Critical Insights Interactive

Our web survey division, Critical Insights Interactive, was formed in 2001 in direct response to client demand for high quality, Internet-based data collection.

With the general growth of online research over the past several years, many organizations, vendors and sites sprung up to serve the burgeoning marketplace for web-based research. However, while many firms may be technologically capable of deploying a web-based survey, much of the research conducted by these vendors often fails to recognize the importance of conducting research in a methodologically rigorous manner.

In forming Critical Insights Interactive, we have married the requisite technological expertise with our staff’s extensive background in research design and methodology. In doing so, we have deployed Internet-based surveys ranging from simple consumer assignments to complex studies conducted within the B2B market space.

As with our call center capabilities, all functions for Critical Insights Interactive are in-house. While providing clients peace of mind, this commitment also allows us full control over the web survey process, from survey development and programming to real time data updates for clients.

Examples of Work

While we have employed the Internet as a timely and cost-effective means of data collection for a variety of clients, we have found web surveys to be a particularly effective tool to gather data from respondents who are typically difficult to reach and less responsive to more traditional methods of data collection, such as telephone- and mail-based surveys.

Following are brief capsules highlighting some recent client assignments where Critical Insights employed web surveys to collect respondent data. Please note that out of respect for the confidential nature of the work we conduct for our clients, we do not reference client-specific assignments.

• Ongoing Customer Satisfaction Measurement for a Consumer Products Company Working in collaboration with a Maine-based provider of premium, phone-based customer care services, Critical Insights conducted a year-long examination of customer satisfaction for a nationally-known brand of health products. Through a sub-site of www.cisurveys.com, Critical Insights spearheaded rolling data collection over a 52-week period, conducting weekly email invitation blasts from our desktops. Over the duration of the engagement, nearly 10,000 completed surveys were collected.

• Brand Tracking Measurement for a Financial Services Firm
  This multi-wave assignment, served to evaluate the impact of an ongoing branding campaign, crafted by a Washington, DC-based communications firm on behalf of their client, a growing investment bank. The study used a professional lead-letter approach designed to prompt participation in the study among C-level executives who typically are not receptive to research inquiries. Recipients of the letter were provided with unique log-in credentials that allowed them access to the site and also afforded us the ability to note response rates from our desktops.

• Advertising Campaign Evaluation for a Not-for-Profit Health Organization
  This assignment designed to evaluate the impact of a health promotion media and education campaign involved four waves of cross-sectional surveys of undergraduate students on four college campuses across Minnesota. To date, nearly 6,000 completed surveys have been collected from students across the four waves.

• Internal Perception Study for a Community Bank
  As part of a brand re-positioning effort for a leading community bank in Maine, Critical Insights deployed a web-based survey with all of the bank’s staffers as part of a 360º brand audit. Feedback from its own employees provided the bank with keen insights into key leverage points, as well as areas of potential weakness and dimensions where internal perceptions were not in alignment with external, consumer perceptions. We were able to manage the entire process, including reminder emails, from our desktops, leading to a 90% rate of response.

• Organizational Perception Study for a Not-for-Profit Foundation
  Working with our client’s database of high-level constituents in the fields of education and public policy, respectively, Critical Insights deployed a turnkey web-based survey to gauge perceptions of the client organization. Using a lead-letter, followed by several waves of invitation email blasts, a response rate of over 50% was achieved among key groups, many of which tend to be unresponsive to most research solicitations.

• Satisfaction & Perception Study for a High Tech Company
  This assignment involved a web-based survey conducted statewide in Maine with key constituent groups (teachers, school technology coordinators and administrative personnel) working closely with the state’s unique middle school laptop computer program. The web-based deployment allowed us to easily collect data from individuals who are typically difficult to reach through traditional means.