SampleCon 2018: The Top Discussion Topics and Trends From Austin

SampleCon 2018 was last week at the Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Austin, TX.  It was a great event again this year with a lot of discussions and insights from leaders in the sample industry.  Here are some of the big discussion topics and trends we observed:

Data Quality

This was probably the biggest topic at SampleCon this year. Data fraud is $1 billion a year problem that is affecting not only the sample industry, but market research as a whole. For this problem, there doesn’t seem to be an easy fix for either. As new ways to combat fraud are introduced, fraudsters find new and innovative ways to game the system.  Several avenues for long-term solutions are being pursued, including incorporating more technology, automation and artificial intelligence into sample and project management processes to better identify fraud.

Data Standardization

Another big topic of conversation was around data standardization, and if it would be part of the future of the industry.  Could it include a standard that all companies in the industry will adhere or will there be some sort of universal profiling that all companies can access? One big development that did come out was that many in the industry committed to a standardization of variables. These companies included Lucid, SoapBox, Cint, Ipsos, P2Sample, PeanutLabs, and many more.

Improving Response Rates

There was a lot of talk around how to improve response rates among panel participants. We, as an industry, know this is a big problem since 70% of respondents have had a bad experience. What would entice a respondent to participate in another study when the last one left a bad taste in their mouth? We really need to take better care of our respondents.  This could be accomplished through a variety of avenues, like changing the ways surveys are done to be more respondent friendly, asking for more feedback from respondents about their experience, to even potentially being more selective and/or involved as sample providers in the projects we launch to our panelists to ensure there isn’t a poor user experience.

Industry Disruption

Many investors in the market research industry agree that the industry is ripe for disruption, which they view as an opportunity. What can be a main disruptor for the industry will be new and innovative ways technology is incorporated into the entire research process. The organization that brings a innovative or new concept to market will become the market leader.

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