The marketing highway is littered with products and services that have failed, and the failure rate is very high. Numerous research methods are available in the kit bag but the power tool for new and existing product and service testing is the clinic. The strength of the clinic lies in the use of both quantitative and qualitative aspects to evaluate new and existing products and services in a static and/or dynamic environment.

In the past, clinics have principally been utilised by automotive manufacturers, but their application potential is far ranging - from auto to web page design and most other products and services in between.

Before commitment is made to release a new product or service, the clinic can assess if any of the proposed concepts have what it takes to be successful. The clinic identifies how consumers perceive new concepts and how these relate to existing products and services available on the market. In some instances features need to be fine-tuned to increase the concept’s chances of success. The clinic is exceptional in identifying strengths and weaknesses. As the clinic is conducted in a highly visual environment, consumers can make judgments about concept acceptance and pricing, which the marketer can translate into price positioning and volume estimation (i.e. feasibility study). Measures of brand equity and image can be taken, together with identifying prime target profiles and testing of advertising concepts.

Clinics can be conducted at various points in the development of new products and services, from early concept design to near market release to post launch positioning and futures planning scenarios, with different information objectives at each stage.

The power of information derived from a clinic offers an almost encyclopedic insight into the structure of existing and potential segments, enabling the marketer to make confident go/no go decisions. The marketer is also able to decisively write the marketing position document for the product or service and feed this in revised form into the advertising agency brief and the press release kit.

In the automotive field, for example, clinics can be used to:

1. Assess product acceptance of new model range (Company A) versus a range of competitive models (Companies B, C, D and E)

2. Determine product strengths and weaknesses of each new model body style variant (e.g. 3 door, 4 door and 5 door)

3. Assess the viability of the strategic direction of the new model range by body style variant

4. What if? - without a certain body style or engine size (e.g. 4 versus 6 cylinder) in the new model range, determine which other body style variant or engine size is more likely to draw customers

5. Determine price sensitivity and positioning of the new model range, and implications for sales volume

6. Determine target consumers for each new model body style variant in terms of lifestyle, demographics, usage, attitudes and media consumption

7. Suggest suitable name for body style variant

8. Perceptions and awareness of brand and corporation (Company A) compared to competitors

9. Determine level of interest in optional equipment.

Sampling is critical to the outcome of the quality of research results. In my work, for example, we randomly telephone people and ask them if they have purchased model X, Y or Z of a new car in the past five years. Only those who have are invited to attend the clinic, which can involve a commitment of up to two and half hours (if both the quantitative and qualitative components are completed).

Upon arrival at the clinic, participants are asked to complete the first half of the questionnaire – current vehicle ownership, usage, attitudes, demographics, perceptions etc. The second half of the questionnaire is completed in an area where the new model range (Company A) and competitor models are displayed in static mode (new model unbranded, others branded). However, a dynamic mode can be used as well, such as assessment after a test drive. Questions in this section relate to product strength and weaknesses, image perceptions, price positioning, likeliness to buy and so on. At the completion of each quantitative session a selection of 10 participants are then asked to participate in a focus group discussion, fleshing out the answers given in the questionnaire. Other stimulus material can be introduced such as advertising concepts. Focus group types can be a mixture of Company A, competitor companies, body style types, females, males, mixed gender etc.

Lastly, I have then found that it is important to weight questionnaire data on participant vehicle ownership to reflect the true nature of market segment opinion.

For more information, email vatoveca@senet.com.au

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