Types of Marketing Research Services

Advertisement Pre- and Post- Testing

IBS believes that measuring the impact of communications needs to be set securely in the framework of marketing strategy, advertising strategy, creative briefs and creative ideas. We always seek to understand fully thecontext within which we are testing advertising and promotional messages. This, we believe, is essential if we are to carry out creative development

research in conjunction with our client. Over the years, we have co-operated fully with a range of advertising agencies, ncouraging them to incorporate us as early as possible in the communication process, to give us appropriate stimulus material and, where necessary, story boards. Different ideas do not need the same stimulus material, but we appreciate that the choice of stimulus material can strongly affect the response. We also are particularly careful about the type of advertisement test we carry out. Our years of experience make our staff sensitive to which environment will give the most meaningful results to our client and his bottom line.

IBS works with a number of proprietary techniques, include Bearings of Navigator (UK). We are the Turkish member of IQ Workshop, the network of European qualitative research agencies set up in 1995 to share best practices. We have our own viewing facilities in central Istanbul. Our specialist moderators are chosen for their experience both in marketing and in research.

Examples of our recent work include:

Focus Groups
A pre-test of TV commercials of a new car model to be launched in Turkey
Testing of a new logo for an automotive finance group
Pre-testing advertisements with mobile phone users and prospects
Pre-testing of TV commercials prepared in Europe for products such as personal care products, air fresheners, and shoe shining products
In-Depth Interviews
In-depth interviews with women to pre-test radio spots about family planning
Face-to-face interviews with executives using services of express delivery companies to measure the impact of a press advertising campaign
IBS is the licensee in Turkey of Brandscope.com, the total brand and
advertisement tracking solution.

Brand Tracking

IBS is committed to helping its clients increase their market penetration. For brand tracking, the Brandscope.com offers a total tracking solution. Brandscope.com involves a continuous dialogue with each client's target consumers, covering what they perceive the brands on offer to be communicating, as well as the impact of this on their beliefs about the brands and, where appropriate, their behaviour. The measures provided are rich in diagnostics, allowing a greater understanding of the marketing process and indicating routes to improve the cost-effectiveness of marketing activity.

Although Brandscope.com is one of the most comprehensive continuous brand-tracking systems in the world, we appreciate that some clients require specially tailored solutions.

At one end of the spectrum, the need may be for fast feedback on the effects of a single burst of advertising, or other promotional activity, by a small brand in a crowded market; at the other end, a global mega-brand may require long-term monitoring of the impact of publicity on its carefully nurtured image.

In forging partnerships with our clients to help them grow strong brands, no tracking problem is too small or too large for us. We ensure that the most appropriate solution is proposed for the problem presented - and we recognise that budgets are not infinite.

Examples of our recent work include:

Testing the image of a car manufacturer
Tracking the image of a major financial institution
Brandscope.com
Brandscope.com is operated in Turkey exclusively by IBS.

Customer Satisfaction

Turkey's consumer revolution has led to a dramatic increase in competition, as has entry into Customs Union with the European Union. The voice of the customer is becoming sovereign, and international and Turkish companies have been responding to this. IBS has found customer satisfaction surveys to be a centre piece of its regular work flow as companies have set out to delight and retain their customers. Real improvements in service quality have been evident and now the task for research is often to help companies get measurable financial returns from their efforts in customer satisfaction.

IBS is an expert in designing and executing programmes which allow customers to behave as they would in normal daily life. Its research incorporates the trade-offs that we all make all the time. The great majority of IBS's work in this area is through face-to-face interviews carried out by its regular specialist staff. However, IBS has also carried out telephone and self-completion surveys.

The following are representative examples of the wide range of studies carried out by IBS:

Surveying 1,500 users of electronic information about their satisfaction with the main information vendors Regularly measuring customer satisfaction with automotive sales and services.
Interviewing 150 fleet owners about their satisfaction with engine and truck manufacturers regarding sales, servicing and spare parts.
Interviewing 150 companies to determine satisfaction with services provided by express delivery companies
A survey of 80 textile companies about their product and service satisfaction with textile dye suppliers
A survey of 500 thread distributors to determine their satisfaction with the leading thread distributors in Turkey
A survey with 50 pharmaceutical wholesalers to determine their satisfaction with suppliers
Interviews with 50 doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, and biomedical engineers to determine their satisfaction with the after-sales service of a medical equipment supplier
A survey of 120 business travelers and 50 holding companies to determine their satisfaction with five-star hotels in Istanbul
A survey of 200 heating systems' dealers to determine their current practices, satisfaction levels with suppliers and regional sales trends
A survey of 100 brown goods dealers to determine their satisfaction and expectations from suppliers in terms of pricing, sales & servicing support, etc.
An image and customer satisfaction survey of hand-held power tools amongst 20 contracting companies, 10 electrical and mechanical installation companies, and eight producers
IBS also carries out staff satisfaction surveys, assisting, for instance, measure the impact on personnel in Turkey of a recent merger between two oil majors.
We are the Turkish member of IQ Workshop, the network of European qualitative research agencies set up in 1995 to share best practices.

Household/Consumer Surveys

Turkey has now become a brand society, with consumers expecting and finding the goods and services of the world's leading companies. For these companies, assessing and tracking the way the Turkish consumer behaves is critical. The market is large, with as many people living in Istanbul alone as in Ireland. It is fast growing, with GNP rising by an average of 5% per year. But competition is increasingly fierce.

IBS has been designing and executing high-quality research programmes with Turkish consumers for over a decade. It has built up a major database on Turkish consumer behaviour, with the regular IBS Woman's Omnibus giving it a particular strength where the female consumer is concerned.

IBS carries out both qualitative and quantitative surveys. It has carried out surveys throughout Turkey. It has worked for many of the world's leading FMCG companies and for marketing research agencies from the U.S., Europe and Japan.

The following are representative examples of studies carried out by IBS.

Post-launch assessment of brand and advertising awareness for a consumer food product with 250 housewives and 100 working people
A survey of 400 consumers' reactions to new packaging of a soft drink
Group discussions and in-depth interviews with soft drink consumers on their restrictions and attitudes to a particular soft drink brand
Usage, attitudes and brand awareness of batteries in 800 households in four cities Examining purchasing and usage attitudes of 1,000 sport wear consumers in six cities.
A survey of 1,500 women on their attitudes to family planning. Interviews with drivers and dealers on their attitudes to lubricants and factors considered in choosing their brand; and an in-depth survey of farmers' tractor purchase motivation.
Analysing image of an international engine manufacturer among truck
owners
A survey of 300 motorists' reactions to a station upgrade programme being carried out by one of Turkey's major distributors of fuel and lubricants
Examining the image of a five-star hotel in Istanbul amongst Turkish and international corporate clients, individual clients and travel agencies
A survey of 800 credit card owners to determine their acceptance level of a new ATM card
Interviewing 240 wheat farmers in two regions to determine their acceptance of a new herbicide
A survey of 4,000 users of razors.

Image & Attitude Surveys

IBS has a broad range of experience in usage and attitude surveys. It has assisted leading companies in areas as diverse as banking, cosmetics, food processing, pharmaceuticals and packaging. Most of this work involves quantitative surveys carried out by specialist staff but IBS often uses quantitative techniques to enhance its surveys.

Recent experience shows IBS's ability to extract complex information from opinion formers and decision-makers, using qualified and dedicated staff and its ability to draw usable management conclusions from this.

Relevant projects include:

Usage, attitudes and brand awareness of batteries in 800 households in four cities
Examining purchasing and usage attitudes of 1,000 sport wear consumers in six cities
A number of studies on the image of foreign and Turkish banks amongst corporate clients in Turkey
Interviews with drivers and dealers on their attitudes to lubricants and factors considered in choosing their brand; and an in-depth survey of farmers' tractor purchase motivation
A customer attitude survey among 200 dealers of agrochemicals for a major Western producer
An analysis of health product distribution for a major producer of wound-closure products
Post-launch assessment of brand and advertising awareness for a consumer food product with 250 housewives and 100 working people
Discussion groups with urologists on practices concerning BHP and their attitudes to concepts for a new drug
Analysing image of an international engine manufacturer among truck owners
Examining the image of a five-star hotel in Istanbul amongst Turkish and international corporate clients, individual clients and travel agencies
A survey of 1,500 women on their attitudes to family planning
Group discussions and in-depth interviews with soft drink consumers on their restrictions and unfounded attitudes to a particular soft drink brand

Mystery Shopping

IBS is one of the most experienced agencies in Turkey in conducting mystery shopping surveys and other forms of performance measurement. As the world's leading service providers continue their commitment to measuring customer satisfaction and their customer responsiveness, many companies come to us to assess their performance against standards that they have determined.

Our mystery shoppers are fully briefed on the client's business and on the specific observations that they will have to make. This criteria-based field design means that the observations our shoppers make can help our clients respond rapidly to shifts in Turkey's fast-changing market place.

Our work varies:

---One day, it may be mobile telephones and require business-to-business interviewers to see how distributors are operating.

---Another time, it could be jewelers, requiring us to create "engaged couples" out to buy their first ring.

---Or motorists refueling and using the shops at one fuel distributor's service stations - located throughout Turkey.

---Or restaurants wishing to check their staff's performance against a competitor's.

We can help you design the survey which fits your needs. And give you reliable results which you can use to motivate your staff, your dealers -- and your customers.

Product Development

IBS offers a full range of Product Development services during the development process, from concept to launch, including in-house, central location tests, focus groups, in-depth interviews, and in-street, outlet, postal, Internet, and telephone interviews.

Other premier services include idea & concept generation, concept / placement, evaluation, packs / product development, and pre & post launch studies.

Our aim in conducting product development surveys are to:

Provide the client with the optimal pricing strategy, product performance and features.
Determine the effective attributes of a new product or service for maximum success in the market.
Identify the niche in the market, brand attributes and product features.
Highlight the actions to be taken to increase the client’s success in the marketplace.
Help the client see the market as perceived through the eyes of the target group.
Provide the client with the most effective decision-making mechanisms prior to the launch of a new product.
Help the client to reduce risk and fine-tune the marketing mix before launch.
Product development services:
Product Concept Testing
Product Positioning and Branding
Market entry strategy
Pre & Post launch studies
User need analysis
Distribution Channel analysis
Benchmark analysis

Product, Packaging & Concept Tests

The New Product Development process is critical to success - or failure. Eight out of ten new products fail, but most fail for different reasons.

IBS can help its clients at each of the three critical points leading up to full launch of a product:

Concept development
Product optimisation
Market testing
IBS has carried out a range of product and concept tests for many Turkish and foreign companies. Many of these have required in-depth, face-to-face interviews, an area where the skills of IBS's staff are particularly appropriate.
IBS also holds focus groups in its own viewing facilities, led by specialist moderators.
IBS uses both qualitative and quantitative techniques. Examples of projects showing the wide range of skills which IBS has applied are given below. These include projects requiring recruitment of difficult target groups.
Qualitative Studies
Testing a new dairy "life-style" product through two streams of linked, rolling focus groups, each stream consisting of three groups, supplemented by 12 in-depth interviews
Focus groups with consumers about their consumption habits of personal care products and to test the clients' product concept
Focus groups and in-depth interviews with consumers about attitudes towards a specific soft drink brand
Focus groups with motorists about a new logo and new petrol station services
An assessment of the potential of a new health service
Group discussions with 12 urologists about their practices in Benign
Prostatic Hyperplasia treatment in Turkey and attitudes to concepts for a new drug
Group discussions with various medical specialists, for instance in dermatology and internal medicine, on potential new drugs
A survey of 30 contractors and municipalities concerning a full maintenance concept for the construction machinery they use
A survey of 50 selected top business people to test a private banking concept
In-depth interviews with upper-income bank customers to measure their reactions to and acceptance of a new retail banking concept
Focus groups with retired people to discuss a new finance product
Focus groups to test a new satellite-based telecommunication
concept
Focus groups to discuss possible new mobile telephone features
Quantitative Studies
A survey of 800 credit card owners to determine their acceptance
level of a new ATM card
An assessment of the potential of a new insurance product
Interviewing 240 wheat farmers in two regions to determine their acceptance of a new herbicide
A survey of 300 motorists' reactions to a station upgrade programme being carried out by one of Turkey's major distributors of fuel and lubricants
A survey of 400 consumers' reactions to new packaging of a soft drink

Sectoral Experience

Automotive

Consumer Research

Financial Sector

Internet Research

Packaging & Retailing

Pharmaceuticals & Health

Telecom & Mobile

IBS has a long history of carrying out ad hoc specialised studies for individual clients, focusing on specific sub-sectors and competitive opportunities, for multi-nationals and private equity investors

Much of the information developed for individual clients is confidential and IBS takes care to protect its clients’ interests. However, the detailed work carried out for individual clients gives IBS an unparalleled data base. It also means that IBS has staff who are able to research and write sector reports of particular depth.

IBS’s clients include many of the world’s leading companies, as well as governmental institutions. These institutions include the Department of Trade and Industry, London; ICEX, Madrid; ICE, Rome; and Jetro, Tokyo. With the sole exception of Jetro, all these are clients for whom IBS carried out three or more projects, confirming the quality of the work it executes.

Focus Group: Size, Selection & Facility and Location of Facility

Type of location: Central city, free-standing building

Number of focus group rooms (with viewing) at IBS premises: 1

Capacity of the focus group room: 8 participants

Capacity of the viewing room: 8 people seated

Recruitment techniques: Database, snowballing

Selection criterion: No participation in a focus group in the last 6 months

Special audiences recruited:

High-tech

Medical professionals

Seniors

Children

Business executives

Teenagers

Upper social class

Facility Features

Viewing room with one-way mirror

Simultaneous translation

TV and VHS video player

Audio recording

Viewing room video communication

Viewing room audio communication

Fixed camera video taping

Head phones in viewing room

Simultaneous translation voice-over

Note-taking

Nearby hotels:

Walking distance

Hilton-Istanbul (5*): 10 min

Macka Hotel (4*): 2 min

ParkSA Hilton (4*): 8 min

Swiss Hotel (5*): 10 min

Short drive

Ceylan Intercontinental (5*): 5 min

Ciragan Palace Kempinski (5*): 10 min

Conrad Hilton (5*): 10 min

Hyatt Regency (5*): 5 min

Other Services

Internet Research

Internet, Telecommunications and Information Technology Reports

Are you developing the Internet strategy for your company?

Do you need to know how Turkish Internet usage is developing?

Are you on-line and need more business?

IBS has the answers you need to grow your business with its Internet surveys and Internet advisory team. Internet usage is just taking off in Turkey. In 2000, ISP subscribers have been rising at 10% per month. IBS has dedicated itself to assisting Turkish and foreign companies join the growth of Turkey’s New Economy.

IBS’s Internet range comprises the first such surveys in Turkey, with each survey combining specialist marketing research and analysis by IBS’s dedicated consultants.

The authoritativeness of IBS’s surveys is recognised by professionals and media. Its reports are also a point of reference for the country’s Internet High Board. IBS’s Internet Range was launched in July 2000 and is being expanded and updated each four months. IBS’s Internet Suite

Published to date:

Turkish Internet Sector Survey

Turkish Business User Survey

Turkish Internet User Survey

E-retailing in Turkey

E-banking in Turkey

E-media in Turkey

New Techniques

IBS is the Turkish partner of Global Market Insite, using its advanced web-based applications to measure local, regional or even global markets at the speed of the Internet. GMI's on-line survey engine allows IBS’s market researchers to deliver real-time market measurement methods based

Energy

IBS has carried out a wide range of consultancy projects for major international corporations interested in the opportunities created by the opening of Turkey's energy sector to private investment. It has also worked in most of the countries in its region.

IBS' Research & Consultancy's specialist team assists companies involved in the supply and distribution of electricity and natural gas. Our experts analyse the regulatory environment, study present consumption and generation patterns, and develop demand forecasts. IBS also tracks cross-border developments affecting Turkey, as well as the development of U.S. policy on issues such as Iran and the Eurasian Transportation Corridor. IBS has also worked for seven oil majors from the US and Europe on fuel and lubricants distribution.

IBS's experience covers electricity energy, natural gas, oil and LPG. It involves projects carried out in Turkey as well as appraisals of the energy sectors of Romania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Southern Russia, Romania, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, in all of which IBS has carried out relevant projects.

IBS is accustomed to working with leading international consultancy companies and for public sector clients such as the World Bank and European Commission.

Information Technology

IBS has long experience in assisting leading international and Turkish information technology companies develop their businesses in the Turkish market. Our clients for advisory services and market research include:

Operators of land-based systems

Operators of satellite systems

Ground station and handsett producers

Distributors

Computer manufacturers

Backbone companies

System integrators

Building on this experience, we have started publishing a range of specialist studies which we continually extend and update. Our web site gives examples from the wide range of projects which our specialist team of consultants has carried out. We are always pleased to prepare a proposal and quote for specific research.

Multi-client Sectoral and Sub-sector Studies

IBS has a long history of carrying out sectoral studies for clients in Turkey and Central Asia. These studies are of two types:

Multi-client publications giving the details of a sector, published as detailed sector reports, available on-line or in shorter form in IBS's 950-page Doing Business in Turkey (DBT), a quarterly-updated reference service.

Ad hoc specialised services for individual clients, focusing on specific sub-sectors and competitive opportunities. IBS carries these out for the world’s leading companies and for private equity investors.

In this section of our web site, you can find details of our publications as well as of some of the 1,700 projects we have carried out. These projects has given us a unique and regularly updated data base of best business practices in Turkey and its region.

Advisory Services

IBS Research & Consultancy assists the world's leading companies build their businesses in Turkey and Central Asia. We have worked for seven of the top 12 companies in the US and seven of the top 10 in Europe, many on a repeat basis. The 1,700 projects carried out by our specialist staff include all commercially significant sectors, ranging from energy and automotive, through to construction and telecommunications. Contact us and we will be happy to provide a detailed quotation, setting out what we can - and cannot - do.