For the experienced project manager, the initiation stage begins with a meeting with the client and account manager to outline the purpose of the study, After discussing the client's research budget, time constraints, the goals and objectives of the research, and so forth, the project manager and account executive decide on an appropriate strategy for the study. After deciding what type of study is required, the project manager lists all the necessary components for that study and constructs a schedule for their execution. This involves coordination of in-house facilities and any subcontracting that is necessary. The project manager must know exactly what needs to be done for a given project, how long it usually takes to complete each stage, and how likely it is that a problem will occur during execution. If the account executive does all this, the project manager is responsible for implementing the schedule and carrying it into the next phase-coordination.
Project managers are responsible for the coordination phase, unless they are only responsible for analysis, not fielding. In the coordination phase, the project manager is likely to be supervising computer programming applications. During the execution it is constantly necessary to keep an eye on the accumulated costs to keep the project in line with the budget and to examine results to make sure they are consistent with the research objectives. During this stage the project manager is "putting out fires." Of course, any little thing that can go wrong usually does, and it must be dealt with immediately in order to keep the project on schedule. This is the main source of stress for project managers (and often leads to gray hair before the age of thirty). The key points are to keep within the budget, keep on schedule, and retain some degree of sanity. (Good Luck!)
After all the results are in, the project manager sorts through the information to get down to the usable and applicable material. The client doesn't want to see all the numbers that were recorded, only those that indicate what action should be taken. This is technically only a part of analysis; the actual analysis stage involves the "guts" of the study. (A description of the actual analysis is beyond the context of this job description.) The project manager must see that the results are in the proper form that the applicable cross-tabulations are in order, that the important numbers and graphs are explained, that the whole thing applies to the original research question, and that it is presented in the most efficient manner possible. Depending upon the experience level and methods of the account executive, the project manager assists in the analysis. [It is not likely that the account executive and project manager lock themselves in a room, burn incense, and wait to he inspired, but we can't rule that out.)
The presentation stage usually falls under the jurisdiction of the account executive. In extreme circumstances, the project manager may make the presentation, and it is not rare to find the project manager attending the presentation to answer questions.The report is part of the presentation and may be written by the account executive, project manager, or both.
The account executive makes the promises to the client; the project manager must keep the promises. The degree of the project manager's involvement with the client, scheduling, reporting, and analysis depends upon the company and the particular account executive. Some account executives don't want the project manager to have any contact with the client; others say, "Here it is, schedule it, do it, write it up, and present it to the client." Since account executives must be project directors first, a project manager who is being trained to become an account executive might be given more responsibility to see how he or she will perform in the account executive's role.
The money is good, room for promotion ample, and there is never a problem of having nothing to do, but an exact description of what goes on in a project manager's office is quite a challenge. In short, the project manager is responsible, in various degrees, for sorting through all the extraneous stuff, getting to the problem, deciding how to solve the problem, making sure it is solved efficiently, and then letting the account executive take the credit for the whole deal. But, then, most account executives were once project managers too.
Logical thinking is an important skill. So is the ability to express yourself in writing and speaking. Interpersonal skills are also invaluable.
- The ability to look at the big picture and see what you are trying to accomplish is crucial. Computer skills and knowledge of statistics are important too. You don't have to take Statistics 4004, but you need some background. Courses in quantitative analysis, like statistics and marketing research, are helpful.
A - Marketing research is probably going to boom in the next ten years because it is becoming much more expensive to make mistakes, and companies can't afford it, even the very large companies. It costs so much more to put a commercial on TV, change a price, and change a package, things like that. More people in upper management are beginning to realize that an expenditure of $25 to $30 thousand for marketing research is nothing compared with the $7 to $9 million it costs to introduce a new product that might not make it. The odds of a product succeeding are not high even for the best of items. Companies want to be sure they have the best chance possible. Marketing research was basically a staff position. If you were in the marketing research department of a company, you were down in the corner by the brooms, and nobody really knew what you did. Occasionally you'd come up for a raise, and they'd turn you down. That is changing.
Q - What advice would you give a person interested in a career in marketing research?
- Start someplace where you are in an atmosphere that allows you to learn the basics of marketing research. After you have learned the business, then you can decide which way you want to go with it.
- You should take some courses in marketing research, but I think the best way to learn the fundamentals is in a work environment as opposed to a school environment.
- You really have to want to live and sleep research, because it takes so much of your time and energy to really be good.
- In the sales research area right now we are mainly hiring people with a four-year degree. The consumer area is more interested in people with a Ph.D. or master's degree.
