I. Introduction
The industrial market refers to the market with industrial products and services as the main content, including raw materials, equipment, parts, tools, software, consulting, maintenance and other industrial supplies and services. The characteristics of the industrial market are: the number of customers is small and scattered, the demand is large and stable, the purchasing process is complex and professional, the competition forms are diverse and fierce, and the market changes quickly and uncertainly. Therefore, industrial market research services have important value and significance for industrial enterprises or institutions to help them to:
Understand the market size, structure, distribution, demand, supply, competition, channels, trends and other aspects of the information, evaluate the opportunities and risks of the market, and determine the goals and positioning of the market;
Understand the characteristics of customers, needs, preferences, satisfaction, loyalty, behavior, influencing factors, etc., establish customer portraits and relationships, and improve customer satisfaction and loyalty;
Understand the strategy, strengths, weaknesses, dynamics, reactions and other aspects of competitors, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, and formulate effective competitive strategies and countermeasures;
Understand the information of their own products, services, brands, innovation, quality, efficiency, cost, etc., evaluate their own advantages and disadvantages, optimize their own products and services, and improve their competitiveness and efficiency;
Understand the changes and trends of the market, the development direction and potential of the market, grasp the opportunities and challenges of the market, and formulate reasonable development plans and goals.
Industrial market research service is a professional, systematic and scientific activity, which requires the use of a variety of methods and technologies, follows certain processes and norms, and refers to some successful cases and experiences. From the perspective of experts, this paper introduces the common methods, processes and cases of industrial market research services, aiming to provide reference and guidance for the practice and application of industrial market research.
2. Methodology
The methods of industrial market research services are mainly divided into two main categories: qualitative research and quantitative research. Qualitative research refers to the collection and analysis of deep-level, subjective and non-numerical information of the industrial market through unstructured or semi-structured methods, so as to reveal the essence and connotation of the industrial market, discover the problems and opportunities of the industrial market, and generate hypotheses and theories of the industrial market.
Quantitative research refers to the collection and analysis of superficial, objective and numerical information of the industrial market through a structured or standardized way to verify the assumptions and theories of the industrial market, measure the current situation and future of the industrial market, and evaluate the impact and effect of the industrial market. The relationship between qualitative and quantitative research is complementary and often needs to be used in combination to achieve a comprehensive and in-depth industrial market research.
Common methods for qualitative research are:
In-depth interviews. In-depth interview refers to a one-on-one, open-ended and flexible dialogue with relevant personnel in the industrial market (such as customers, competitors, channel providers, experts, etc.) through face-to-face or other means to obtain their views, feelings, experiences, suggestions and other information on the industrial market.
The advantage of in-depth interviews is that they can obtain rich, detailed and authentic information, explore the motivations, attitudes, behaviors and other deep-seated factors of the industrial market, and discover new problems and opportunities in the industrial market. The disadvantages of in-depth interviews are that they are time-consuming and labor-intensive, difficult to sample and generalize, and difficult to quantify and generalize.
Focus groups. Focus group refers to inviting 6-10 relevant personnel in the industrial market (such as customers, competitors, channel providers, experts, etc.) to form a group, and a moderator guides them to have a free, interactive and collective discussion on a certain topic in the industrial market, so as to obtain their opinions, feelings, experiences, suggestions and other information on the industrial market.
The advantage of focus groups is that they can obtain diverse, dynamic and complementary information, which can stimulate ideas and ideas in the industrial market, and can observe the interaction and impact of the industrial market. The disadvantage of focus groups is that they are affected by the personalities, atmosphere, and moderators of the participants, and are difficult to control and record, and difficult to quantify and generalize.
Scenario simulation. Scenario simulation refers to the design of some scenarios related to the industrial market, so that the relevant personnel of the industrial market (such as customers, competitors, channel providers, experts, etc.) play a certain role in the scenario, and carry out simulated, practical and experiential activities to obtain their reactions, behaviors, results and other information about the industrial market.
The advantage of scenario simulation is that intuitive, practical, and experiential information can be obtained, the real environment and situation of the industrial market can be simulated, and the feasibility and effectiveness of the industrial market can be tested. The disadvantages of scenario simulation are that it is costly, difficult to design and implement, and difficult to quantify and generalize.
Common methods for quantitative research are:
Questionnaires. Questionnaire survey refers to the design of a questionnaire containing multiple structured or standardized questions, to the relevant personnel in the industrial market (such as customers, competitors, channel providers, experts, **, etc.) to send or send, let them fill in or answer according to certain rules and formats, in order to obtain their data, evaluation, opinions and other information on the industrial market.
The advantage of questionnaire survey is that it can obtain a large amount of objective and numerical information, can be statistically analyzed and inferred, and can compare and summarize the differences and laws of the industrial market. The disadvantage of questionnaire survey is that it is difficult to ensure the quality and validity of information due to the influence of factors such as questionnaire design, sampling method, ** rate, and authenticity of answers.
Experimental research. Experimental research refers to the design of some experiments related to the industrial market, so that the relevant personnel of the industrial market (such as customers, competitors, channel providers, experts, etc.) play a certain role in the experiment, and carry out controlled, repetitive, and comparative activities to obtain information such as their reactions, behaviors, and results to the industrial market.
The advantages of experimental research are that accurate, reliable, causal information can be obtained, interference factors in the industrial market can be controlled and eliminated, and hypotheses and theories of the industrial market can be verified and tested. The disadvantages of experimental research are that they are costly, difficult to design and implement, and difficult to simulate and generalize.
Observational studies. Observation and research refers to the systematic, continuous and recorded observation of relevant personnel (such as customers, competitors, channel providers, experts, etc.) or related phenomena (such as products, services, brands, innovation, quality, efficiency, costs, etc.) in the industrial market through direct or indirect means, so as to obtain information on their behavior, status, changes and other aspects of the industrial market.
The advantage of observation and research is that natural, real-time and dynamic information can be obtained, which can intuitively reflect the real situation and changes of the industrial market, and can discover new problems and trends in the industrial market. The disadvantage of observational research is that it is affected by the observer's personality, environment, and observer, and it is difficult to control and record, and it is difficult to quantify and generalize.
3. Process
The process of industrial market research services mainly includes the following steps:
1) Determine the purpose of the research. Determining the purpose of research refers to clarifying the objectives and scope of industrial market research services, that is, what problems to solve, what information to obtain, and what effects to achieve. Determining the purpose of research is the starting point and direction of industrial market research services, and determines the content and methods of industrial market research services.
2) Design a research plan. Designing a research plan refers to the formulation of specific plans and arrangements for industrial market research services, including selecting research methods, determining research objects, designing research tools, formulating research budgets, and arranging research time. Designing research solutions is the core and key of industrial market research services, which determines the quality and efficiency of industrial market research services.
3) Carrying out research activities. The execution of research activities refers to the specific operation of implementing industrial market research services in accordance with the research plan, including collecting research data, recording the research process, supervising the progress of the research, and solving the research problems. Performing research activities is the practice and process of industrial market research services, which determines the data and information of industrial market research services.
4) Analyze the results of the study. Analyzing research results refers to the systematic, scientific and logical processing and interpretation of the data and information of industrial market research services, including sorting out research data, using research techniques, drawing research conclusions, and putting forward research suggestions. The analysis and research results are the output and results of industrial market research services, which determine the value and significance of industrial market research services.
5) Write research reports.