QIDO Saves Clients Time and Money
By: Robin Cohen
What comes to mind when you hear the word research? For many, the word evokes thoughts of time and money. That may be the case for traditional research, but not for clients of Focus on Food. The company has developed a new research process called QIDOTM, short for Qualitative Iterative Development & Optimization, which not only lessens a company’s time and expenses, but is contributing to more successful product launches.
QIDOTM differs from traditional research methods in several ways, the most predominant of which is the amount of time needed between qualitative groups. Traditionally, research is conducted in stages, and typically it takes weeks or even months to analyze the results and revise the study in between each stage.
Using the QIDO approach, different stages of research can be conducted within days of each other at the test site. This is because Focus on Food incorporates consumer-led revisions resulting from early stages of research into latter groups. As a result, there is no need to conduct additional rounds of research at later dates, thereby minimizing the overall cost associated with staging additional product and team travel.
Iterative development processes are not new, but the way Focus on Food uses the approach is.
Ron Marks, president of Focus on Food, says that QIDOTM is a culmination of nearly 10 years of experience working with both chain operators and manufacturers in the areas of strategic menu/marketing and targeted product development.
“We effectively built upon what worked, adding our own processes to make them work even better,” explains Marks. “As a result, we can accomplish in three days what may otherwise take months.”
The QIDOTM approach incorporates a combination of qualitative and quantitative techniques and processes. In addition, written exercises are part of the research, thereby neutralizing any individual or group bias.
Clients that have used the QIDOTM process say it has helped improve their research efforts, making their product launches more profitable.
“The iterative process has become an integral part of our culinary development and consumer testing procedure,” says Michael Breed, of Brinker International. “Getting rich qualitative feedback on new products in the early stages of their development has set us up for success down the development cycle. I am certain that the QIDOTM process has helped us increase the success rate of new product launches.”
In addition to saving time and money,QIDOTM can integrate various aspects of a product’s marketing program to offer feedback that is truly holistic. Companies can test packaging and messaging ideas with the same groups who are providing product input, yielding more relevant insight.
To learn more about QIDOTM, contact Focus on Food at (770) 300-0168.
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