Future Talent Meets The Industry

ESOMAR Insights 2011

Michäel Vanden Plas

Name: Michäel Vanden Plas
Nationality: Belgian
University: University of Brussel, EHSAL Management School, Brussels, Belgium
Title of course/programme: MSc. Business Administration (Applied Economic Sciences)
Contact me

How do you see the market research industry evolving and how can you contribute to it?

I think that the consumer will get more and more power, that's something what's happening already and it's happening now at this moment. But I think that he will get too much power and that he will make the decisions about when and what a market researcher should investigate. So that can be a good thing, to know what he really wants and it shows his affection. But it's also bad for companies who want to know something and the consumer doesn't want to answer that question. So it has both its positive and negative consequences. Besides that, I think that the industry will evolve more to a co-creation instead of only listening and analysing the answers of the participants. So the consumer will get more power and wants to co-create with the researcher. He wants to participate in the process. So not only with what will be the questions, but also with the processing of the data and what will happen with that data. Working and doing it together are going to be the keywords. So that means that you will have to participate with the consumer and to see the consumer not only as a consumer but also as a partner who has a lot of value. Besides the change in behaviour of the consumer, I think that there will be also a change in the manner of doing research. It will be necessary to work more with online tools instead of offline tools like the telephone. I take the example of InSites Consulting who work with online communities and online research. So the manner of doing research will change as new technologies emerge.

The way I can contribute is to keep this in mind, whether as market researcher, marketing manager or just an employee. It doesn't matter which function you have to be part of it. I think that I can contribute to it by the company I'll work, because I'm very customer oriented. I did my thesis about customer satisfaction, so I know a lot of it. But I'm also an administrator on a forum of more than 5000 students where I try to help them as necessary. If I know something and people want to know something more about it or are searching information about it, then I will always be ready to help them. If I don't know it, or can't help them, I try to find a solution for them and find someone who can. Of course, this is not always possible, but I try to do it as far as possible. Besides that, I have also a good knowledge of the digital media, because of my education now. So with this in mind, I think that I have the necessary skill set to contribute to the change of mindset where the consumer gets more power and gets more involved.

What are, in your opinion, the necessary skills for market researchers in the present environment?

First of all, like I said in the first question, being customer oriented. You have to think what the respondent wants and you have to participate with him. Listening to him is also very important. And try to please him as much. Having empathy with your respondent. If you can't place yourself in the shoes of the customer/respondent (it doesn't matter how you call him), you can't be a good researcher. You have to be connected with the people you observe or have at least empathy. People want that you are honest with them, so you may not have a hidden agenda. And these days, people will know if you're faking it or not. Secondly, a market researcher has to be open-minded. He doesn't have to follow the walked pads, but also the unexplored paths. Search for more information outside the normal way, like searching online after content. What do people write about a certain product or service, how do they use it, search for photographs, movies, reviews. People share it with the world and it's right there for you as a researcher. A third skill is being a team player. Like I said before, you have to collaborate with the respondents. So if you're not good with people, you won't be a good researcher because it's most about people. You also have to be open if you want that they join you. Be open about yourself. You ask questions, so it's normal that they ask questions too. They want to know also something about you. And last but not least, I think that a market researcher has to be creative. Think of new ways, not only use them like I said when I was talking about open-minded. But think also about new ways. What can you do to motivate people, which new ways can you use to question people.

How do you see your career unfolding and what are your aspirations?

I would like to work in the marketing department of a company. Which company is not that important, but I prefer to work in a B2C market and by a brand with which I can identify myself. To communicate with the people, to make it more easily to talk about our brand. I think that it's very important to be open about your brand. So that's how I see myself in the beginning of my career. As the time goes, I hope to grow in that function and get more marketing responsibilities. And then eventually becoming a marketing manager. Preferably here in Belgium, I have no problems of going sometimes to another country. But I don't see myself relocating for my work. We will see what will happen, but for the moment I don't see myself doing it. I want to offer as much value to the company and to our customers as possible and eventually trying to have a team or being in a team with which it is possible to get the trophy of marketer of the year sometime. So that's my ultimate goal. I know that we won't achieve this in a few years, but it's my goal to reach it. If it's at the end of my career, fine by me. Being nominated would be also great because it's very hard to achieve such a thing. It's also a price that's not individual in my opinion. You need a great team and a company with a great vision to achieve this. Especially your team has to be very good and has to be confidence in you, but you have to have confidence in them too. So there are a lot of factors beside me that play a role to achieve this, but time will tell. Anyway that's what I want to make of my career. I'm master in commercial sciences and for the moment I'm doing a postgraduate in digital marketing and communications. So I think that I have a good base to start with. When I'm done with studying, I'll see what the possibilities are. Maybe to start in a market research bureau to build up experience or working directly in a marketing department. That's something I don't know for the moment and time will tell.

< BACK

Share |