What’s driving consumer insights satisfaction today

Technology today allows organizations to have a better approach to insights, one that’s connected, but also collaborative, continuous and integrated. This gives brands a real-time, holistic view of their consumers across the board — ultimately making for both a more satisfied customer and organization. 

In our second annual Connected Insights Imperative report, we surveyed professionals across industries to better understand the current state of connected insights, which includes how satisfied both insights teams and organizations are as a whole when it comes to the insights function.  

Read on for a summary of our key findings.

TL;DR: 

• Many professionals are dissatisfied with the state of insights in their company

• Connected insights is linked to a much higher level of satisfaction, which helps drive internal collaboration and business efficiency

• A systematized approach to consumer research projects appears to drive satisfaction

• Satisfaction levels are considerably higher when insights are viewed as advisers or strategic partners compared to order takers

Starting with the overall picture, we found that while more than half of respondents (60%) said they were satisfied with the state of consumer insights as a function at their companies.

While this is great to see, there is clearly room for improvement, with 40% of professionals not happy with the current state.

What does elevate satisfaction levels? Connected insights. 

We found that connected insights are linked to a much higher level of satisfaction, which helps drive internal collaboration and business efficiency.

In fact, satisfaction with insights increases among companies with connected insights by at least 24 points. Satisfaction with the relationship between insights and marketing teams for connected companies also increased by 32 points.

Unsurprisingly, we also found that systematization drives satisfaction. 

Systematization is a more standardized approach to delivering research, rather than an ad hoc approach where you are recreating the wheel with each project you run. 

This approach to consumer research projects drives higher satisfaction with insights as well as with the relationship between insights and marketing teams. 

Additionally, a programmatic approach with a system-of-record for consumer research appears to help drive improved satisfaction.

Finally, perspectives hold heavy weight when it comes to satisfaction. 

We found that satisfaction levels are considerably higher when insights are viewed as advisers (proactive) or strategic partners (collaborative) compared to order takers (reactive). 

These findings reveal a growing divide within the insights world: between teams that feel empowered and connected and those still struggling in fragmented systems. 

Satisfaction soars when insights are treated as strategic partners rather than order takers and when research follows a clear, systematized approach. 

The more integrated the insights function becomes, the more value it creates for the people driving it and the organization it supports. In short, connection and strategic partnership are no longer nice-to-haves — they’re the foundation organizations need for a thriving insights function.