Our team of people is grouped into "strands of expertise" so we can provide a service that utilises specialists according to client need.

The account management team are great listeners and having worked with organisations of all shapes and sizes, they know how and when to dig a little deeper. Their challenge of your brief and understanding of your objectives are the first steps in the process.

The next is for them to brief our qual or quant team, who will carry out desk research where appropriate and consider the best methods of gathering the information needed. On a major project or long term contract it may be that both teams will work together. If the project has been divided into stages, we will ensure a detailed presentation is given at the end of each stage, before moving on to the next.

Finally we analyse and interpret the information. The insight and intelligence gathered is completely reviewed; then the marketing and account management teams will draw conclusions and make strategic recommendations.

What we expect of clients

To get the best results from Explain and value from any budget it is essential to record the background to the project, it’s relevance and context within the business, the ideal (but achievable) timescale and the research objectives.

Regardless of the project size or client relationship we will then develop a detailed proposal and respond with a meeting or a short presentation if requested as part of a tender process. The proposal will outline all the deliverables and trading terms with staged invoicing if applicable.

Campaign Evaluation	Tracking Research
Social Marketing
Customer Service Excellence	Product / Service Development

Campaign Evaluation

Customer insight and proven communication of core messages lies at the heart of any successful campaign.

Creative execution in reaching an audience must be measured to understand how it will be received and what messages and brand values will be conveyed. Explain would normally expect to evaluate at pre, during, and post campaign intervals. Ideally such research will maximise qualitative and quantitative methods.

We have evaluated campaigns across a number of sectors for clients working in partnership with comms agencies and some case studies include:

> NHS South of Tyne and Wear - CVD

> South Tyneside Means Business

Customer Service Excellence

The cost of winning new customers or losing current ones in any business is high. When the cost of reaching them in marketing terms is matched with the damage caused by the numbers they tell of their dissatisfaction the need for excellence is paramount. It is essential to understand their needs and wants and we often use the analogy “know your customers or no tomorrow” to focus on its importance in the marketing strategy. Explain uses a variety of tools for clients to increase customer service in key areas, such as Net Promoter and TCF’s (Treating Customers Fairly – an initiative from the Financial Services Authority).

Monitoring customer service excellence can often lead to a change in internal procedures which then in turn reduces customer churn and leads to more delighted customers. Using the measurement framework our clients have won several awards and major government projects including Utility of the Year – Northumbrian Water, North East Call Centre of the year – CE Electric UK and the Warm Front contract - Eaga.

Explain conducts this form of research mainly with utility, financial and retail companies yet the tools are fully transferable; here are some examples:

> Scottish Power

> Yorkshire Building Society

> Northumbrian Water

> CE Electric

Product / Service Development

The cost of product development and launching new services is a huge investment in terms of people and money. In the current climate it is vital the concept or idea is researched to limit the chances for things to go wrong. This form of research can be qualitative or quantitative in nature and the methods adopted would often depend on the product or service to be tested. The best idea is to talk to a research expert with many years experience who understands the pitfalls.

Explain conduct product and service development research mainly within the manufacturing and service industries including food, financial and utilities. Examples are:

> Intersnack

> Husqvarna

Tracking Research

As it sounds, tracking research is the continual monitoring and benchmarking of aspects of a service within a business over time, such as customer service, brand values or levels of awareness. This allows companies to identify changes year on year, quarter by quarter, or once a new process or procedure has been implemented. As a result changes do not go unnoticed with improvements being made wherever necessary.

> CE Electric

> Scottish Power

> Northumbrian Water

Social Marketing

A relatively new phenomenon, but one in which Explain specialise is social marketing. In the public sector it is critical to understand the motivations underlying behaviour, and what triggers can prompt changes. This is a cornerstone of social marketing, which combines the marketing techniques of the private sector with the expertise of the public.

Social marketing is a top-down approach to instigating and maintaining behaviour change, used particularly within the public and health sectors. It is a people centred approach which aims to achieve specific behavioural goals for a greater social good. This can include for instance, increasing public awareness of the harmful impact to health, of excessive smoking and drinking, so that consumption levels are reduced.

Research has a central role in any social marketing exercise, giving a voice to the target audience. Engaging in in-depth qualitative consultation with clusters of the public, ensures perceptions and understanding is incorporated in both local and national communication strategies. Through research, our clients are able to identify the most appropriate and effective methods of communication for a target group and key messages that will engage the audience leading to the desired outcome.

What will work for one target group may not for another. Research enables behaviours of target groups to be identified and profiles to be developed ensuring interventions are suitably targeted to the individuals. This approach takes into account the differences in habits, behaviours and values of the public and recognises that a blanket approach will not work in a society of individuals but a tailored approach is required.

Explain has developed a wealth of experience working with a range of clients on social marketing exercises in the health sector specifically. The insight we provide enables our clients develop pathways and projects directly in line with what the public want, enabling effective interventions and communications strategies.

> NHS South of Tyne and Wear - CVD

> NHS South of Tyne and Wear - Alcohol Interventions

> NHS North of Tyne

Quantitative

• Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing (CATI)
• Face to face surveys: on-street, door to door, in-store, in-home
• Hall tests
• Large-scale postal surveys
• Internet based surveys
• Customer / citizen panels

Qualitative

• In depth telephone interviews
• In depth face to face interviews
• Focus groups