Putting the Customer First
How Progressive Organizations are Creating
Qualitative Web Communities inside their
Quantitative Custom Panel
Aprille Byam :: Kodak
Geoff Day :: SIRIUS Satellite Radio (CDN)
Jason Smith :: Vision Critical

Presentation Outline
 Part I: Overview - Panel / Community
 Part II: Examples – SIRIUS & Kodak
 Part III: Conclusion – Q & A

Custom Panel Defined
A custom online panel is targeted group of customers (or
potentials) whom you engage with and learn from over time.
• Typically quantitative (surveys)
• Two-way private feedback
• Topics and studies controlled by company
• 1,000’s or 10,000’s of panelists

Community Defined
An online community is targeted group of customers (or
potentials) whom you engage with and learn from over time.
Typically qualitative (discussion forums, chats)
•
Three-way open feedback (company or customer initiated)
•
Semi-controlled, semi-organic
•
Feedback (posts) shared openly among participants
•
100’s of participants
•

Common Elements
• Invitation only, private environments
• Company sponsored and/or owned by the client
• Category specific
• Exclusive, or at least foster a sense of insider exclusivity
Well profiled, with participants having been pre-screened
•
Multi-media capable (photos, video etc.)
•
Panel
(quant)
Community
(qual)

Integrating Both
Quantitative Panel with Breakout Communities of
10,000 panelists 300, still part of the panel
Invite panelists to
additionally participate in
ongoing qualitative
discussions. Seamlessly
run smaller breakout
groups of varying sizes.
Can be both open
member generated
content or directed tasks.
Interact with your target
segments through quantitative
surveys

Getting it started…

Once they are a Panel member….
They can participate in surveys…

Once they are a Panel member….
Get Feedback Through Newsletters…

Panel provides the quant. reporting

Now carve out a community….
Panel
Community

Once a Panel + Community member….
Participate in discussions, chats…

Once a Panel + Community member….
Upload photos…

Once a Panel + Community member….
Quick-polls…

Once a Panel + Community member….
And various other tasks…
• Post ratings
• Change styles & views
• Use Emoticons
• Pin Favorites
• Personal profiles/avatars
• Create new topics
• Add friends
• See who is online

Community provides the qual
feedback

Interplay between panel + community
Idea Idea
Idea
Idea
Start by brainstorming ideas in your community

Interplay between panel + community
Panel
(quant)
Community
(qual)
Take the 10 ideas that were generated in the
community and go back to the broader panel
with a quantitative concept sort

Interplay between panel + community
Panel
(quant)
Community
(qual)
Take the 3 concept sort winners from the panel and
dissect them further within the community

Interplay between panel + community
Panel
(quant)
Community
(qual)
Go back to quant panel with the changes and more
developed concepts to pick winner

Interplay between panel + community
Panel
(quant)
Community
(qual)
Can continue the cycle by going back to the
community to brainstorm positioning and next
stage ideas of winning concept

Approaches to Community

Open House Example – SIRIUS Satellite Radio.

Why an Online Customer Panel?
“Voice of the Customer” to drive business decisions
Capitalize on the inherent passion of our fans and customers
Fast and effective research capabilities
Ability to integrate multimedia components

Example – SIRIUS Satellite Radio
2006
Launch of Our Panel

SIRIUS SoundBoard Recruiting
Recruited 6,400 to
date….
- eNewsletter
- Call Center
- Online Ads
- eMail

Customer Understanding is our
Research Focus
Retail Studies
Listening Studies
Hardware Studies
Customer
Satisfaction
Programming
Studies
“Quick Hits”

Why an Online Community?
Elevated ability to recruit members
Panelist retention
Ability to add qualitative elements to quantitative studies
Ongoing customer insight and improvement suggestions

The SIRIUS SoundBoard Community
2007
Launch Community

SIRIUS Panelist Personalization
Profile
Personalization
Private
Conversations
Participation
Rating

Keys to Success for an Online Panel
Corporate wide commitment
Prepare for ongoing maintenance
React to both positive and negative feedback
Qualitative benefits need to drive panelist participation

Next Steps for the SoundBoard
Bigger is Better
Continued refinement of panelist benefits
The Next Wave: OEM
Why only External to the organization?

VIP Community Example – Kodak.

Community to Panel to Both
2004: Built Online Community about Digital
Photography
Pro:
• Helped Brand
Con:
• Missing Quant.
• Feed the Beast
2004 2006 2007
Community Custom Panel Panel &
Community

Community to Panel to Both
2006: Create Proprietary Panel of Product Registrants
Pro:
- Rapid quant. research
Con:
- Limited demographics
2004 2006 2007
Community Custom Panel Panel &
Community

Community to Panel to Both
2007: Build Inkjet Panel & Community
-Quant. & Qual. Mix
- 5,000 panelists
owning any brand of
printer
-Link past to present
studies
- 250 person micro
communities
- Variety topics /
forums
2004 2006 2007
Community Custom Panel Panel &
Community

Activities to Engage the Community
1. Co-Creation:
Throw Paint Around
2. Test New Ways
to Old Questions
3. Mentor
Connections
4. Community
Moderators

The Interplay of Panel & Community
We participate & embed
Quantitative Panel
Qualitative Community

The Interplay of Panel & Community
We participate & embed
Trendspotting

The Interplay of Panel & Community
We participate and
embed
Trendspotting
The panel verifies
topics uncovered in
the community

What Are They Saying - Newsletter
“I print lots of
historical stuff for
the area historical
groups. Just printed
1500 pages for a
“home tour”.”
“A cutout plan for a
paper trebuchet”
“Skin cancer spots
so my daughters use
suntan lotion”
“A scanned slice of
Liver Cheese lunch
meat”

Insights Gained
1. Member to
Member Connection

Insights Gained
1. Member to
Member Connection
2. Increase
Engagement

Insights Gained
1. Member to
Member Connection
2. Increase
Engagement
3. Create Explorers

Insights Gained
1. Member to
Member Connection
“You need to make this \"Print
Rave\" community more
2. Increase
interesting, fun, and rewarding Engagement
…. Give me something to get
excited about and \"rave\"
3. Create Explorers
about. Nuff said!”
4. Members Want
More

Keys to Success
Allow and Facilitate Hierarchy, Creativity & Identity
“I belong” Incentives
Recruit Externally
Create a healthy balance
Communicate Internally
Get Legal and Brand On-side Early

Next Steps for the Kodak PrintRave
More co-creation, concept ideation and testing
In-depth discussions and probes of key sub-groups
Behavioral & Shopping Insights
White space!
Regional Expansion

Summary
• Custom Panels and Communities play well together
• Inform your quant. with your qual. inside one environment
• Run forums for as long as makes sense (weeks/months/years)
• Many ways to build communities (open house vs. VIP)
• Many techniques and tasks: surveys, quick polls, discussion
forums, blogs, photo galleries, rich media exercises
• Target very specific groups (teens who like gadgets, live in the Northeast,
didn’t like your last ad campaign and had great ideas for a new product)

Thanks.
We’d be happy to take any questions.
Aprille Byam (Kodak)
Geoff Day (SIRIUS Satellite Radio Canada)
Jason Smith (Vision Critical)