Smarter Surveys
End-to-end survey capabilities
Our team of survey specialists, economists, and subject matter experts handles all aspects of the survey process: from creating the questionnaire and building the sample, to fielding the survey, analyzing the results, running cross tabulations and identifying correlations, to designing data visualizations, preparing presentations, and writing papers on the top findings.
Extracting more value from surveys
ThoughtLab brings together best-of-breed analytical capabilities; corporate, government, consumer, and investor panels; and top-notch thought leadership and editorial skills. We work closely with our global network of experts across industries, regions, disciplines, and management practices. Our experts have extraordinary access to senior executives and policymakers around the globe.
Our team conducts a range of surveys, including analytical surveys to gather primary data on corporate investments and performance metrics; pulse surveys to track emerging trends and strategies; and consumer, citizen, and investor surveys to identify latest market sentiment.
"The ThoughtLab Team has been great to work with on both of the Smart Cities studies we have done with them. The process that they take to create, organize and disseminate their surveys to cities around the global is excellent. We have benefited from the insights that their research data has provided to help us better understand the customer needs and opportunities with cities we work with around the world."
Kevin Taylor, Segment Development Manager, Smart Cities - Americas, Axis
Our unparalleled reach
ThoughtLab has access to worldwide research panels that include over 4.5 million executives, policymakers, consumers, and investors. We can conduct surveys in cities, regions, and countries; across industries and executive functions; and with consumers and investors across income and age levels. To ensure the best results, we conduct surveys in the local language typically over the phone.
+ Executive panel
1.5 million-plus pre-recruited executives segmented by:
- Industry
- Location (city, region, country)
- Type of firm (B2B vs. B2C vs. B2G)
- Revenue level
- Market share
- Employee size
- Job title and role
- Level of internationalization
- Digital maturity
- And more….
+ Consumer and investor panel
3 million-plus pre-recruited people segmented by:
- Age and gender
- Household size
- Language spoken
- Household income
- Wealth levels
- Occupation and education
- Marital status
- Location
- Hobbies, shopping habits
- Psychographic profile
+ Government panel
10,000-plus public decision-makers segmented by:
- National, regional, state, and city levels
- Mayor and chief executives
- City managers
- CIOs, CFOs, COOs, CTOs
- Smart city transformation executives
- Directors of policy and strategy
- Directors of urban planning
- Directors for sustainability
- And more…..
Analytical surveys
ThoughtLab’s capabilities span diverse industries and topics. Working with leading firms, we build statistically valid samples to enable projectable results and deeper segmentation analysis specific to companies, government organizations, consumers, and investors. This level of quantitative excellence requires a systematic and rigorous survey approach.
Pulse surveys
During periods of change and disruption, companies need timely data and analysis to make decisions. ThoughtLab has the capability to conduct rapid executive research as events play out. Using shorter and more targeted pulse surveys, we can go from survey inception to design, fielding, and analyzing final results within just 3-4 weeks so that your company can provide timely insights to its clients.
Our survey process
Professional interviewers for CATI surveys
ThoughtLab maintains a trained staff to conduct high-level interviews across multiple industries and countries with scalable capacity. Interviewers are rigorously trained and have the expertise to conduct C level interviews, with prior appointments scheduled with respondents. Our CATI staff, which speak over 20 languages, conduct telephone interviews in the local language.
In addition, our team of thought leadership specialists and seasoned journalists conduct interviews and moderate peer interchanges with executives across industries and functions on a wide range of business and technology issues.
Survey incentives
B2B panelists receive reward points, can subscribe to periodicals related to their field, and, where appropriate, receive an executive summary of the study in which they have participated. B2C panelists earn points that they can redeem for cash after reaching a certain limit. The rewards depend on the incidence rate, length of interview, and the target respondents.
Recruitment
We recruit our panelists by telephone from more than 100 sources, including a variety of local public websites, search engines, email providers, customer web portals, and directories, such as OneSource, D&B, Factiva and Hoovers. We employ various techniques to validate the identity of the respondents, including calling executives in their offices. When necessary to fulfill the requirements of a project, we can supplement our panels through the use of partner research panels and private source directories.
Quality controls
Our survey team follows the rules and requirements promulgated by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for research confidentiality, project documentation, training, outsourcing, and quality control. Our quality assurance process includes the following four steps: rigorous research methodology, voice quality checks, data quality checks, and ongoing feedback from the team.