Not Just Another Tech: Helping Deliver the Grit Report Year After Year

New technology is constantly being developed, introducing an array of AI platforms that each promise to make researchers’ lives easier by eliminating tedious day-to-day tasks. But do they truly deliver on this promise? 

Behind GRIT’s High-Quality Insights

For nearly two decades, the Greenbook Research Industry Trends (GRIT) report has witnessed this evolution of the insights industry. It’s become a key trend analytics resource, helping brands, suppliers, investors and researchers navigate a rapidly changing landscape. But creating the report is no small feat and the Greenbook team has had to rely on the very best of the technology it is studying in order to produce it. For over 10 years, Forsta has been a trusted partner in managing GRIT’s complex dataset through its powerful Surveys platform.

Designed with flexibility and scale in mind, the platform supports diverse data collection methods, remains cost-effective, and crucially, upholds strong data privacy standards – essential for a study that’s open to the entire industry.

Yet the game-changer has been Forsta Services with their complete management of implementation and ongoing services support which ensures every stage runs smoothly. Having over 2,000 survey completions annually across eight audience segments and with more than a dozen content sections, the GRIT team relies on the team at Forsta to not only optimise the survey for different devices, but also to accommodate a wide range of question formats and lengths – with the comfort of a secure environment.

The team at Greenbook have long appreciated this support. As, Lukas Pospichal, Managing Director at Greenbook says, “Working with Forsta is more than just the right technology – the team understands what we’re trying to achieve with GRIT. Their support, and expertise mean we can take on this big, complex project without worrying about anything falling through the cracks.”

Data Secure

Research shows that 80% of a market researcher’s time is still spent preparing, cleaning, and organizing data, leaving only 20% for uncovering actionable insights and storytelling¹. 

Inefficiencies aside, there are more serious risks at play. Alarmingly, only 38% of researchers express significant concern about security breaches, despite 66% having faced security issues in the past year². This gap between awareness and preparedness highlights an industry-wide blind spot that could have serious consequences. Some corporate clients are taking action by enforcing strict “No AI” policies. And, while caution is understandable, overly rigid restrictions can stifle innovation before it even begins.

In a world where cutting-edge technology is evolving at a rapid pace, researchers and clients should be empowered to take full advantage of new opportunities rather than constantly looking over their shoulders. 

Research tech – especially those with AI enhancements – should be designed with researchers in mind, creating a seamless research environment where data preparation, analysis, and storytelling happen within a unified ecosystem. The benefits of this approach are clear:

• Increased efficiency: Integrated platforms streamline data handling, reducing manual effort in the preparation stage by up to 88%³. This allows researchers to dedicate more time to uncovering insights.

• Improved accuracy: A connected workflow minimizes inconsistencies and human errors, ensuring reliable and high-quality data.

• Stronger security: Built with compliance and data protection in mind, these platforms mitigate risks associated with breaches and fragmented security protocols.

Still, even the best tech needs a human touch. At Greenbook, it’s the combination of expert support and tech designed by researchers, for researchers, that delivers truly transformative results. Lukas Pospichal says: “When it comes to data security, the platform gives us real confidence – which is crucial considering the open nature of the GRIT survey. And while a seamless experience and being on time is never a question, it’s the human expertise that guarantees success, year after year.”

Bringing the Right Tool to the Right People

The true value of the right tool goes beyond just saving time – it transforms the entire research process. Projects move faster, insights run deeper, and storytelling becomes more impactful. By easing the manual burden, researchers can focus their energy where it counts: uncovering and communicating insights that drive strategic decisions.

The insights industry has come a long way – from limited tech to a fast-paced, tech-driven landscape. And GRIT has had the front-row seat to this transformation – tracking changes, progress and innovation shaping the future. 

1. https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/data-analytics/what-is-data-cleaning/

2. According to Forsta's 2024 survey on 200 Market Research professionals.

3. According to Forsta’s internal process tests.