Basic concepts and principles of 1. market research

市场调查的定义

市场调查是指为了了解某一特定市场或者某一特定问题的现状和发展趋势，通过收集、整理、分析和解释相关数据，为决策提供信息支持的活动。市场调查可以分为基础性市场调查和应用性市场调查两大类。基础性市场调查是指为了探索市场规律和原理，而进行的系统性、全面性、长期性的研究活动，其目的是为了积累和更新市场知识，提高市场分析能力。应用性市场调查是指为了解决某一具体的市场问题或者满足某一具体的决策需求，而进行的针对性、有限性、短期性的研究活动，其目的是为了提供可行的解决方案或者建议。

市场调查的目的

市场调查的目的是为了帮助客户（包括企业、政府、社会组织等）更好地了解自己所面对或者所涉及的市场环境，包括消费者、竞争者、渠道商、供应商、法规政策等各方面的情况。通过市场调查，客户可以获得以下几方面的好处：

提高决策效率和效果。通过获取可靠、准确、及时、完整的信息，客户可以避免盲目性和偏见性，减少不确定性和风险性，增强决策依据和信心。

优化产品或服务设计和开发。通过了解消费者的需求、偏好、满意度、忠诚度等方面，客户可以根据目标市场和细分市场的特点，制定合适的产品或服务策略，提高产品或服务质量和竞争力。

提升营销活动效果。通过分析消费者的购买行为、购买动机、购买过程等方面，客户可以制定有效的营销组合（包括产品、价格、促销、渠道等），实现营销目标。

Enhance innovation capacity and competitive advantage. By keeping track of industry dynamics, competitive dynamics, and technology trends, customers can identify and seize new opportunities in a timely manner to create and maintain differentiation and leadership.

市场调查的过程和方法

The process of market research generally includes the following steps:

Identify the objectives of the investigation. That is, to clarify the theme, scope, content and requirements of the investigation, so as to make it feasible, necessary, important and clear.

Design the survey plan. That is, select the appropriate survey methods, sample design, data sources, data collection tools, data analysis techniques, etc., to make it scientific, effective, economical and operational.

实施数据收集。即按照调查方案，采用适当的方式（如问卷、访谈、观察、实验等），从不同的渠道（如一手数据、二手数据等），获取所需的数据，使之具有真实性、完整性、及时性和可比性。

data processing and analysis. That is, the use of statistical methods (such as descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, multivariate statistics, etc.), the collected data cleaning, sorting, coding, classification, summary, calculation and other operations, to obtain meaningful results, so that it is objective, accurate, systematic and interpretable.

Write a survey report. That is, based on the results of the data analysis, combined with the objectives and background of the survey, the use of standardized format and language, including summary, text, conclusions and recommendations and other parts of the report, so that it has integrity, logic, clarity and readability.

Market research methods can be divided into quantitative and qualitative surveys. Quantitative survey refers to the measurement and analysis of a large number of samples in a quantitative way to draw representative and universal conclusions. The characteristics of quantitative survey are objective, accurate and verifiable, but there are also shortcomings such as ignoring deep-seated factors, lack of flexibility and innovation. The commonly used methods of quantitative investigation include questionnaire survey, experimental method, mathematical statistics and so on. Qualitative investigation refers to the in-depth and detailed observation and understanding of a small number of samples in a non-quantitative way to draw meaningful and meaningful conclusions. Qualitative survey is characterized by subjective, flexible and innovative, but there are also shortcomings such as lack of objective basis, difficult to promote and verify. The commonly used methods of qualitative investigation include interview method, focus group method, case analysis method and so on.

Service Quality Evaluation of 2. Market Research Companies

服务质量的内涵

服务质量是指服务提供者提供给服务接受者的服务与服务接受者对服务的期望之间的差距。服务质量是一个相对而言的概念，它不仅取决于服务提供者的服务水平，也取决于服务接受者的主观感受。服务质量与产品质量不同，它具有以下几个特征：

Intangibility. Service is an intangible activity or process, it cannot be seen or touched, nor can it be stored or transported, so it is difficult to measure by physical or technical standards.

heterogeneity. A service is provided by a person or machine to a person or machine. It is affected by the interaction between the provider and the recipient, so each time the service is provided or received may be different.

不可分割性。服务是在提供者和接受者之间同时进行的，它不能被分开或延迟，因此很难用前后或先后的顺序来评价。

可变性。服务是受到环境因素（如时间、地点、气候等）和人为因素（如心情、态度、技能等）的影响，它随着情况的变化而变化，因此很难用固定或统一的标准来评价。

服务质量的评价指标

The evaluation index of service quality refers to the specific content and requirements used to measure and reflect the level of service quality. The evaluation index of service quality can be divided into two categories: objective index and subjective index. Objective indicators are indicators that can be quantified or described in numbers or other forms, such as service speed, service accuracy, service reliability, etc. Subjective indicators refer to indicators that cannot be quantified or described in numbers or other forms, but rely on the feelings and evaluation of service recipients, such as service attitude, service satisfaction, service trust, etc.

AccordingParasuramanproposed by et al.SERVQUAL模型，服务质量可以从以下五个维度来评价：

Reliability (Reliability）。即服务提供者能否按照承诺或者期望，准时、准确、一致地提供服务。

可及性（Responsiveness). That is, whether the service provider can respond to and meet the needs and requirements of the service recipient in a timely, flexible and proactive manner.

Guaranteed (Assurance）。即服务提供者能否通过专业知识、技能、信誉和礼貌，给予服务接受者信心和安全感。

创新性（Empathy）。即服务提供者能否站在服务接受者的角度，关心和理解他们的感受和期望，提供个性化和差异化的服务。

The entity (Tangibles）。即服务提供者能否通过设施、设备、人员、材料等有形的要素，增强服务接受者对服务的感知和认可。

服务质量的评价方法

Service quality evaluation methods refer to the specific methods used to collect, analyze and interpret data and information about service quality. Depending on the source and type of data, the evaluation methods of service quality can be divided into two categories: internal evaluation and external evaluation. Internal evaluation refers to the evaluation of the services provided by the service provider itself or by a third-party organization based on objective indicators. The purpose of internal evaluation is to monitor and improve the service level of oneself or others. Common methods of internal evaluation include self-examination, peer review, and expert review. External evaluation refers to the evaluation of services received by the service recipient or a third-party organization based on subjective indicators. The purpose of external evaluation is to provide feedback and to meet the needs and expectations of oneself or others. The common methods of external evaluation are satisfaction survey, loyalty survey, word-of-mouth communication and so on.

服务质量的评价流程

市场调查公司作为一种专业化的服务机构，其服务质量评价应该遵循以下几个步骤：

确定评价目标。即明确评价市场调查公司服务质量的主题、范围、内容、要求等，使之具有可行性、必要性、重要性和明确性。

设计评价方案。即选择合适的评价指标、评价方法、评价标准、评价工具等，使之具有科学性、有效性、经济性和操作性。

实施评价活动。即按照评价方案，采用适当的方式（如问卷、访谈、观察、实验等），从不同的角度（如客户、竞争者、合作伙伴等），获取有关市场调查公司服务质量的数据和信息，使之具有真实性、完整性、及时性和可比性。

进行评价分析。即运用统计学方法（如描述统计、推断统计、多元统计等），对收集到的数据和信息进行清理、整理、编码、分类、汇总、计算等操作，得出有意义的结果，使之具有客观性、准确性、系统性和可解释性。

撰写评价报告。即根据评价分析结果，结合评价目标和背景，采用规范的格式和语言，撰写包括摘要、正文、结论和建议等部分的报告，使之具有完整性、逻辑性、清晰性和可读性。

三、选择和评价市场调查公司的建议和注意事项

市场调查公司是提供市场调查服务的专业机构，其服务质量的高低直接影响到客户的决策效果和满意度。因此，选择和评价市场调查公司是一项重要而又复杂的任务。在此，我们给出以下几点建议和注意事项：

在选择市场调查公司之前，客户应该明确自己的调查目标和需求，以及自己对市场调查公司的期望和要求，以便于与市场调查公司进行有效的沟通和协商。

在选择市场调查公司时，客户应该综合考虑市场调查公司的资质、经验、专业度、信誉度、价格等多方面的因素，以及市场调查公司与自己的契合度和互补度，以便于找到最适合自己的市场调查公司。

在选择市场调查公司后，客户应该与市场调查公司签订详细而明确的合同或协议，规定双方的权利和义务，以及服务内容、服务流程、服务标准、服务费用等各方面的细节，以便于保障双方的利益和责任。

在评价市场调查公司时，客户应该采用多种方法和多种角度，对市场调查公司提供的服务进行全面而深入的评价，以便于发现优点和缺点，提出表扬和建议。

在评价市场调查公司后，客户应该与市场调查公司进行及时而诚恳的反馈和交流，表达自己对服务质量的满意度和忠诚度，以及对未来合作的期待和意愿。

总之，市场调查是一种为了了解市场现状和发展趋势，为决策提供信息支持的活动。市场调查公司是提供市场调查服务的专业机构，其服务质量是指服务提供者提供给服务接受者的服务与服务接受者对服务的期望之间的差距。市场调查公司的服务质量可以从可靠性、可及性、保证性、创新性和实体性等五个维度来评价。