We recently completed a fascinating project that investigated why consumers undertake – or what are the barriers to undertaking – outdoor activities. Working for two organisations, The Camping and Caravanning Club and The Outdoor Industries Association, we looked at what activities are undertaken and why, what is spent on equipment and what are the barriers to undertaking outdoor activities.
Using a mix of techniques, including online research - using the Club’s own database of members - and face to face interviews with consumers, we were able to confirm the overriding interest in walking / rambling and highlight the link that exists between fitness and a healthy diet. What’s more, the research was able to demonstrate the considerable interest that exists amongst Club members for all things associated with the Great Outdoors, particularly walking, swimming and cycling.
And what are the catalysts to undertaking outdoor activities? There are fundamental differences between the two groups. Amongst Club members, it is the love of the outdoors that is the key driver, whilst amongst the general public it is the desire to keep fit.
But what of the barriers? The main inhibitor is time – or lack of free time. Our busy lives are not only preventing some people from enjoying any form of outdoor activities, our lifestyle stops those currently active from enjoying the great outdoors to the full.
Commenting on Gough Mandarin’s work on the project, Roger Southcott Director of the Outdoor Industries Association said, “The UK outdoor leisure sector is worth over £1 billion at retail, but we don’t know nearly enough about what drives and motivates the end consumer’s purchasing and participation decisions. Given the close relationship between ourselves and the Camping & Caravanning Club, both organisations needed information and it made perfect sense to combine our resources in commissioning Gough Mandarin to conduct some in-depth consumer research. The OIA has already received very positive feedback from our members, proving the value of the research. It’s often been said that information is power and it’s not always who you know, it’s what you know!”
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Mira Showers is one of the leading brands in the showering products market. It manufactures a very wide choice for both domestic and commercial applications and has an enviable reputation for its range of thermostatic showers.
The company has had some success with products specifically designed for people with special needs / the less able but now wished to review this market’s real needs /real future and thus give Mira’s product development team a steer on what shower products need to be developed, to enable the company to gain greater penetration of the Special Needs market.
We broke the project down into three stages, firstly tracking a number of new build / refurbishment projects, from lead enquiry stage through to project completion. We tracked not only projects where Mira had been specified, but also where the company had not been successful. The aim here was to give us a clearer understanding of the influences at each stage in the build process.
For stage two, we took a more in-depth look at the influences on the purchase of shower equipment, in order to then evaluate what products / support are needed.
As influences vary according to the situation where showers are used, we undertook telephone interviews with a cross section of key influencers, including key charities, Disabled Living Centres, major UK and independent care homes, Local Authorities, Occupational Therapists, Architects / Specifiers, Mail Order / Distributors / Merchants.
During stage three, we undertook a number of face to face depth interviews with sectors deemed to have the highest influence / greatest impact on supplier selection.
The results confirmed that the Special Needs market is experiencing significant growth – people are living longer and there is a general preference for people to remain in their own home / in the community, rather than in nursing or care homes. Mobility and sight impairment are the two main difficulties or disabilities experienced in this market.
The word ‘disability’ has many negative associations and consequently consumers do not want to buy “products for the disabled”, but rather products that make their lives easier/help them to retain/regain their independence.
In view of the fragmented nature of the market, there are many influencers; however, the most important are Occupational Therapists. They have the most contact with the market, and help to determine what the needs of the person are and what products will help that person.
There is also a definite preference for styles that look normal, that would appeal to the fully able-bodied, rather than aimed solely at “the disabled”. Nevertheless, the preference is for products that have been designed with the less able in mind, rather than as an afterthought.
Commenting on the project, Martyn Ellis said “They responded quickly to the brief and gave us a new and clear insight into one of our complex but critical sales channels”
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Reliance Water Controls is part of the Australian based group, Reliance Worldwide, which specialises in the design, distribution and technical support of advanced water control devices. It is a leading supplier to the sanitary, plumbing and heating industry, of products such as thermostatic mixing valves, thermostatic showers, pressure reducing valves and expansion vessels. It prides itself on the range of products, the level of service, and technical support offered to customers, in its drive to give total peace of mind.
Whilst the company’s products are widely distributed in the UK, through many major merchant groups such as Plumb Center, PTS and Grafton Group, it wanted to ensure that its products remain truly competitive.
Gough Mandarin was commissioned to gather information that would help them develop a clearer pricing strategy. They wanted information on key competitors that was objective and without any risk of anecdotal / biased spin.
We used a mix of techniques to gather the information, using our own contacts plus an element of “mystery shopping”. The internet was also used; however, initial research had already indicated that most competitors appear not to disclose trade prices on their websites.
Commenting on the research Grant Phipps said “Thank you for the excellent job that Gough Mandarin did with regards to our recent request for market information. We knew from the start that it was a tough assignment as traditionally the plumbing wholesale trade is very secretive to say the least.”
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Ideal-Standard, one of the UK’s major bathroom brands, puts great focus on product design and innovation, product quality and customer service. It aims to meet the needs of all sectors of the market.
The Company recognises the importance of monitoring change. Last year saw major changes, not just in its product offering but also how it was meeting the needs of its trade customers. Prior to its Changing Gear event, Gough Mandarin was commissioned to benchmark how the brand was perceived by retailers and merchants. Using telephone research, we assessed the extent to which it was meeting the needs of these groups and evaluated what factors are really important.
Six months after the Changing Gear event and the introduction of new products and working practices, we again measured how the brand is perceived and were able to give the management team clear evidence of how attitudes towards the brand are changing, what are its strengths and weaknesses and what still needs to be done to meet the changing marketplace.
Commenting on the project, Paul Frankish said “Understanding our customers and their reaction to change is vitally important in driving our marketing strategies. We often need a fast response from our research partners and we were delighted with the speed and quality of the information and reports provided to us by Gough Mandarin." return to top of page
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