Last week, I shared the first part of a retailer’s experience with Experiential Mystery Shopping (EMS).  This week I wanted to share a few examples of some of the best practices identified from the…

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Everyone probably knows that Disney and Apple are tight partners.  After swapping stock and cash for Pixar, Apple and Disney have a shared future now, and other than Cars 2, I’ve been happy with…

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I’ve been digging through the data from the 2013 Maritz Research Retirement Study and I am unearthing a number of interesting tidbits. We surveyed 1,000 near and recent retirees with at least $100,000…

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In my last blog, “The Clandestine Consumer,” I reviewed what mystery shopping is and how it has been used by companies (both today and in the past) to identify gaps in performance relative to their…

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The CASRO Management Conference created many thoughtful discussions and a few laughs.  I enjoyed hearing Ralph Maurer say that just because you can make a dog jump doesn’t mean people want a jumping…

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                  T.S. Eliot famously said “So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.” The 2013 Restaurant Leadership Conference…

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Market research online communities (MROCs) are en vogue. Not sure if the adoption is as strong as the buzz around them. Obviously, the internet does not just have a huge impact on our everyday life. It…

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A few days ago I was speaking with a business associate and she took out her smartphone to check email.  It was a Blackberry.  The phone was about two years old. Another person standing with us took…

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On Thursday, April 25, I’ll be at the CASRO Management Conference in New Orleans, as a panel member for a session on talent management. First, I have to say I’m thrilled to represent Maritz Research…

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Today, the Maritz Restaurant Research Group is here at the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. We are here to launch Capella Restaurant — the newest addition to Maritz’ proven…

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Dress shirt.  Check. Tie.  Check. Suit.  Check. Tennis shoes.  Check. Tennis shoes?? That was my reaction a couple weeks ago at a funeral I attended.  He was an old high school classmate I hadn’…

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Part of my first job in market research was to help design a reporting website for one of our automotive clients.  I was low man on the totem pole so I had the amazingly awesome [sic] task of turning…

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