The financial services sector is responsible for the management of money and consists of banks, credit and lending companies, insurance companies as well as those providing support services and technology. The sector is dominated by large, international brands that carry out b2b market research to build and maintain competitive advantage.
In almost 20 years of researching b2b financial services, and carrying out 200 projects a year, we have acquired more experience than any other market research agency.
Banking
Commercial banking, retail banking and investment banking.
Credit & lending
Credit risk services, business loans, leasing and financing (for business fleets and office equipment) and credit management services.
Insurance
Commercial insurance solutions (property, liability, engineering, Financial Lines, business continuity, marine cargo insurance, intellectual property insurance, etc.), reinsurance, add-on services (legal support, emergency support, supply chain, etc.), underwriting and broker relations.
Tax & accounting
Accounting, tax and audit services, management accounting, tax information/publishing, qualifications and certifications.
Financial technology
ATMs, interbank payments, credit cards, fraud management, business payment methods, payment technology, POS solutions, mobile transactions, cash-flow forecasting and accounting software.
Financial business services
Factoring, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) for F&A (Finance & Accounting) processes, payroll processing, business recovery services and bankruptcy administration.
In addition to wide client and category experience, we also have vast experience in specific research solutions for the financial sector, including:
Branding and customer value proposition research
Determining the penetration and positioning of major brands in the marketplace, and helping companies to develop effective and unique value propositions.
Segmentation
Recognizing groups within the target audience with similar needs, behaviors and characteristics and working with companies to effectively target and communicate with the key segments.
Customer experience research
Assessing the performance of both clients and competitors and determining the most critical drivers of satisfaction and loyalty.
Customer journey & VOC research
Mapping the stages of the customer journey and the different touchpoints at which companies interact with their target audience; determining the key needs and behaviors of the market by listening to the voice of the customer.
Markets & opportunities
Evaluating the size and structure of target markets and the opportunities within them; advising companies on go-to-market strategies which may involve building share within an existing market or entering a new one.
Product & pricing studies
Testing advertising and product ideas, uncovering insights to help product development, and establishing the optimum price or pricing strategy for a product or service.
Our Research Is Completely Tailored
Our research programs are crafted from scratch, customized to your specific requirements and challenges.
We Remain Impartial
We’ll provide you with an honest appraisal of your strengths and weaknesses, position in the market and the commercial opportunities available.
Our Research Is Actionable
We don’t stop at data analysis and interpretation – we help clients implement the recommended actions that result from the findings.
The most effective research starts with speaking to the right people. As the experts in B2B market research, we know how to gain access to the relevant financial services sector target audiences.
Data quality, whether it be from face-to-face, telephone or online, is of crucial importance to the work we carry out. Below are some examples of the audiences we can speak to:
This audience consists of people who specify and use financial services solutions within their companies. Their roles vary according to the size of the company and include numerous departments such as Accounts, Administration, Finance, IT/Information Systems and Legal/Compliance. These people are usually reached online or via telephone, and sometimes via face-to-face with focus groups.
In most businesses, decisions concerning financial services will involve a senior member of a functional or executive team, e.g. CEO, CFO, CTO, Company Director, VP Finance, etc. The insights from this audience are more suited to qualitative research. Telephone is the most common way of reaching and interviewing them.
Financial services are commonly sold through channel partners such as brokers. These people can provide insights about the organizations whose services they represent and the organizations to whom they sell services. This audience is usually reached via telephone.
It may be necessary to target providers of financial services themselves in order to meet the research objectives. These organizations may also use business services providers, e.g. to outsource processes. We have spoken to decision makers at insurance companies, credit unions, banks and tax/accounting firms. The job roles we have researched range from analysts to the C-Suite and are usually reached via telephone or online.