Now I would like to take the opportunity to provide an
overview of the 8 Key projects underway currently.
1 MR FIELD CERTIFICATION
For a long time, the MR Industry has suffered from allegations of providing poor quality data,
but so far no specific initiative had focussed on this pressing need to raise the bar in the area
of MR field quality. More importantly, the need is to assign recognition to the fact that
“collection of consumer data through skillful interviewing” is a professional skill.
Hence, there was a strong need felt for training & certification of professional MR
interviewers, to help improve the quality of interviewer resource pool, and provide
the job the professional status it deserves.
Hence, a team of 10 plus Heads of Field dept from MR agencies was formed to take on
this challenge.
Kiran Jaitly of HLL, who heads the Consumer Connections & MR Field dept, is leading
the initiative.
I am proud to say that this team has done an outstanding job in a very committed way.
This system will help create a pool of certified freelance professional interviewers
who can be hired by all agencies. The feedback system from agencies will help ensure
that we always use a pool of “trustworthy or qualified” interviewers to raise the bar
on quality of field data. We have already started receiving the requisition form agencies
like Indica, IMRB, HLL etc
I would like all of you to join me in applauding the significant contribution by this MRSI
field committee, which I feel will make a significant difference to this Industry.
Whilst on this topic of field data quality, which is close to my heart, I would like
to put across a point of view to all agency heads, here today. Field Services cannot
improve, if that dept is not put on a pedestal and given the respect & support it deserves
within each agency organization. For E.g. you can never expect a good quality product from
a factory, if the factory manager & team are not shown the importance they deserve within
the Company. I feel it will change only if the Agency heads send a strong message on this to
everyone within their Research Organization. I hope we will encourage & support our field teams,
even as they toil hard for getting us good quality data.
2 REVITALISING MRSI CHAPTERS:
Bangalore Chapter: Ranjan Samanta of TVS-Motors has been appointed Chief Convener MRSI Bangalore Chapter.
Rajaretnam of RI as Finance Convener, Seshagiri Gudipudi (ACN) as Operations Convener & Bala of IMRB
were actively involved in the Chapter launch, which was held on 3rd Feb 2006 at hotel Taj West End.
It was a cascade event of the 16th MRSI seminar held in Mumbai, wherein the winning papers & the other
best papers were presented. Around 100 delegates attended the launch seminar.
Delhi Chapter: Due to the focused, thrust in this area, the first step of a “Soft launch”
has been undertaken in Delhi, where a Core group led by Bhupender Mathur (IMRB) & Sangeetha
Gupta (ACN) has been set up. The formal Chapter opening needs to be initiated with aggressive
selling-in to clients, as well. The 17th MRSI Seminar scheduled on 23rd , 24th Feb 2007 will
help revitalise the Delhi Chapter.
There are a number of ideas on how to turn each Chapter into a “Profit Centre”
to generate adequate funds for its activities & also add to our MRSI corpus. We need
to convert these into concrete action plans now
3. MR TRAINING
The Third initiative which is in the planning stage is the launch of a series of
“Management Development Programs” focussed on specific Marketing / MR related topics
E.g. Segmentation, Pricing etc. The idea here is to provide a 2/3 day program targetted
to Client Marketing / Brand / MR Managers in various Client Companies, to equip them with
all aspects of research related to the chosen topic with practical guidelines on application.
The Course will cover theory & techniques available in the published MR literature, followed
by presentation by agencies, with their proprietary specialised models. This initiative,
we believe will help educate Client Managers on MR and help the growth of the MR Industry
in the long run, whilst generating revenues for MRSI. This initiative is being led by Mohan
Krishna (BIRD), alongwith Sunil Karve (RI). This is the first foray of MRSI into the area of
MR training, and I take this opportunity to wish Mohan & Sunil all the success.
4. NEW CONSUMER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NCCS)
A Pan Industry initiative led by MRSI-MRUC has been set up with over 20
representatives from MR Agencies, Ad Agencies, Media Agencies, Academic
Institutions & Corporates. The analysis of IRS & other data sources is currently
on, to work out the best system to replace our aging SEC system. This system will
measure “Affluence level & Propensity to spend” of Consumers, and will be one system
covering both Urban and Rural Consumers. The MRSI Committee members will be taken on
board with a specific presentation, once the draft of the new system is ready in the
next couple of months.
5. FRINGE BENEFIT TAX COMMITTEE
In the last MC meeting, a Committee led by Partha Rakshit, Alok Shankar &
Jenny Abraham has been set up to put up the MR Industry case for lowering /
waiver of this to, to the Central Government. Partha is in the process of drafting a
note to kick-start this initiative.
6. ESOMAR APAC Conference
ESOMAR APAC Conference was held from 19th to 21st March 2006 at Hotel JW Marriott, Mumbai
7. Two more Project Committees on
(a) Building the MRSI Brand
(b) MRSI Products Committee
have been set up. Progress on this will be reported at the earliest next opportunity.
Activities undertaken
MRSI Website: The MRSI website was launched last year. However, it has been observed that
the website has turned very static with not much to offer. It was decided to convert it
into one point source of information on MR & also a revenue generation medium.
A team of Deepa Soman (Lumiere), VG Pillai (Indica), Kedar Sohoni (Cross-Tab)
has been formed to develop & revamp the website.
Size of MR Industry: The last report on the size of MR industry MRSI has is of 1989 – 90.
So it was high time to have the latest report. A format has been sent to all the agencies
& users of MR to send the data for the calendar year 2004 & 2005. Price Waterhouse has been
appointed to compile the data received from the agencies & the users. Last date to send the
data to PWC is 23rd June 2006.
Financial Review
In the financial year there will be a net surplus of Rs. 1.72 Lakhs.
The fund earmarked for the library now stands at Rs. 41.00 Lakhs
(after spending Rs.46.13 lakhs for the library cum office premises).
