* Adventure loving
- Sub groups such as travel
Agents and foreign exchange
Background:
Globetrotters have enjoyed success over the years within a rapidly changing industry, and have established itself as the strongest name in the travel market. The market has become extremely price sensitive, with a trend towards short notice bookings and more active price seeking. This has led to a reduction in available revenues to the company forcing operations to be undertaken on a small profit margin. Travel products in general are noted for their high level of perishability with high fixed costs and uncertainty of demand, which has led many travel companies to find efficient ways of coordinating the demand and supply.
Objectives:
- To assess current trends in the market with regard to what customers look for in a holiday and how they prefer to make the booking.
- To determine how the customers perceive Globetrotters as a travel company.
- Assess the customer’s opinion to the new promotional campaign and logo.
-
Research Design and Sampling
The proposed research is based on primary data sampling using a number of different methods.
- Initially a series of telephone based interviews spread evenly over the geographic regions. These interviews will be of short duration and aimed at retrieving ‘customer behaviour’ information and initial feedback as to their opinion of Globetrotters travel group.
- Secondly will be a series of in-depth round table discussions spread evenly over the geographic region. These will be about 1-2 hours in duration and will be aimed at retrieving more comprehensive customer opinions of Globetrotters and the proposed new promotional material.
Recruitment Criteria.
- For the telephone interview phase the selection criteria will be based upon age ranges of 18-65 with the number of people chosen being split evenly across the geographic region. (Market Research Society code of conduct observed throughout, copy included as Appendix).
- Age ranges: 18-25, 25-35, 35-45, 50 and over.
The in-depth round table discussions will target:
- People who have booked at least 1 holiday with Globetrotters in the past.
- People who take at least 1 holiday per year
4. Data Collection
Initial Phase, Quantitative.
- A pilot test of the questionnaire would be recommended on 50 people spread throughout the country. This will identify any irregularities and problems with the questions.
Telephone interviews, 1000 in number of 25 minutes duration.
Details on holiday preferences
25mins Destination preferences
Method of booking
Comments on holidays booked
Through Globetrotters
The design of the questionnaire is of key importance and is influenced by a variety of factors such as:
- Characteristics of the respondents from which you wish to collect the data
- Importance of reaching a particular person as respondent
- Importance of respondents answers not being contaminated or distorted
- Size and sample you require for your analysis, taking into account the likely response rate;
- Types of questions you need to ask to collect your data
- Number pf questions you need to ask to collect your data
The choice of recommendation to use a telephone questionnaire falls mainly to the high-expected response rate compared to postal methods. A 50 –70% response is the expected figure compared to around 30% for postal or 10% for Internet. Taking into account the considerations above the questions should be a mixture of open and closed with only very simple sequencing to allow effective correlation of the results.
An example of the questionnaire format is shown below:
Age:…………… Sex: Male / Female (please delete as appropriate)
- How many times of year do travel abroad?
1-2 2-3 more than 3
- Do you prefer hot climates or cold?
- How many times have you travelled with Globetrotters?
1-2 2-3 more than 3
- Would you travel with them again?
Yes / No
- What is the most important thing that determines which travel company you use when booking a holiday?
- Price
- Confidence in travel company
- Additional services such as foreign exchange facility
- Don’t Mind
Qualitative Phase
- 10 discussion groups spread throughout the country comprising of approximately 10 people. Key communication aspects shown below:
Relax’.
- Test Advertisement strap lines
5.Data Analysis
The data will be collected from Phase 1- Quantitative
Phase 2- Qualitative
When organising the data it is important to always consider the initial objectives and research questions with each table and diagram clearly labelled to avoid misinterpretation at a later stage. Key aspects to consider when analysing the data have been discussed by Sparrow, 1989 as summarised below:
- Specific values
- Highest and lowest values
- Trends over time
- Proportions
- Distributions
The simplest method to present data findings is to use a table allowing both descriptive and quantifiable information to be grouped. This tabulated data can then be presented in graphical format, which will provide clear indication of trends and distribution of values. The choice of graph will depend on the data to be presented for example, pie charts show clearly results from grouped data values such as agreeing or strongly agreeing to a question asked in a telephone interview.
Statistical analysis can be carried out by numerous computer software packages to describe mathematical relationships between groups of data. It must stressed however that is this analysis going to be worthwhile for such a research project and does the client require this. It is suggested that for this particular project, simplistic analysis such as Chi square test, which can indicate whether values for two specific groups are related or independent. This will require grouping and sorting of the data collected from the telephone questionnaire and initial coding to facilitate analysis.
(Client to Advice Preference)
Phase 2 – Qualitative Research Analysis
The Qualitative aspect of the research will involve a number of focus groups as discussed in which more detailed discussions can take place. When it comes to analysing results from qualitative data there are numerous problems as the results are expressed in words or sentences rather than numbers. The information is non-standardised and involves analysis in a conceptualisation manner. (Adapted from Dey 1993). Dey 1993 and Miles & Huberman 1994 support the approach of drawing their conclusions from transcripts and notes made by the interviewer within the focus group. This is indeed a method that is widely used by many market research houses and the preferred method for this project. The presentation of the information will be summarised in written format within the overall research pack and conclusions / recommendations made where possible.
Key points that need to be addressed:
- Choice of mediator, experience of the travel industry would be preferable and they must be fully briefed in good time before the interview. (Senior Account Exec to be present).
- Careful selection of the people to partake in the discussion as outlined in the criteria for the clusters.
- Agreement of payment and terms for the interviewees in the focus group.
- All interviewees must be aware that they will be recorded and observed by the market research company and the client.
- Time to Completion and Budgets
- The overall time period required for completion would be approximately 2 months. This will provide ample time to recruit interviewees, prepare/carry out the telephone research and compile the report.
- The main tasks that require costing are summarised below:
- Selection and carrying out of telephone interviews to provide quantitative data.
- Carrying out of in-depth focus groups to provide qualitative data.
- Compiling of data and report writing.
- Costing:
- Telephone interviews x 1000 = £15,000
- In-depth focus groups x 10 = £11,800
- Interviewers x 10 = £3500
- Business to business Omnibus questions x 5 =£1500
- Business to Business in depth discussions x10 =£25,000
- Report writing =£1000
Total budget: £57,800
- Personnel involved
We propose a number of personnel to assist Globetrotters in the execution of this research proposal and below are summaries of these people and their backgrounds:
Account Manager Appointment
To allow smooth running of the research proposal and to ensure that personnel at Globetrotters are kept up to date regularly we will appoint an account manager called Caroline Miller. Caroline will be your first point of call for any enquires relating to the research proposal and will forward any additional enquires to more senior personnel. Caroline has been working for Taylor Nelson Sofres for 8 years as an account manager specialising in the tourist and entertainments sector and brings with her a wealth of experience.
Summary of Curriculum Vitae
Key Contact: Caroline Miller
Job Title: Account Manager
Age 31
Address Hertfordshire
Education: BA Business Studies, Hertfordshire University
Employment: Taylor Nelson Sofres – 1995 to present
Interests: Swimming and keeping fit.
Data collection and Analysis
The data collection will be coordinated through our in house department and will then carry out all before mentioned analysis and presentation of the results. This data will then be fed to your account manager for discussion with your selves (the client).
Summary of Curriculum Vitae
Key contact: Daniel Hinton
Job Title: Data Analysis Executive
Age: 28
Address: Hertfordshire
Education: BSc Information Technology and Statistics – Southampton University
Employment: IT Solutions, Southampton – 1992 to 1995
Taylor Nelson Sofres - 1995 to present
Interests: Cycling and Internet design
In addition to the above-mentioned people we will provide you with the support and knowledge of a well established and sizeable market research house and the entire proposal will be coordinated by one of our Senior Account Executives, Brian Thompson.
Summary of Curriculum Vitae
Key Contact: Brian Thompson
Age: 47
Address: Hertfordshire
Education: BA Travel and Tourism, Hertfordshire University.
MA Economics, Hertfordshire University
Employment: British Airways (Customer Services) – 1980 to 1985
British Airways (Travel coordination Manager) – 1985 to 1991
Taylor Nelson Sofres (Senior Account Exec) – 1991 to present.
Interests: Golf
Please Note that all names mentioned in this report and their relevance to organisations is purely fictional.
Word count: 2087
