Business & Professional Services Case Studies

Corporate image and reputation

Swiss Re

In 2000, 2003 and 2005 we worked with the global re-insurance company Swiss Re to assess its brand among its key international stakeholders. The survey also examines service delivery and the evolving needs of stakeholders. In the latest wave of the research, we conducted around qualitative interviews with clients, other stakeholders (journalists, investors, analysts and brokers), and Swiss Re's client services managers and senior managers (up to and including the main board). The results are used to manage Swiss Re's reputation and to inform its business and communications strategy.

Develop and test new products

"A major actuary / consultancy firm"

A survey at the end of 2006 involved in-depth interviews with a sample of clients of a major actuary/consultancy, to assess likely reactions to the launch of a proposed new investment product.  The interviews, conducted at very short notice (another agency turned down the assignment as ‘impossible' in the time), gave very clear indications of the best direction in which to develop.

A leading UK specialist IT consultancy

Ipsos MORI conducted a qualitative study in 2004 on behalf of a leading UK specialist IT consultancy, exploring organisations' key operational information requirements for managing customer operations. The study was also used to test the client's proposition for improving operational efficiencies and control. A total of 21 in-depth interviews were conducted face-to-face and by telephone with Chief Operating Officers and equivalent job functions working in large financial services and public sector organisations. The findings were used to develop marketing materials to assist the selling of the client's proposition to potential customers.

Measure and raise customer satisfaction

Euronext.liffe

Ipsos MORI has conducted seven annual customer satisfaction studies for Euronext.liffe, the electronics futures exchange, across Europe. In the most recent study, undertaken in 2004, we interviewed a total of 350 front office traders, back office and IT staff about their experiences of and attitudes towards Euronext.liffe's trading platform and overall service. We conducted interviews among its customers in 14 countries, including UK, US, France, Netherlands, Germany, Japan and Singapore. The findings are used as a performance monitor and as an input to strategic and business planning.

Position as thought leaders

Barclays Financial Planning

In 2006-2007, Ipsos MORI conducted a telephone survey for Barclays Financial Planning, looking at attitudes towards all aspects of financial planning among UK SMEs. In particular, the survey focussed on succession planning, retirement plans, business protection, and help and support. We conducted 200 interviews with owners / directors of small private businesses, varying in size from sole traders to medium-sized firms. The survey was used to raise awareness of the issues around succession planning, in a direct marketing campaign and fed into Barclays Financial Planning's toolkit for its advisors.

KPMG

In 2005, we conducted a global study for KPMG examining the experiences of CFOS, senior managers and directors involved with the post-deal management of a recent merger or acquisition. We conducted 121 interviews among both corporate and private equity organisations across Europe, North America, Asia and South Africa. The study was used to develop PR and marketing material for KPMG's corporate transactions division.

Socia

The business partnerships company, Socia, commissioned Ipsos MORI to conduct a survey among major UK public and private sector organisations looking at the attitude towards and experiences of collaborative business partnerships. A total of 92 telephone quantitative interviews were completed in December 2006. The findings from the survey have been used by Socia for marketing purposes and to establish them as thought leaders in this space.

CBI

Ipsos MORI has a long-established relationship with the CBI and has conducted many surveys of their members and other businesses over several years. Typically, the findings are featured prominently in the CBI's annual conference each November. In recent years the focus has been on:

• 2002 and 2003 : the UK as an investment location, forming the centrepiece to the CBI's communications activity
• 2004: corporate security, covering issues of concern to business, actions being taken and who is turned to for advice. The survey was used to highlight what was seen as an increasing concern and received prominent UK press coverage
• 2005: innovation, spanning research in a number of countries, and helping businesses understand how commerce, academia and governments can work more effectively together to encourage and exploit innovation in industry.
• 2006: corporate taxation and international competitiveness, in which FTSE 350 companies and equivalent sized foreign-owned companies in the UK were interviewed. Findings revealed perceived complexity of tax regime, the resulting instability and uncertainty, inadequate consultation, massive compliance burden and pin-pointed particularly damaging taxes.

Membership surveys

ICAEW (Institute for Chartered Accountants in England and Wales)

Ipsos MORI has conducted a series of large scale surveys on behalf of the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) among its members in the UK and overseas. The surveys have examined attitudes towards possible integration with CIPFA (Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy) both pre and post-ballot (two ballots were held, one in October 2004 and the second in October 2005) and perceptions of the Institute's pre-ballot communications campaign. The pre-vote research fed directly into the Institute's strategic communications programme, while the post-vote sought to understand reasons for non-participation, reasons for voting against the merger and the impact of the ICAEW campaign.

Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)

Ipsos MORI has conducted four waves of an online survey for the CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) in 2005 which looks at the impact of future legislation on marketing, the role of marketers in organisations and anticipated future sales performance versus overall economic confidence. The most recent survey was completed in April 2007 and the results used for PR and marketing purposes by the CIM. Around 1,500 interviews are completed, a response rate of approximately 10%.

Researching small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

While much of our work involves surveying large, even global, companies, we also have extensive experience of research among the SME and sole-trader markets. When conducting research in this market we most typically speak with owner-managers, other board members or key personnel. Our reputation for high standards of professionalism and strong brand recognition help to secure high levels of co-operation.

In the last few years we have conducted research for:

• EEF (Engineering Employers Federation) exploring awareness and use of external suppliers for HR, health and safety, environmental and manufacturing performance issues, as well as focusing on their specific needs. The survey findings were presented to the EEF's Board.
• Barclays Financial Planning examining succession planning among SMEs. We explored whether SMEs had made succession plans or not, who they would consult for advice, and whether they anticipated that the business would be sold, continue to be run by the next generation, or liquidated.
• The Welsh Development Agency (WDA) to assess types of help and support most needed, and attitudes to running a business in Wales.
• Two waves of Scottish Enterprise's customer satisfaction survey. This involved interviewing around 1,500 companies in each wave of research, the majority of which are SMEs who have used Scottish Enterprise's services.
• Sir David Clementi's Review of the Regulatory Framework for Legal Services in England and Wales. Focus groups conducted among very small business examining their use of legal services.
• Springboard, a venture capital business, to better understand the experiences of those involved in Management Buy Ins (MBI).
• A government department, surveying businesses, mainly SMEs, that hold a consumer credit licence holders
• The Corporation of London to assess the business community's opinion of local services and related issues

We are also exploring the use of our online Access Panels to conduct research among UK SMEs. For further details about our Access Panels, please click on the link below, or contact David Axford if you would like to discuss this further, on 020 7347 3067.