Mystery Shopping
Data-Rich Methods
Exploratory Methods
MYSTERY SHOPPING
With over 100,000 mystery shops completed, we provide unique insights into how a business, brand or product can be further improved. Our team of specialists ensure every mystery shopping report will lead to actionable plans
Case Study below
ACCOMPANIED SHOPPING
Ideal for discovering how a shopper acts in-store, our researcher accompanies a recruited shopper to observe first-hand how and why a consumer shops in a particular way. We learn about products the consumer is drawn to, how they understand promotions & how they interact.
Case Study below
ONLINE PANEL
With access to the largest and highest quality online panels in Ireland, the UK and the EU, online research is at the core of our offering to clients. This method is ideal for brand awareness measurement, advertising and marcomms tests, and deep-dive research analysis.
INTERCEPT INTERVIEWS
With access to a nationwide field force of interviewers in both Ireland and the UK, at Catalyst we conduct face-to-face intercept surveys, in-store surveys, exit surveys and street intercept research.
DEPTH INTERVIEWS
Depth interviews are often used in business-to-business research where the subject matter is confidential or very complex. Catalyst uses this method when a client business needs very specific and valuable insights.
Case Study below
FOCUS GROUPS
Focus groups will provide insights into what stimulates and motivates customers so that clients’ can explore the best ways to market to their audience. This exploration of motivations allows the brand owner to better communicate with the the target market.
Case Study Below
Catalyst’s SMM (Social Media Monitor)
Our new SMM is a cost-effective way of condensing all social media reviews into one place. We can provide this at a global level or right down to store level, across all main SM sources/platforms.
We consolidate scores onto one single rating scale and include all commentaries / verbatim comments. Our on-line reporting platform allows drill down by SM source and provides scoring for ‘industry best practice’ questions by store.
Case Studies
‘How can we test a good night’s sleep at 35,000 feet?’
We get those high-flying clients to lie down, make themselves comfortable, and trust us with their feelings.
The national airline Aer Lingus needed to make a crucial multi-million Euro decision on the best new lie-flat seat/bed for its business class, trans-Atlantic and long-haul routes.
Catalyst created an elaborate ‘in-flight’ setting in Dublin’s Convention Centre to mirror the in-flight experience. Over 50 frequent-flying business guest and travel industry experts were recruited. They tested three different seats by lying down and getting a real feel for the roominess and comfort of each one. We conducted one-to-one interviews with every guest as they tried-out each seat to identify the most suitable option for this important customer group.
Catalyst’s findings, presented to the airline’s board, provided the assurance needed to make a thoroughly informed decision. The ‘lie-flat’ seat is now standard on all trans-Atlantic business class aircraft.
‘We invested a lot in the brand and advertising in the UK and Ireland. We need to know what worked and what didn’t work last Christmas.’
Keep customers coming back through focus groups.
A multi-branch retailer wanted to find out how well it had met the needs of customers in the crucial pre-Christmas shopping period and to pinpoint which marketing elements were most effective.
We carried out focus groups with customers and non-customers in key regions throughout the UK and Ireland. Our sessions were the ideal setting for shoppers to discuss their retail and online shopping behaviour, perceptions of our client and its competitors, Black Friday, sales promotions and much more.
Here’s how the results for our client guided their future marketing strategy:
We highlighted missed opportunities in their communications strategy and proposed recommendations for following years.
We identified the most cost-effective and customer-friendly promotions for use across the annual promotions cycle.
We explored the perceived weaknesses and strengths of the brand compared to competitors on key issues such as click & collect, the website experience and home-delivery service.
‘What is influencing our customers when they are in-store?’
Accompanying shoppers in store as they make brand choices.
A multi-national supermarket chain Tesco Ireland needed to make decisions about the most effective point-of-sale (POS) at its fresh produce displays in store.
Catalyst recruited real shoppers to take part in accompanied shopping research - where a researcher tracks shopping journeys around the store. After observing the shopper’s behaviour, shoppers are then interviewed to provide deeper insights on exactly how POS impacts on them and influences their brand and own-label choices.
The results for our client provided the basis for a re-formatting of POS materials including:
Which shelf-edge labels and pricing shelf-talkers received unprompted attention and provided a call-to-action.
What an acceptable level of POS signage is in each aisle to reinforce credibility of the message.
How important attributes of the produce aisles such as freshness, appearance, presentation, good merchandising and easy access has an impact on shopper actions.
‘I guess we are losing sales through patchy customer service but where do we start?’
Towards a new service process through telephone mystery shopping.
A nationwide motor group had problems with the consistency of customer management in its Service Departments. Our research identified and measured the gaps in its brand offering throughout its branch network.
Catalyst conducted mystery shopping by phone to each branch focusing on the initial customer contact. The research uncovered a wide variety of approaches to customer service, staff performance and branch performance.
The results for our client mapped out its customer management process and:
Identified where potential sales were being lost through poor customer service right from the initial point of contact with the customer.
Developed a new customer experience process to deliver consistency of service across the branch network.
‘We are educating future business leaders so we need to maintain future relevance.’
Keeping on course through depth interviews with industry leaders.
A Dublin University needed to get a clearer understanding of how industry viewed its courses and its graduates in the ever-changing business environment. The objective of our research was to uncover any perceived weaknesses in its market offering and to future-proof its course content.
We conducted depth interviews with MDs and CEOs in leading Irish and International companies. Face-to-face discussions revealed their views of the University brand, its courses and their requirements for suitably-skilled graduates in the coming decade.
The results for our client provided them with a clear understanding of what key skills their graduates were perceived as lacking. The University was able to adapt and improve its course offerings to maintain educational relevance, improve graduate career prospects and address future industry requirements.
