 @ 06:00 PM
As brutal as this sounds, I'm a firm believer in the business mantra "Adapt or Die". Charles Darwin's statement "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change" gives me great hope.
Those of you who know me, probably have a sneaking suspicion that I am not the strongest, fastest, smartest guy around...I can certainly hold my own, but I haven't evolved (or been evolved on) into the "Six Million Dollar Man". "Steve Austin astronaut. A man barely alive. Gentlemen we can rebuild him...
We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better stronger faster." (What was that sound he made when he ran ..ck ..ck ..ck ..ck ..ck ..ck ..ck? And what's with the Sasquatch in the picture? Apparently he had a difficult time adapting. I haven't seen him walking the streets of Salt Lake).
As a manager, I work very hard to adapt to changes in the business world. As a market research group, our company is fascinated with market research technology, business and technology evolution, and obsessive in our attempts to stay on top of changes to the market research industry...As well we should be.
This important business principle was re-emphasized to me on a recent drive home. I'm an avid listener of a local "alternative" radio station. I've been listening to it for a number of years. They pride themselves as being a little edgy...not goth or emo edgy...but "I've got a 9 to 5 job but haven't sold out to 'THE MAN' edgy." After Thanksgiving, this radio station added Holiday music to their lineup. It is absolutely surreal to listen to. Every fifteen minutes you'll hear a song like "Jingle Bells" by the Barenaked Ladies followed by Muse's "Uprising" or the "Little Drummer Boy" by Bing Crosby followed by "Panic" by The Smiths. One of their recent radio spots pointed out that during the Holiday season, they lose all of their listeners to two local stations that play all Holiday music all the time. I'll be interested to know if this stations adaptation to their play-list is repeated next year. I don't recall any holiday music on the station in previous years (unless you count the Chanukah Song & the Chanukah Song Part II & the Chanukah Song Part III all by Adam Sandler).
As strange as it is, this radio station has learned something that as business people and managers of market research projects and market research groups, we should all remember...Don't work yourself out of business by not responding to evolving expectation and need. As an industry, we seem to be at an evolutionary stage in the market research process
(evolutionary...not revolutionary). Much as the Jackalope evolved in nature, it's important that each of us keep up and evolve by adapting to changes in our environment.
So, how do we adapt? Here are a few suggestions.
- Know and understand what is evolving. Do you monitor changes in the market research industry? Do you monitor technology evolution? Do you connect the dots between the evolution of technology and how it COULD effect market research? If your answer here is that "I don't have enough time for that..." My answer to you is that you don't have enough time to NOT look around you and figure out what is changing. If you don't take this step your time is limited.
- Have an evolutionary plan and know what makes you different. Adapting and evolving does not require a revolutionary change to your core businesses or services. It requires that you think out of the box for ways to expand what you are an expert in. Know what makes you different, expand your expertise and plan to move from point A to point B.
- Implement the plan. It's fine to plan on things. Without action, planning is inadequate. Do you find that you are constantly saying, "we have a plan for that?" Has your "plan for that" gone on for years, with limited or no progress? Have a plan of action that is timeline based. If you don't meet the timeline, know why and know how to fix it.
- Adopt the change. There is a difference between adapting and adopting. Companies miss opportunities because their staff are unwilling or unable to adopt the adaptation that's been implemented. Many of the best implementations fall short right at the end. Robert Burns said, "The best plans of men and mice often go awry". I believe they often go awry because they aren't adopted after they are adapted.
So here are the questions I wonder about...but nobody ever answers.
- Do you know the back-story behind the Sasquatch in the Six Million Dollar Man?
- Have you ever seen a Jackalope?
- Do you have other suggestions for implementing evolutionary change?
Happy Holidays everyone! Best of luck evolving and adapting in the new year!
Posted by Vaughn Mordecai on Wed, Nov 11, 2009 @ 04:30 PM
At a recent Market Research Industry event, I had a very surreal experience that drove me to the conclusion that I needed to clarify something. I have a good friend in market research who I've only know for a couple of years. In a recent conversation with her, I found out that when she met me...she bought in to every myth about Utah market research companies ever generated. I was shocked and surprised, but found it very amusing. You may have other myths about Utah market research companies, but here are mine:
1. When the Florida Gator's coach Urban Meyer was at the University of Utah, he had a strong rival, located south of Salt Lake...BYU. For the duration of his coaching career in Utah, he called BYU "The team down south". He would never say their names in a press conference or when he was in public. I'm not exactly sure what he was trying to accomplish, however, this reminds me of the first myth. The "company down south" is not the only Utah market research company and their business actions, philosophy, and approach are NOT characteristic of all Utah market research companies. There are some good strong local options.
2. Utah is known for a
number of things...Mormons for one. It has the "greatest snow on earth" and wonderful skiing and snowboarding all over the state. It has beautiful national parks...such as Zions and Arches National Parks. Culture abounds in the the Sundance Film Festival. And, among other things, it has Polygamists. For the record...Utah market research companies are not infiltrated, owned, operated, staffed, entirely by polygamist households with a "built in" labor base. Utah telemarketing may "encourage" polygamists to work for them (ha), but that is NOT the case with the Utah market research companies I am familiar with. Though I know a few polygamists (who are very nice...incidentally), they do not work in the market research industry, let alone own and operate Utah market research companies.
3. Stereotypes and misconceptions abound regarding Utah market research companies. Just like there are differences in market research companies outside of Utah, there are differences in market research companies located within Utah. Not all Utah market research companies are created from the same mold. Recently, a local competitor got into some trouble regarding their hiring and management practices regarding underage employees. Since then, and on more than one occasion, I've been asked if Discovery Research Group hires underaged employees for our market research interviewing. WE DO NOT! For the record...largely, Utah market research companies do NOT hire underage interviewers. And, I'm sure that the local competitor(s) that did, have stopped...or will stop very soon.
4. I've heard many conversations regarding the availability of caffeine and alcohol in Utah (or lack of). The myth is that you cannot get a drink at a business dinner or a coffee in the morning to start your day without an extreme amount of pain involved. Part of this was true, but is not true any longer...and the other part depends. For those familiar with the alcohol consumption laws in Utah and/or have tried to buy a drink, you know that in years past, you had to buy a "membership" to a restaurant or bar to get a beer...it was all very laughable...but has changed. You can now get a drink at your business dinner, without a ruckus...no applications or credit checks...no background checks or fingerprinting...just a beer. Whether you can get a coffee or not depends on your proximity to the local Starbucks (I have one near my house), or the ability, expertise, or know-how of the Utah market research company to actually brew you a pot.
So, here are some questions I wonder about...
1. Have you heard these myths?
2. Are there other myths or stereotypes about Utah market research companies?
3. Did you believe them when you heard them? Do you still believe them now?
4. Have you actually experienced anything like this when working with a Utah market research company?