1. An Introduction to Customer Panels
PREPARED BY:
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES INC.
305-5332 SAYWARD HILL, VICTORIA, BC V8Y 3H8
250-381-3376
info@StrategicInitiatives.ca
www.StrategicInitiatives.ca
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2. Presentation Overview
 What is a “Customer Panel”?
 What Makes a Panel a Panel?
 Why Implement a Panel?
 Why Do Customers Participate in Panels?
 How Do Customer Panels Work?
 Panel Enrolment Process
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3. What is a “Customer Panel”?
 Group of people with common interests who agree to participate in
research studies, either:
 online studies (surveys, focus groups, short “pulse” surveys or single
question polls), or
 traditional studies (telephone surveys, focus groups, 1-on-1 in-depth
interviews, or other methodologies)
 Panel is usually branded and exclusively created for a particular
company’s stakeholders
 Panels (or panel segments) can be created for various groups of
stakeholders: customers, members, consumers, employees,
CSRs, retailers, partners, prospects, suppliers, etc.
 Panels work equally well in B2B or B2C environments
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4. What Makes a Panel a Panel?
 Central e-mail database used for research studies
 Panel database regularly cleaned and updated, refreshed on an
ongoing basis
 Panellists have regular opportunities to participate in a variety of
research studies
 Most often branded by a sponsor organization (if required, could
be branded by third party research firm to mask sponsors identity
or allow for multiple sponsors to share information and costs)
 Ability to opt out/unsubscribe from list and future research
initiatives
 Rules or guidelines to prevent fatiguing panelists (e.g. no panelist
invited more than every 60 days to take a survey)
 Panelists’ survey activity recorded and tracked:
 Frequency of study invitations sent
 Frequency of participation
 Feedback provided regarding process is recorded
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5. Why Implement a Panel?
 Shortens research timelines (panelists are in effect pre-recruited
respondents)
 Guaranteed source of information – panelists agree in advance to
participate by providing feedback
 Declining response rates to traditional web and telephone surveys
(respondents say they’re over-surveyed, surveys are too long)
 Research can be targeted to specific panel segments and sub-
segments to conduct detailed analysis; in effect respondent
profiles enable segmentation on demand
 Panel research as complex or simple as required – from
complicated longitudinal periodic tracking studies, usage and
attitude research, to short “pulse” surveys of several questions or
single question “polls”
 Panels can be used to recruit participants for other traditional
forms of research (e.g. face-to-face focus groups)
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6. Why Implement a Panel?
 Centralized “touch-management” means customers are not over-
surveyed
 Ensures the right group of people is surveyed
 Interactions are relevant to panelists’ interests and backgrounds
 Information about panelists can be re-used in the background –
shows you know the individual and respect their time and the data
they’ve previously provided
 Surveys can be sent based on previous behaviour
 Fewer questions need to be asked, but better data generated
 Reminders and deadlines ensure highest response rates
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7. Why Do Customers Participate in Panels?
 Build/deepen relationship with the sponsor
 Enjoyable interaction with other panelists
 Information, influence and early access from participating
 Incentives (merchandise, cash rewards, contest draws)
 To have their views heard
 Anonymity through communication with independent third party
research firm
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8. How Do Customer Panels Work?
 Panelists communicate with independent third-party research firm
 Participants invited to join the panel (usually by e-mail), sourced
from sponsor’s existing customer lists, databases, loyalty
programs, etc.
 Panelists complete online registration survey (providing detailed
demographic/firmographic information)
 Double opt in as per industry best practices
 Ground rules established and communicated up front:
 What they’ll be surveyed about
 How the information will be used
 How often they’ll be asked to participate
 Why it’s important for them to participate
 How they can opt out if they change their minds
 What’s in it for them
 Research initiatives targeted to all panelists or sub-segments of
panel based on topic of study
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9. Panel Enrolment Process
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10. For More Information…..
Cathy Whitehead McIntyre
Principal
Strategic Initiatives Inc.
305 – 5332 Sayward Hill
Victoria, BC V8Y 3H8
Phone: 250-381-3376
Toll Free: 877-381-3376
info@StrategicInitiatives.ca
www.StrategicInitiatives.ca
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