Trends Report

Brief: Leverage Ethnographic Research To Fully Understand Your Customers

Don't Risk Customer Understanding Bias By Overrelying On Net Promoter Scores And Customer Satisfaction Surveys

January 29th, 2015
Nupur Singh Andley, null
Nupur Singh Andley
With contributors:
Michael Barnes , Harley Manning , Anjali Dhupar

Summary

A comprehensive understanding of customers is critical for driving sustainable improvements in the customer experience (CX). To build a holistic view of the customer, organizations employ two types of research: quantitative techniques that collect data regarding customers' experiences with them and qualitative ethnographic research that helps reveal hidden customer attributes by observing them in their natural environment. While both of these methodologies are imperative for building a sound customer understanding, the majority of organizations in Asia Pacific still rely heavily on quantitative research techniques such as the Net Promoter Score and customer satisfaction surveys to measure the quality of their CX. This report highlights the importance of ethnographic research and the challenges that organizations face when they base strategic decisions solely on quantitative research. It also provides recommendations for CX professionals seeking to maximize their investments in ethnographic studies.

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