Traditionally, executives have relied on a combination of quantitative data from surveys (such as those that track customer satisfaction and brand image) and qualitative insights from focus groups and interviews. One major benefit is that RET allows firms to track campaigns as they unfold and readjust them toward the most effective tactics.įew marketing challenges are tougher than identifying and influencing what drives customers’ attitudes and behavior. The process is incredibly simple: They need only text a four-character message. In RET, participants supply the answers to a four-question survey every time they encounter a brand, be it through a direct interaction, such as a purchase or ad, or an indirect one, such as a conversation with another customer. Conducted over mobile phones, RET allows companies to inexpensively collect instant, unbiased feedback from customers 24 hours a day. The authors, three academics, believe they have found a new research tool without those flaws: real-time experience tracking.

The trouble is, surveys and focus groups tap customers’ memories, which are unreliable, and the presence of observers can cause customers to alter their behavior. To identify what influences the attitudes and behavior of customers, most companies rely on surveys, focus groups, and ethnographic research.

Realtimes review