Full Service

International

Focus Group Facility

At User Research Center, we understand the importance and the methods of user experience and usability testing, which is why we've created testing spaces that ensure you get the most out of a study. With top-of-the-line audio/video equipment and technology, purpose-designed observation labs, and the necessary amenities to enable an efficient and informative process.
 
 
User research is paramount in bringing effective, safe, user-friendly, and saleable products to market. Whether your company is testing the usability of a device or application in the development stages or determining the emotional and psychological response to the marketing or design of those products.

User Research Center

Full Service Market Research

Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality Software

Mock Jury Research

Packaging Testing

User Testing

Gamification & Research Games

Qualitative Services - Moderators

Usability Labs

Data Collection

The client did not have a clear idea of future trends in energy production, logistics and storage, which is essential for them to successfully consult their clients.

Best Practice Benchmark Study in the Energy Industry

In September 2013, SIS measured brand awareness and other drivers of strong brand equity and compared findings to prior study conducted in October 2010.

Brand Perception in the Home Goods Market

SIS completed a brand perception analysis of a major aviation brand, focusing on Emotional Connection, Value and Accessibility.

Brand Perception in the Aviation Market

For the past five (5) years, SIS International Research has provided FHLBNY a bi-weekly summary report of key financial services news information that is of interest to its staff.

Brand Tracking in the Financial Sector

<ul>
	<li>SIS was hired by a large manufacturing company (&ldquo;client&rdquo;) to asses the potential of the company&rsquo;s young professionals (both pink and white collar)</li>
	<li>The client needed to identify young professionals for promotion to the managerial level</li>
	<li>The existing tests and methods for identifying high potential managers was not successful as at least 25% of those promoted in the age group 21-33 were not performing well in the job they were promoted to</li>
</ul>

Human Resources Effectiveness Study

As part of a global effort by this major US Credit Card firm to optimize their merchant network, they wish to measure both their own and their competitors&rsquo; merchant presence - Locations In Force (LIF) - for key countries and industries around the world using a consistent and robust methodology. This information will be used to support strategic sales and marketing decisions in business planning and issuer alignment.

Competitive Intelligence in the Financial Sector

<ul>
	<li>SIS conducted a study for a major US player (&ldquo;client&rdquo;) in motion and fluid control technologies</li>
	<li>Coping with declining sales &ndash;as most of their product offerings were sold through catalogues and paper products&ndash; there was an urgency to turn this around</li>
	<li>A customer satisfaction/customer intelligence study was conducted to determine how the client&rsquo;s customers find them and how these customers purchase products</li>
</ul>

Customer Satisfaction / Intelligence Study for a US Manufacturing Firm

The client is a vendor of IT hardware and software solutions that wanted to extend their core competencies into the Clinical Mobility part of the Healthcare market. SIS International Research was engaged to help them understand the market landscape, and help them put together a go-to-market strategy. To meet the client&rsquo;s goals, SIS had to size and to map the market landscape potential by healthcare segment, use case and geography, as well as identify key competitors.

Healthcare and IT Market Landscape Study

<ul>
	<li>In 2014, SIS conducted a study for Hyundai on its new voice user interface technology inside its new a premium luxury brand in the US</li>
	<li>The client was looking for a better understanding of the US consumer in order to improve this technology to ultimately gain a competitive edge over competitor models</li>
</ul>

New Product Concept Development for Automotive Brand

<ul>
	<li>In 2014, SIS conducted a study for a leading Japanese manufacturer (&ldquo;client&rdquo;) of imaging and optical products&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Coping with increasingly fierce competition and declining market share, the client hired SIS to examine five (5) target competitors in the US Video Surveillance industry</li>
	<li>The client&rsquo;s understanding at the time of their US competitors&rsquo; Go-To-Market strategy, marketing strategy, sales structure and growth strategy was insufficient&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Competitive Intelligence Study in the Imaging Sector

The objective of this study was to create a full understanding of the Online Gaming Industry market landscape in the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. The study aimed to understand the online game market infrastructure, market trends, distribution structure and to build a profile database of the Primary online game companies in the regions.

Market Assessment of the Online Gaming Industry in Europe

A tableware company specialized in ceramic products, with hundreds of years of history, was looking for a rapid entry and growth in the Asian market. The company wanted to quantify the growth opportunity for its stylish tableware product lines in two target countries and identify an actionable go to market strategy. SIS worked with the senior executives to design the best solution for its business goals.

Market Entry of Ceramic Tableware Manufacturer

<ul>
	<li>In 2014, SIS conducted a study for a leading brand (&ldquo;client&rdquo;) in the packaging and paperboard industry</li>
	<li>Coping with a sales problem of not being able to bring in larger clients, the client hired SIS to seek a better understanding of the factors that influence packaging/paperboard material decisions for major FMCG food brands in order to increase marketing effectiveness</li>
	<li>Furthermore, the client was looking to identify companies&rsquo; sustainability goals with regard to packaging&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Market Research Study to Increase Sales in Paperboard & Packaging

<ul>
	<li>In late 2014, SIS conducted a study for a market leading tour wholesaler in the travel industry, specialized in FIT</li>
	<li>Coping with a declining market share, the client hired SIS to seek a better understanding of why its competitors are gaining market share at the cost of the client&rsquo;s in order to increase its operations and marketing efforts to turn this around</li>
	<li>Additionally, the client was looking to achieve an in-depth understanding of its competitors&rsquo; best practices and the impact of travel consortia affiliation</li>
</ul>

Competitive Landscape Study in the Travel Industry

<ul>
	<li>Financial Services Company A was known as a low cost investment company that focused on long term growth vs. quick gain, high growth alternatives popular among investors in the market.</li>
	<li>Brand sales were jumpstarted during the heart of the recession when Financial Services Company A launched its new offerings&hellip;that were designed to be more conservative in investment keeping the market conditions and perception of investors at the time in mind.</li>
	<li>However, the program simply reinforced the &ldquo;price&rdquo; perception of Financial Services Company A; it did not increase the &ldquo;value&rdquo; side of the equation or create a strong, distinctive reason to invest</li>
	<li>Financial Services Company A brand connect&mdash;emotion and fit&mdash;was among the lowest of the major financial service companies as measured in the brand study among competitors that the company carried out on an annual basis.</li>
	<li>In February 2010, Financial Services Company A launched a new campaign focused on low term growth investment excellence.</li>
</ul>

Brand Tracker in Financial Services

Brand 1 is launching new checking products into market.&nbsp; In order to give these new products the best chance to succeed, it is important to understand what features and benefits are most important to potential customers and how they stack up against competitive products that are on the market today.

Potential Customer Study in Finance

SIS conducted a Competitive Intelligence (CI) study on the state of the art of CI practice in major healthcare and pharmaceutical companies. &nbsp;Specifically, SIS explored the sources used to determine, the methods used, resources committed, the success of their programs and any tangible results gained through their internal competitive research.

CI Practices in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Companies

A healthcare company in the US heard rumors that a firm in China was producing a competitive drug &nbsp;SIS was asked to survey the plant, analyze the number of employees, determine what was being produced at the plant and to estimate production capacity and sales strategies.

Investigation of Manufacturing a Competitive Drug in China

During earlier years, drug manufacturers have developed drugs in the pain management area, primarily for Osteo Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis industries.&nbsp;These initial first generation drugs were drugs were targeted for chronic pain and acute pain for OA and RA patients. At the time of the study, the major drug manufacturers are scheduled to introduce a new generation of Cox-2 inhibitors which are more powerful and claim to have wider applications for pain management (post-operative, cancer, dental, lower back pain, dysmenorrhea, etc.)

The objective of this project was to track and monitor the competitors in the EU and the US over a period of a year. &nbsp;SIS had to identify the planned and/or existing&nbsp;market message or communication program for this second generation of Cox-2 inhibitors pain management drugs.&nbsp;&nbsp;The specific objectives focused on identifying the factors [or claims] supporting the marketing or&nbsp;communication message based on several factors/concepts (e.g., safety, efficacy, &nbsp;balance between safety and efficacy, lifestyle and other categories)

Competitive Intelligence in Pain Management

SIS International Research sought to understand the main drivers within the travel insurance industry to identify key market opportunities per major segment for insurance companies. SIS conducted in-depth interviews operating throughout the pipeline of the most important stakeholders such as cruise lines, airlines, hotels, travel agents, OTA&rsquo;s, wholesalers, consortia and associations. In addition, extensive desk research is conducted to develop a robust understanding of the trends, drivers, constraints and statistics within the US travel insurance industry. Research is done utilizing online media, web, peer reviewed journals, industry news and company reports, where appropriate.

Opportunities for Insurance Company in the Travel Industry

The airport retail landscape has changed significantly in the last years, with a growing importance of luxury. Having seen an increase in American investments in the country, the airport of one of the most vibrant European capital wanted to understand behavior and requirements of travelers from the United States to better cater their needs.

SIS International Research conducted an 8-week research to uncover the motivations, needs, and triggers that drive American international passengers to make purchases during business and leisure trips &ndash; with a focus on the purchases that travelers make in airports, including food, cultural items, and duty free products.

Driving the Evolution of Duty-Free Retailing for an European Airport

In this project, our client &ldquo;XYZ&rdquo; was looking for a better understanding of their clients&rsquo; (travel agencies) booking behavior with regard to booking hotels in order to enable the company to develop versatile content and tools to meet the needs of current and potential customers. The collected data shows among others what channels are most often used; what characteristics are most important in a decision for a channel; why customers use other channels other than XYZ, and what XYZ can do to increase their customer bookings.

The research was done by conducting in-depth telephone interviews. In addition, extensive desk research is conducted to develop a robust understanding of the trends, drivers, constraints and statistics within the US travel industry.&nbsp; Research is done utilizing online media, web, peer reviewed journals, industry news and company reports, where appropriate.&nbsp;

Travel Agent Behavior Study for Booking Hotels

MBTA wanted to understand why people rode the transit system and who their customers are, including: rider profiles/ segmentation/ demographics/ behavior/frequency.

The objective was to collect data on: what is the most important usage driver by segment, including: service characteristics and external considerations such as environment, regional benefit, economic drivers, and livability.

Furthermore the study&rsquo;s goal was to understand: What additional facets of public transportation are important to customers? Including but not limited to: security/cameras/lighting/cleanliness/safety.

Case Study in Transportation

<ul>
	<li>In 2014, SIS conducted a study for a US public university</li>
	<li>The client was seeking for opportunities to grow and assess whether it could profit from emerging markets with its strong domestic brand&nbsp; &nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Market Entry Study into Emerging Markets

<ul>
	<li>How are key players (including Company XYZ) generally perceived in the market?</li>
	<li>How does Company XYZ compare to the spectrum of competitors (across key characteristics, clients/segments, services/products</li>
	<li>What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of key players?</li>
	<li>Key characteristics of the market (e.g., fragmentation, level of competition, maturity, etc.)</li>
</ul>

Competitive Profiling

<ul>
	<li>The client&rsquo;s research objective was to gain insight into the financial priorities and banking needs of consumers eligible for membership</li>
	<li>The ultimate objective was to identify reasons why current client members may not be using certain services that they have access to, and employees who are not using client are choosing to bank with other institutions.</li>
</ul>

Customer Satisfaction Study for a Major Credit Union

<ul>
	<li>In 2010, SIS conducted a study for a German car manufacturer</li>
	<li>The client was in the development process of a car that is able to find an empty parking lot and then park itself automatically, without the driver having to do anything</li>
	<li>The purpose of this study was to find the overall market demand specifically in the US to see if launching this feature would be profitable</li>
</ul>

Market Assessment Study in the Automotive Space

<ul>
	<li>Client wanted to offer new products and services for checking accounts</li>
	<li>Identify key drivers for Students and Premium consumer segments</li>
	<li>Identify students and premium consumers ranking for product attributes</li>
	<li>Identify students and premium consumer ranking for client product attributes</li>
	<li>Identify students and premium consumers ranking for the clients product&nbsp; attributes vis-&agrave;-vis competitor</li>
</ul>

New Product Design For Checking Accounts

<ul>
	<li>The client wanted to launch a project management (PM) course with potential focus on Prince2, Agile or another certification. The question was whether there is sufficient demand which the university can satisfy (e.g., within the area of&nbsp; university campus(es)), and, if so, the type, shape and market approach of this project management course itself.</li>
	<li>At issue was the emerging need for specialization within an increasingly competitive employment landscape (specifically, following the economic recession from Q2&rsquo;08 to Q3&rsquo;09, which heavily impacted banks and investment firms where PM certificate holders are found) and whether certification training truly makes a candidate more desirable above and beyond demonstrable skills and personality. This new separate certification course could be either isolated or work as an extension to the university which offers a comparable project management certification Masters. The aim of the project was to further consider the feasibility from both a marketability (reputation) and cost (leveraging existing resources) perspective.</li>
</ul>

New Course Development for a Major University in London

The client considered a 10-week course for new corporate counsel attorneys. SIS assisted in the evaluation of interest in this course and thoughts toward design, marketing and ultimate a business case for this course. The purpose of this project is to work with the client and develop a solid methodological approach with clear rationale to decide the functional, human factor and timing-related issues relevant for feedback instruments. Moreover, SIS worked to develop, implement and monitor the usage of this new instrument throughout select client&rsquo;s course offering.

New Course Design for a Major Law Institute

Target Countries:

Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, UAE, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan

Key Intelligence Topics:

<ul>
	<li>Instructions and policies</li>
	<li>Enrollment projections</li>
	<li>Assessment</li>
	<li>Future developments impacting on English training and assessment</li>
</ul>

Global Academic English Language Assessment

Blockchain and the Internet of Things

This technology can revolutionize the way everything works. This dramatic shift will include how we connect to the Internet. As the world keeps on innovating and globalizing, connectivity has gotten easier. We can connect more things to the Internet.

To further develop the Internet of things, we can use blockchain. Since 2014, blockchain IOT startups have been gaining considerable attention. What used to be the domain of Bitcoin is branching out into areas more than cryptocurrency.

Cisco estimates that by 2020, about 50 billion devices will be online. With this many connected devices, the amount of data will be enormous. The main concern is how the world will track and manage these connected devices. How will we store the data produced by them, and do so securely and reliably? Blockchain technology is thus considered the missing link. It settles privacy, reliability, and scalability concerns in the IoT.

What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a series of fixed pieces of information. That information is time-stamped and managed by a cluster of systems not owned by one entity. It secures all the information and connects it by using cryptographic principles. Blockchain has no central authority since its ledger is immutable and shared. The data in it is open for any and everyone to view. Thus, anything built on blockchain is transparent to all by nature. All users are accountable for what they do. It has no transaction cost &ndash; it is an easy and effective way of passing information from one point to the other.

Blockchain and IoT Market Research

Blockchain is the technology created to support bitcoin transactions, and it has the potential to speed up the profitability of most businesses. Its cheerleaders say that it also improves the effectiveness of companies. They add that this boost happens most often with companies in the financial sector. It may even upend business as we know it. The early adopters also say businesses that ignore Blockchain do so at their peril.

A product has an intriguing life cycle. It goes through various hands before reaching the final consumer. A system of people and organizations transport a product from a supplier to the customer. This system, which includes business information, resources, and activities, is the &quot;supply chain.&quot; To keep the chain affordable and functioning, it needs active management.

Trying to manage supply chains today is a complicated task. Depending on the product type, a supply chain can go through various stages, pass through multiple geographical locations, and go on for several months. Due to this complexity, there is an interest in blockchain technology. Businesses will transform the supply chain industry.

Blockchain Use Cases in Supply Chain

What is Blockchain?

The Blockchain is like a spreadsheet that everyone can access, but no one can edit. A spreadsheet works with columns and rows, but the Blockchain uses blocks. Each block is a compilation of data. We add data to the blocks and then connect it to other blocks in chronological order until it creates a chain. Blockchain is a distributed ledger. What does &quot;distributed ledger&quot; mean? It means that it&#39;s spread out among peers in a network. Each peer has a copy.

Blockchain technology has intertwined itself with the world of finance and business. Imagine having the technology to store anything of value in a very secure and private manner &mdash; things like money, contracts, titles, and intellectual property. You can store them without the need for intermediaries like banks and governments.

&quot;Why use blockchain?&quot; some people might ask. Blockchain eliminates intermediaries, reduces costs, promotes efficiency, and increases transparency.&nbsp;

Finance isn&#39;t the only field with applications and opportunities for Blockchain. The technology can flourish in other sectors.

Blockchain Opportunities Beyond Financial Services

The digital revolution is becoming more popular in the consulting industry. The result is many more opportunities available to enhance the data, insights and strategy of clients.&nbsp;

Data Analytics is a method of extracting and drawing conclusions from data to make better decisions. This technology is fast rising. It uses artificial intelligence, statistics, and advanced market knowledge. Users gather this data to figure out essential patterns in large sets of data. Deploying smart analytics provides excellent insights into the performance metrics of a company. It also shows the complicated changes taking place there.

Types of Data Analytics

Generally, there are four types of data analytics. They include Descriptive, Diagnostic, Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics:

1. Descriptive Analytics

Descriptive analytics provides expository information. It answers the fundamental questions of what, who, where, when, and how many. It is not possible to have dashboards and Business Intelligence tools without it, because it is the backbone of reporting. We can further divide Descriptive Analytics into two groups: canned reports and ad hoc reporting. Canned reports contain information about a particular subject. An example is a monthly report providing information on ad performance. Ad hoc reporting is usually not scheduled. It is essential for getting better information about a particular issue. You can do this through social media by viewing the people that have interacted with your page. It also helps you get other demographic data. Ad hoc reporting is hypersensitive, and it provides a bigger picture of your audience.

Data Science and Analytics Consulting

Healthcare Challenges Today

Many medical institutions use inconvenient and outdated methods for maintaining medical data, including data for prescription drugs and health records. It also includes patient medical data and insurance information. Improper handling of data can harm the treatment of patients. It can also slow down patient recovery. Even worse, many medical facilities have developed their own record-keeping systems.

These circumstances have led to a lack of transparency. Medical facilities and insurance agencies are operating in vacuums. Their mode of operation is to the detriment of the patients. They create an avenue for serious medical errors. Such errors are the leading cause of death for cancer and heart disease patients in the US.

This outdated system spreads patients&#39; medical data across various medical facilities. Doctors and insurance companies keep separate records. In today&#39;s world, the medical history and records of patients are like puzzles. This juggling of data between different entities is terrible and results in loss of accuracy and integrity. It is a particular concern when it comes to diagnostics and drug prescriptions. All of these can impact the efficient treatment of patients.

Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology is now the talk of the day. Blockchain is a decentralized entity that keeps records of transactions in interconnected blocks. That is where cryptography and miners come into play.&nbsp;

Blockchain in healthcare can solve many of the problems the industry faces. Such issues include medical research, medical supply chain, drug integrity, and medical data. Blockchain also addresses the obstacles of interoperability, accessibility, and security. Because of its ability to produce fantastic data efficiency, Blockchain can disrupt healthcare. It can ensure flexible data access, transparency, interconnection, and better security.&nbsp;

Blockchain in Healthcare Market Research

Obtaining information or data is no longer a slow and tedious process. We are now in the era where loads of data or information is available at our fingertips. At the same time, there is a risk of information overload. Managers need ways to sort, compress, and use this newfound volume of information. There are several methods to transform this data into actionable, memorable, and usable insights. One of these methods is Data Visualization.What is Data Visualization?Data Visualization represents data graphically or visually in a compelling manner. The sleek graphics allow managers to grasp information in a faster way. Data visualization shows relationships and patterns. It shows how the information presented relates to the result of a specific target or goal. In turn, it allows managers to make decisions rapidly and to create value.

Data Visualization Research and Consulting

Blockchain has come a long way from Crypto and Bitcoin. There is now a broader understanding of new Use Cases.&nbsp; Now, Blockchain has the capability to benefit the Retail and Food and Beverage industries.&nbsp;

How Blockchain Works

Blockchain makes it possible to have a shared ledger of transactions. This ledger spreads across decentralized networks.&nbsp; This transparency provides trust and rapid sharing of information that creates numerous efficiencies.

In the Food and Beverage industry, this ledger makes tracking the source of different food items possible. Blockchain simply and efficiently tracks transactions from the point of production. Managers can see the entire route the food takes, ending at the shelves in the supermarket.

Blockchain Research in the Retail, Food and Beverage Industries

A global consulting firm contacted SIS International Research to conduct a Sushi Food Taste Test at our NYC Focus Group Facility just before the busy Thanksgiving holiday.Background: The product was an in-store brand of Sushi purchased at convenience stores. The client needed to make urgent decisions about whether to "roll" out new products to the American market.&nbsp;&nbsp;Goals: The goal was to understand American consumers' taste preferences, gain quantitative data on freshness, and receive other food sensory data to determine if ingredient modifications were needed.The study's challenges included:<ol><li data-list="bullet">Procuring a substantial quantity of hard-to-find different Sushi brands located in far reaches of NYC</li><li data-list="bullet">Ensuring the freshness of Sushi, a highly perishable food item</li><li data-list="bullet">Tight turnaround (less than 1 week) right before a major American holiday</li></ol>A total of 750 Sushi pieces were consumed by 50 respondents in the study.

Sushi Taste Tasting in Manhattan NYC

A major global beverage company faced stagnation in consumer satisfaction scores for new product launches. Their internal R&amp;D team relied heavily on traditional sensory testing methods, which often failed to translate into market success. The company needed deeper, quantifiable insights into consumer preferences to fine-tune formulations before scaling production. The stakes were high: missteps in product rollouts could result in millions lost in production, marketing, and shelf space — not to mention long-term brand trust.

Data Analytics for Top American Brand

SIS International Research is a leading full-service market research and market intelligence firm, established in 1984. We conduct fieldwork, data collection, recruiting, strategic market intelligence and global growth marketing consulting solutions.Our coverage is global, including nationwide US, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Canada, Africa and the Middle East. Our key regional offices include New York, Los Angeles, London, Frankfurt, Shanghai, Seoul and Manila.Our research solutions include Consumer &amp; B2B research, Customer Satisfaction &amp; Loyalty research, Product &amp; Packaging testing, Car Clinics, Healthcare research and Branding insights.Our qualitative services include Focus Groups, Interviews, Ethnography, Home Visits and Usability tests.Our quantitative services include CATI Telephone Interviews, Intercepts, Central Location Testing and Online Surveys.Our strategy unit provides market intelligence solutions including market opportunity &amp; entry research, competitive analysis and Go-To-Market research.SIS also operates a state-of-the-art focus group facility in New York City.

User Research Center vs SIS International Research

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