Viewing facilities have come a long way.  Buyers and Vendors discuss the state of the market

Viewing facilities have come a long way.  Two decades ago, the majority of groups were held in living rooms, often those of the recruiters, whereas today most are far more sophisticated, taking place in smart studios with the latest recording technology and comfortable client observation facilities.

"The industry has changed massively in recent years," says Sue Maldonado, marketing director of The Research House in London.  First, there has been huge ongoing technical development.  "In the past, VHS playback and an OHP were standard requests on top of VHS and audio recording, but now clients regularly book video conferencing , web streaming, conference calls, DVD recording, digital recording and simultaneous interpretation," she explains.

Second, Maldonado says international clients are now looking for a one-stop shop for their groups.  "They expect one point of contact and like to be able to depend on a level of quality and service that can be trusted wherever they go in the world," she observes.  "Facilities that have global connections remove the risk and the research time involved in project management.  They also have a better understanding of cultural business differences."

Third, viewing facilities have definitely become more professional in approach.  "Both clients and researchers expect a far greater standard of service now, covering every aspect from recording, hosting and appearance, down to invoicing and dealing with people on the phone," says Stephen Essex, director of Invision Studios in Leeds.

The researchers' view

But have viewing facilities really moved on that much?  Their quality can vary enormously.  Ask some qualitative researchers and you may be forgiven for thinking that not a great deal has actually changed.

For Julia Horlow, head of qualitative research at Leeds MB consultancy McCallum Layton, had facilities often come across as having a blasé attitude.  "Some of them feel they are so successful, they throw you into the room, the pencils need sharpening, the table is dirty - they just don't put the same degree of care and attention into it that the others do," she protests.

Sometimes the rooms provided by viewing facilities are very small.  "They feel overcrowded, especially if you have to show products, or put them on shelves.  I feel hemmed in by all the products, flip charts, boards and other paraphernalia," says Sue Drake, and independent qualitative researcher and moderator.  Drake also feels that viewing facilities are highly expensive - between £500 and £600 per evening for two standard groups of eight respondents.  "Add on the cost of recruitment and incentives and research is an expensive business," she says.

Position play

To many researchers and clients, convenience and location, not cost, are the key factors driving their choice.  Clients generally want viewing facilities close to their offices or near airports and even the humble researcher may have a say in this, too, as they try to fit an evening group session into their busy schedule, while locating facilities near to good recruiters.  Most viewing facilities are therefore located in central London, or other large cities, because that's where the bulk of the buying power is to be found.

Modern facilities have much to recommend them.  "It's no good pretending the setting is like normal life, especially for so-called 'housewives'.  These days that's nonsense, as most people work and are perfectly comfortable in a businesslike environments," says Peter Dunn, director of London qualitative research company The Nursery.

The people who run them is what makes the good viewing facilities stand out from the bad, according to Lucy Peile, research director at rdsi.  "You can get amazingly helpful people who will do anything for you and rush around if you have forgotten anything.  Nothing is too much trouble and they can really help you if you are feeling stressed," she enthuses.  "That's the kind of experience that makes you want to use them again."

Although the technology used in  viewing facilities has changed dramatically in recent years, this is not of primary concern to the users, who just want the session recorded properly with no hiccups and are not too bothered about how it is done.

Facilities have recently become much more attuned to the moderator's needs as well as looking after those of clients and respondents.  "Some facilities go out of their way to make the moderator feel a key part of the jigsaw and make you feel relaxed and ready to work," comments Horlow.

"From my point of view, you quite often arrive at the studio at the last minute, with loads to do.  You are hungry, you've had no time for lunch and the last thing you need to worry about it if the others are happy," Horlow explains.

Despite the beefs, researcher generally agree that viewing facilities have made great strides in the last few years.  As Peile says; "Their quality of service has improved immensely and has become far more professional."

But according to Horlow, some of the studios that have been in business for a while don't realise how much their competitors are leaping ahead of them.  "We are at liberty to choose from many viewing facilities.  The ones that recognise that they've got to offer something a bit more special are the ones that do well.  Even the client food is important in the choice.  It is the gloss and the trimmings that make the difference."

The vendors' view

Running a viewing facility is, above all, a service industry.  "We are here to supply a service.  Whatever the client wants, the client gets," says Geoff Malvisi, owner of Chat-Room Studios in RIchmond, Surrey.

Speaking in her role as director of Field Initiatives, Liz Sykes hits the nail on the head when she describes operating a viewing facility as on a part with running a hotel.  "It's a service-driven business with anti-social hours - most of the work is in the evenings - and there is a huge importance placed on refreshments for clients.  If not for respondents," she points out.  "Some clients watch an awful lot of research and food and comfort are key to the experience, especially as there is less client entertaining these days."

Essex admits he sometimes finds the logistics of running a viewing facility challenging and frustrating.  "You have to be very good at organising.  People don't understand how difficult it is to set up a top facility, providing the latest technologies, making sure there are no problems and that backup facilities are in place," argues Essex.  "There is a lot of work involved that people don't actually see or appreciate."

The service game

Giving clients the service they want is a constant challenge for Virginia Palmer, manager of The View in Room, a facility run by her and her husband in their own home.   "We run round clients all the time.  It is difficulty, as everyone has their own needs and ideas on the type of food and drink, and the time they want to each, for example."

Not turning up at the appointed time is a frustration reported by many suppliers.  "Sometimes clients arrive hours before their booking to hold a meeting and can be affronted if you are not ready for them," remarks Sykes.  "You just have to accept that people change their minds all the time.  It's a service industry, so you cater for them."  Even worse is when clients stay chatting after the group has ended - sometimes until midnight.  "It is quite difficult and you have to be very diplomatic," says Sykes.

According to Malvisi, running a viewing facility is quite straightforward, as long as you are prepared.  "You must have all the back up you need in terms of secretarial support for clients, as inevitably they forget things in the rush.  We supply anything from labels to go on name badges, photocopying facilities and last minute printing of PowerPoint slides, to making internet access available via PC's so they can check their email."

Tales from the darkside

The harassed researcher is another animal to be dealt with.  "Quite often researchers can be stressed, as they will already have done a full day's work and they are now coming out to do evening research, with their clients sitting behind the one-way mirror breathing down their necks," says Malvisi.  "It's a case of making sure they have the full level of support they need to maximise the potential of the research they are doing."

One of Palmer's bugbears is clients saying that four of them will be attending and 12 turning up.  "This happens quite often," she says.  "Or you could cook for five or six and only one person turns up.  It's inconvenient more than anything else."

And even the best technology can let you down at times.  Says Gloria Goh, manager of Field Facts Worldwide in London.  "When the equipment fails there is nothing much you can do except have a back-up solution.  We always do that, bit it is the most annoying thing that I don't like to happen."

Carol Ann Hannon, manager of 2CV Viewing Covent Garden sometimes gets annoyed when respondents turn up late or clients arrive at a different time to the schedules one.  But technological failure isn't a problem.  "Years ago the tape used to run out, but now everything is digital with lots of safety nets so it seems to manage itself well." she says.

And what of client demands?  How do suppliers deal with those?  "We get outlandish demands all the time, but we cater for them rather than turn the clients down." says Essex.

Malvisi finds that some clients are very demanding, whereas others like to help themselves.  "All human nature is there, but we've never failed to meet any request that has come our way," he says.  "One client demanded a particular type and colour of flip chart pen so we nipped to the local Ryman's."

Moderators quite often demand on arrival that the furniture layout be changed from lounge to boardroom or vice versa, says Malvisi.  "We need a fuller discussion at the time to make sure which layout everyone actually wants," he comments.

But there are many pluses.  Meeting international clients regularly is one of the bonuses of the job for Goh.  "You get to know what different nationalities require and what they are like.  For example, if an American says they will turn up at 10am they will often turn up three hours early.  But I know what the clients want before they ask me." 
As long as clients tell her beforehand and she can prepare herself, Goh is happy to accede to clients' detailed requests.  And demands can have fun outcomes.  As an example, a workshop held at Palmer's facility happened to fall on Chinese New Year and some of the clients were Chinese, so Chinese food was requested.  "It turned into a party in the garden," she says.  Viewing facilities provide a much needed resource for clients to become genuinely involved in the research they pay for in real time.  Many come and go and to stay in business and be successful, they must move with the times in terms of technology and stay ahead of the game in terms of the level of service offered to clients.

Above all, the people who run the facilities need a positive attitude to providing whatever their clients demand.  As Liz Sykes says; "There is a solution to every problem, whatever happens."  This is the kind of attitude the successful facility must adopt.

Summary of recent changes in the industry

Technology - DVD recording, webstreaming with usability testing etc
Expanded global connections;
Recruitment increasingly likely to be handled by the viewing facility;
More professionalism;
Higher standards of service:
New offerings, such as air conditioning and breakout rooms for clients;
Increased business orientation;
More opportunity to offer lucrative state-of-the-art services;
Increased specialisation.

 

Liz Sykes is managing director of Field Initiatives, chairperson of the VFA and a committee member of the AQR.

Research, March 2006, In Focus