What to Do when Your Market Research Results Get Ignored?
I wonder how many of us have experienced it: you execute a great MR project, present the Research results, use multiple data sources, come to a recommendation, state Indicated Actions - and your advice gets ignored.
I'd guess it must have happened to every single one of us over the course of our careers. Having one's recommendations overruled or ignored is extremely frustrating, and can lead one to react in any number of ways. It's also one of the most important issues for clientside Researchers
So - what is the best way to behave when your MR advice is ignored ? Here's my take.
1. Push to Get Answers
If solid MR evidence is rejected, and a course of action is taken that contradicts the MR recommendation, it's important to find out why it was rejected. Are there business issues that you simply aren't aware of? Is there data you don't know of that contradicts the Research? Before one reacts against the feeling of being ignored, it's important to get as full a picture as possible. Ask those you are dealing with how you can best ensure the next project is organised so that you have all the relevant facts, are aware of all driving forces from the outset, so they are baked into your thinking at the Resarch Design stage.
2. Don't Sulk
It's easy to fall into the Clientside MR trap of thinking "if only the Company followed my advice more often, it would be more successful". This is often counterproductive: if Marketing and Sales simply see Market Research as a beacon of self-righteousness, happily isolating itself from market, competitive or political pressures, then we are less likely to be taken seriously as business advisors.
Try unfolding your arms when you notice they're crossed, make sure you smile as often as you frown. Body language is important - as Researchers, we all need to manage our personal Mood Music in a positive way.
3. Let the Evidence Do the Talking
It's easy to get defensive, maybe even emotional when one feels strongly about a business decision and sees one's advice being ignored. Never let your emotions run away with you - present the evidence clearly, document it for the record, but don't allow anything to appear personal.
4. Ensure Key Stakeholders are Informed
Market Research value is derived from delivering messages based on empirical evidence for the good of the whole Company. That means narrow interest fields and personal ambitions have to take a back-seat. When faced with the situation of being ignored, ensure that all key stakeholders are informed about your evidence. Offer to discuss it personally with managers at all levels, clearly state how you see likely consequences of a given course of action being followed or ignored.
5. Learn to Move On, Continually Place Evidence Centre-Stage
Once you've made sure all key decision makers are aware of your recommendations, your advice is documented, then move on mentally - don't keep constantly referring to a project where your advice was ignored. Use the next project to show how important MR-based evidence is in helping the Company make good business decisions, push to continually establish a culture where MR input is valued.
If you continually get the sense that MR advice is ignored, then it's probably time to ask the question if the culture you are working in needs changing in some way. Raise this with your line manager - ask how you can best help effect a shift.
Ultimately, Companies that choose to either ignore or not elicit Customer and Consumer Feedback are less likely to be successful in the Marketplace than those who do. Market Research needs to take the lead in this process, regardless of how many new Data Sources are becoming available. The better we are at managing potential setbacks, the more respected our voice will be in the Organization, and the less often we're likely to experience the pain of having our advice ignored.
Curious, as ever, as to others' views.