When times are tough, companies often are more focused than ever on finding new customers — and figuring out what it will take to keep the customers they already have.
And in turn, that interest can help market research firms, like Omaha's the MSR Group, do some growing of their own.
Over the summer, the company, which specializes in customer satisfaction surveys, has expanded to a new facility and more than doubled the number of call center workers it employs. Since June, when MSR moved all of its call center operations into an 8,000-square-foot office near 77th and Dodge Streets, it has brought on 138 new callers, bringing the total number to 260. The company previously did call center work out of its headquarters at 1121 N. 102nd Court and a second location at 90th and Blondo Streets.
Sara Martens, MSR's vice president for business development, said the new space, which the company is leasing, provides enough room to add more workers.
Plans call for MSR to expand by 20 percent to 30 percent each year over the next few years, she said.
The company is hired by customers in a variety of industries, from financial to retail, providing follow-up customer satisfaction surveys, as well as other market research, product testing and focus group work.
When it opened about 50 years ago, the company — then known as Midwest Survey — was Omaha's first market research firm. Back then, Martens said, workers went door-to-door, asking for people's opinions.
"That's about the only thing we don't do now," she said.
The firm changed hands in 1994 and expanded its market research operations.
Martens said the company's track record has made it a good fit for customers looking to get the most out of the limited dollars they have for research work.
"Especially in an economic time that is challenging when competing for customers, they want to know that they're differentiating their service . ... Customer satisfaction becomes one of those tools that allows you to grow and thrive," she said.
Contact the writer:
402-444-1543, erin.golden@owh.com
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