Project Crunch
The Challenge
LCMB Building Performance Ltd is an SME established in 2010. LCMB reviews a building’s performance (e.g. cost, energy and carbon emissions) and explores ways this can be improved. In doing so, it enhances health, wellbeing, performance and productivity.
LCMB is developing a new evaluation toolkit with a software platform which is currently in the testing phase. LCMB’s aim is to differentiate itself within the market and grow the business. Our Associate Research Consultants, an interdisciplinary team of PhD researchers from academic institutions across the UK, have been tasked with conducting research to determine how to position this new proposition in the market.
Objectives
1. Test and validate LCMB’s definition of the target market.
2. Analyse the target market’s perceptions of LCMB’s value propositions for the new service and its functionality to ascertain what is important to the target market and its requirements of the new service, toolkit and software.
3. Determine how best to position the new service in the market.
4. Assess potential clients’ awareness of the effect of Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) on staff wellbeing and productivity to inform the need for and approach to future educational campaigns.
In Partnership with
Approach
1. Design and deliver a survey to assess the target market and test LCMB’s assumptions.
2. Analyse the survey data using (i) descriptive statistics (mean, proportion, distribution) to present the characteristics of the sample and their responses; and (ii) correlation analysis on the characteristics of the customers and their responses to inform a targeted marketing plan.
3. Conduct semi-structured individual interviews with a subset of the survey respondents to develop a more sophisticated understanding of their perceptions of the new service; requirements; awareness; organisational decision-making; and viability of future educational activity.
4. Conduct focus groups with a subset of the survey respondents to facilitate more interactive discussion and generate insights which cannot be achieved through surveys or interviews.
5. Apply thematic analysis to analyse the interview and focus group transcripts and identify topics and themes emerging from the data.
6. Collate, analyse and interpret all the data to inform robust, evidence-based recommendations and present these in a report to LCMB.
Impact
This project provided LCMB with a detailed research report supported by robust and evidence-based conclusions and recommendations. The project facilitated effective strategic decision-making by providing LCMB the knowledge it requires to configure, position, market and sell the new service. The in-depth insights into the target market represent potentially lucrative opportunities and will enable LCMB to focus future efforts on proven areas of market interest and need.
Doctoral Training Partnerships
Funded by
Our Associate Research Consultants:
Seyi Awosika, PhD research in Management Science, Lancaster University
See Seyi’s LinkedIn profile
Victoria Christodoulides, PhD researcher in Social Philosophy in Health, University of Bath
See Victoria’s LinkedIn profile
Jingwen Zhang, PhD researcher in Social Statistics, The University of Manchester
See Jingwen’s LinkedIn profile
In partnership with
Doctoral Training Partnerships
Funded by