by Youth Qual Research: Balancing Human Insight and Technology at Globe Group
Editor’s Note: Abel Capco is Head of Insights Business Partners, Customer Intelligence at Globe Group, one of the Philippines’ leading telecommunications companies. As a driving force behind Globe’s youth-focused insights work, he will be speaking at the upcoming QUAL360 APAC Summit, taking place on October 14–15, 2025, in Singapore. He will be joined by insights and research leaders from global brands including PepsiCo, Google, Microsoft, Asia Pacific Breweries, Whole Earth Brands, and more. Below is a preview of the key themes Abel will explore in his session at the summit.
QUAL360: What motivates you to join the QUAL360 APAC conference, and what is the core message of your talk?
Abel: I see this as a unique opportunity to gain fresh perspectives and inspiring experiences from leading minds in qualitative research across the region, and beyond. It will also be a valuable chance for me to share our work on youth research, given Globe’s deliberate focus on this segment.
My talk will revolve around the need for the right balance of human and tech in approaching sensitive research among the youth. This helps uncover their deeper truths that will enable brands to craft more relevant propositions and offers that truly resonate, and eventually, win this segment.
QUAL360: How has this impacted your own work and your organisation?
Abel: Telco is often seen as a commodity, and without being intentional, it is challenging to develop a strong and meaningful relationship with customers. Knowing the youth intimately fuels a shift in mindset that allows the organization to see them not merely as subscribers but as whole human beings. This has given birth to programs that cater to their academics, passion points, and even their desire for growth and upskilling as they prepare for the future. All these have resulted in greater relevance to the younger generation, which can potentially lead to stronger affinity and higher customer lifetime value.
QUAL360: How has QUAL360 as a practice evolved in the last couple of years, and how would you like to see it evolve in the next few?
Abel: Since the pandemic, we have seen the accelerated adoption of technology in the way we do qualitative research – from the use of online modalities for remote moderation, to leveraging AI to get a quick summary of each session. Obviously, there are still limitations and challenges, but continuous innovation points us to a proximal future where technology will be deeply integrated into the qualitative research process, drastically improving our interviewing capacity and speed to insight.
We may see more qual-at-scale solutions that can provide the nuanced insight of qualitative research and still be generalizable to the total population – something which was traditionally exclusive to quantitative research. The line between Qual and Quant will likely continue to blur, paving the way for a richer and more holistic understanding of our customers.
QUAL360: Given this evolution, what are two expected and two less obvious skills qual researchers should possess, and why?
Abel: It goes without saying that tech fluency will be a basic requirement. We should also be comfortable with different online platforms that can facilitate or enrich our research findings. Prompt engineering will also be very beneficial as we will continue to work with different AI tools.
Given the convergence of qual and quant research, practitioners must cultivate hybrid thinking which will allow them to interpret qualitative information in the broader context of human behavior provided by quantitative data. It’s also worth brushing up on basic statistical analysis to effectively interpret quantitative signals.
QUAL360: Apart from work, what can delegates at the event talk to you about? Do you have any particular personal interests, hobbies or extracurricular activities and engagements?
Abel: I’m an avid consumer of entertainment content. I usually watch anime, as well as Western and Korean series and films.
When I’m not glued to my phone screen, I like to dabble in a lot of things – badminton, running, swimming, and most recently, learning the cello. Still miles away from being a virtuoso, but I’m making steady progress.
QUAL360: Thank you so much, Abel. We are excited to hear more from you at QUAL360 Singapore!
Join Asia’s Only Conference Focused on Qualitative Research – QUAL360 APAC 2025
📅 October 14–15, 2025 | Singapore
Qual360 is the only global conference series dedicated to qualitative market research. With its 17+ Years of Driving Innovation in Qualitative Research, it is a unique event catering to a strong global community of dedicated “Quallies”. At QUAL360 APAC, you’ll discover the latest research methodologies, explore real-world case studies from global brands, and network with top-tier insights professionals from across the region.
2025 speaker highlights include: PepsiCo Foods – Associate Director, Insights; Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore – Head of Insights (CMI) & Innovations; Google APAC – Head of Brand & Consumer Insights; Whole Earth Brands – International Marketing Director; Microsoft – Principal Design & Research Manager, Shiseido – Regional CMI Manager, and many more!
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