The first phase of research, sponsored by Wybron, was accomplished at PLASA2005 in London and ETS-LDI in Orlando. Executed by New York-based Acromatics, it involved a combination of one-on-one interviews and computer questionnaires. "The idea of the monthly online surveys was a result of the overwhelming response we got from the respondents in London and Orlando," says marketing guru Stuart Agres, who spearheaded the project. "We heard repeatedly that the research questions really made them think about things in a new way and many offered to participate in future research projects."
Acromatics president Margie White points out the benefits of the online surveys for individuals unable to participate in the interviews last autumn. "The interviews were very in-depth and took up to an hour to complete, which limited the number of people we could speak with at each show," she explains. "The online surveys are accessible to everyone, they're short, generally 10 minutes or less, and can be completed from any computer at any time during the month."
Each month, Wybron will be giving away a new 30GB Apple iPod™ to one person selected randomly from a drawing of all participants of the survey that month. But aside from the prize, everyone has an opportunity to contribute his or her expertise and opinions. In addition, the results will be posted online, so the entire lighting community will have access to those viewpoints.
Keny Whitright, founder and president of Wybron, is looking forward to the continuous input from the industry. "This research program is already providing Wybron with a focus on product development for the short term as well as with an integrated vision of the longer-term industry requirements," he says. "With the online surveys we'll see a wider range of opinions, giving us a good indicator of trends in this business."
(Chris Henry)
