by We are fast approaching our Qual360 Europe 2021 conference on 20-21 October in Berlin, Germany. This week, we had the chance to speak to yet another global brand, Nestlé. Neil Patel the Group Lead Sensory and Consumer Insight for Dairy shares his thoughts on his upcoming presentation: Transitioning to face-to-face research while adapting to the new norm.
Qual360 Europe: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?
I would really like to share my experience on how Covid has changed the way we do research with consumers. In many ways, it has shown me how creative and agile we can be. If you would have told me we would regularly be running workshops online 18 months ago – I wouldn’t have believed you. But now it is the new norm. However, working with such a diverse group of consumers has also re-emphasized the importance of in-person research. In fact, it could be more important than ever!
Qual360 Europe: Why did you choose the topic of your talk?
Face-to-face research is something I have missed a lot during the pandemic. We have adapted to new ways of working but there is something about seeing consumers in their own environments which cannot be replicated online. However, there are a lot things to consider before deciding to go for a face-to-face piece of research.
Qual360 Europe: What motivates you to join QUAL360 2021 and what are your expectations?
I am really looking forward to sharing my experiences and connecting with colleagues in the industry. It has been an unprecedented 18 months. I am excited to hear about how others have adapted their research methods and what they have learnt. It will be great to connect with people from different businesses and agencies to see what is new in the field.
Qual360 Europe: There is a lot of talk about the current state of consumer insights and the impact of technology. How would you sum up the current state of qualitative research and the industry in 1-2 sentences?
With all that is happening in the world, consumer insights is now more important than ever. With the development of things like machine learning, we have never been in a stronger position to deliver better quality insights, faster and more cost-effectively. And with tools such as VR progressing so rapidly, it is exciting to see how things unfold.
Qual360 Europe: Please share your thoughts on the impact of COVID-19 on qualitative research and consumer insight in general.
Consumer behaviour has changed significantly because of Covid 19 and qualitative research has been turned on its head. Consumer habits have changed hugely and depending on where you are in the world, those changes vary significantly. I have really enjoyed adapting our methods to continue getting to our consumers and learn how they have adjusted to the new normal.
Want to hear about the latest market research innovations, trends, and techniques? Join Neil Patel and 60+ A-list speakers from Unilever, Google, Philips, L’Oréal, GSK, Tik Tok, Weleda, RB, Danone, Twitch, Credit Suisse and many more at the Qual360 Europe 2021 and MRMW Europe 2021.
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