CASRO

Expanding on its reputation as a must-attend conference for IT executives in the research field, CASRO’s 12th Annual Technology Conference drew a record number of attendees to dynamic sessions on June 21st and 22nd.

The event drew 193 attendees including senior information systems professionals, senior management and senior researchers at research companies large and small. In the sold-out Tech Showcase, 24 exhibitors demonstrated their products and services and networked with potential clients.

Among the highlights of the conference was an engaging discussion on the current state of online panels and the future of this transforming data collection medium. Panelists and attendees shared their views on the changing and often conflicting practices involving panel recruitment and utilization, incentives, response rates, professional respondents, mixed-mode, panel/river hybrids, and respondent data quality. The all-star panel was moderated by Jeff Miller, COO, Burke, Inc. and included:

- David Anthony, Senior Manager - Global Research Analytics, Procter & Gamble

- Reg Baker, Chief Operating Officer, Market Strategies, Inc.

- Bonnie Breslauer, Global Development Director, Lightspeed Research

- Peter Buck, General Manager, Panel Business Unit, (GMI) Global Market Insite, Inc.

- Pete Cape, Global Knowledge Director, Survey Sampling International, L.L.C.

- Nahme Chokeir, Vice President, Luth Research

- Steve Coffey, Chief Research Officer, The NPD Group, Inc.

- Joe Giacobbe, Senior Vice-President, Innovation & New Product Development, Ipsos Interactive Services

- Jonathan Jephcott, Executive Vice President, Synovate ViewsNet

- Kurt Knapton, Executive Vice President, e-Rewards Market Research

- Chuck Miller, General Manager, DMS Research

- Keith Price, Senior Vice President, Greenfield Online, Inc.

- Renee Smith, Vice President, Panel Quality, Harris Interactive, Inc.

- Jerry Wind, The Lauder Professor, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Other session highlights included:

Robert Lewis, President, IT Catalysts, who provided IT management "best practices" in a form immediately useful to working IT managers. “Probing the Blogosphere: Real-Time Tracking of Internet Commerce and Buzz for Marketing Intelligence” illustrated the effective combination of web monitoring software with traditional and emerging market research tools and techniques in passively acquiring valuable tactical and strategic learning. The session was led by James Collins, Senior Vice President, Research, Mediamark Research Inc., Mark Ghuneim, Chairman, Wiredset/Infofilter, and Mickey Galin, Vice President, Research, Mediamark Research Inc.

Attendees received insight into current legislative developments relevant to the research industry and Peter Milla, Chief Information Officer, Survey Sampling International and Conference Co-Chair provided an inside look at the new revisions to the CASRO Code of Standards with respect Internet research.

Jeff Thompson, Director of Research Technology, Kantar Operations, gave tips on tapping into the internet’s powerful information-sharing forums to create a framework for an organic, grassroots research company support network. A discussion of the challenges and opportunities of conducting surveys with residents of online communities was led by Mary Ellen Gordon, Owner, MarketTruths Limited.

IT spending as a percent of revenue in market research companies is 6.5%, according to the first-ever CASRO’s IT Spending Survey, the results of which were announced at the Conference. The survey report and discussion provided valuable spending benchmarks – for example, about 70% of IT investment is in infrastructure, while software development spending for research companies is about 40% below other industries. The survey and the session announcing its results were led by Christian Super, Vice President, Information Systems, Ipsos North America and Conference Co-Chair.

Other sessions included strategies to minimize the impact of unexpected events by using diligent risk assessment with Joel Schmaltz, Information Systems Manager, Itracks and David Gadra, Vice President, IPsoft, Inc., and a review of the myriad challenges facing managers of offshore call centers with executives who are charged with these responsibilities: Tony DiPonio, Vice President, Information Systems, Market Strategies, Inc., Ann Everly, Director, Information Systems, Convergys Customer Intelligence Services, and Alan Superfine, Senior Vice President/General Manager, ICT Group, Inc.

The proceedings of the conference are available on CD to members for a $175 fee; non-member fee is $350.

Special Thanks to the CASRO TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE:
Peter Milla (Survey Sampling International, L.L.C.), Christian Super (Ipsos North America); Committee Chairs. Committee: Cathy Allin (Decision Insight, Inc.), Peter Andrews (SPSS Inc.), Dan Avery (Marketing Leverage, Inc.), Reginald Baker (Market Strategies, Inc.), Doug Bates (Itracks), Dan Bernard (Marketing Systems Group), James H. Collins (Mediamark Research), Chris Crouch (Decision Analyst, Inc.), Sean Fitzpatrick (Talent Map), Mark Galgano (Lightspeed Research), George Harmon (TARP Worldwide, Inc.), Kent Jackson (Lance Jackson & Associates), Andrew Jeavons (Nebu), Kristin Luck (Decipher, Inc.), David Vaden (Harris Interactive Inc.), Andy Weiss (Schulman, Ronca, & Bucuvalas, Inc.)

Be sure to join us for next year’s Technology Conference.