Quantitative Research

Why quantitative research?

Seek quantitative research when you need to quantify your problem by collecting data from relatively large sample and, in particular, if the findings need to be statistically representative of the population and statistically significant when comparing data (noting that not all quantitative research is statistical).

Quantitative research is great for understanding who, what, when, where and how many at a superficial, more rational level. It’s less useful for understanding why and the deeper, more emotional responses that we gather in qualitative research. The questions are more structured and standardised so every person answers the same questions. This means the data is more reliable than qualitative research. However, you don’t have the opportunity to explore further.

For example, you might collect data on the demographics of who is buying from the category, what products they are buying, when they are buying it, where they are buying it and how many they are buying.  You may ask an open-ended question about why they bought that product, but you’re not there to dig any deeper to understand more than that initial rational response, the context, feelings and emotions behind that response. 

How we go about it

We work in a number of different ways:

• We can design the surveys, administer through a third-party panel and conduct the analysis and reporting
• We can design the surveys for your team to administer internally and conduct the analysis and reporting (usually when the database is yours, such as employees or existing customers)
• We can simply consult on survey design, sample and questions and the final report with the setup, administration and analysis being conducted by a third-party specialist quantitative research agency

Our experience

We have experience across a range of quantitative studies including brand awareness and attributes tracking, audience awareness and understanding of services, employee sentiment and experience understanding, employee engagement, employee lifecycle understanding (why join, stay, leave etc) and new product innovation desirability and pricing. 

Code of Professional Behaviour

As Qualified Professional Researcher and member of The Research Society, we are bound by our Code of Professional Behaviour to carry out research activities in a professional and ethical manner, with particular focus on protecting the respondent.

Research brief

Upon receipt of your brief, we will scope the proposal with recommended research design, methodology and sample.  To scope, we ask for your best attempt at the information below in however we understand you may not know all the information yourself, or as part of a larger brand or employer brand project it hasn’t been defined yet. Most of these areas we will help you define more tightly through the process, in particular the problem and sample.

When you’re briefing us, please include your best attempt at the following:

• Definition of the problem (that’s led to the brief)
• Background (to business, brand, employer brand, customers, employees, stakeholders etc)
• Business objective and problem
• Research objectives (including specifics you’d like to understand)
• How the information will be used (including action standards)
• Target market (demographics, geographies, psychographics and behaviours)
• Deliverables
• Research in your business (including department/responsibility, general attitudes towards research and quantitative vs qualitative research, existing research/information sources)
• Timing
• Budget
• Key contacts

We will look at your brief and recommend the most effective combination of secondary and primary research, qualitative and quantitative research, creative solutions and collaborative partners to meet your needs.  

Download a copy of the research brief here: THBC RESEARCH BRIEF

How can we help you?