Thought the focus group segment was great. I’ve done lots of focus groups, as a client, as a consultant and even as a moderator. But the real point is, whether it’s focus groups, in-depth interviews or simple web-based surveys, far too few organizations take advantage of the valuable feedback customers will provide.

I do want to express a bit of concern about a comment that came up in the show, i.e., the notion of using a focus group as a regular part of the sales process.

Serious breech of ethics guys!

Tempting though it might be, the participants have agreed to provide opinions for ‘research’ purposes. Those opinions should NOT be turned into negotiating tactics to be used against them.

Kind of like the baseball steroids testing that was done a few years ago as an ‘anonymous survey’ but subsequently released for some of the star players who participated. Ouch!

Business is about trust and keeping commitments. Let’s not break down that trust and turn off consumers willingness to help us understand them better.

Other than that, keep up the good work. I appreciate the quality of the show. Happy to talk to you more about research if you’re interested.

Andy Perkins

Thought the focus group segment was great. I've done lots of focus groups, as a client, as a consultant and even as a moderator. But the real point is, whether it's focus groups, in-depth interviews or simple web-based surveys, far too few organizations take advantage of the valuable feedback customers will provide.

I do want to express a bit of concern about a comment that came up in the show, i.e., the notion of using a focus group as a regular part of the sales process.

Serious breech of ethics guys!

Tempting though it might be, the participants have agreed to provide opinions for 'research' purposes. Those opinions should NOT be turned into negotiating tactics to be used against them.

Kind of like the baseball steroids testing that was done a few years ago as an 'anonymous survey' but subsequently released for some of the star players who participated. Ouch!

Business is about trust and keeping commitments. Let's not break down that trust and turn off consumers willingness to help us understand them better.

Other than that, keep up the good work. I appreciate the quality of the show. Happy to talk to you more about research if you're interested.

Andy Perkins

I just started reading Six Pixels of Separation as well. Chris, I could not agree with you more. The book is great because it focuses on the conceptual and not just a blueprint of “how to create a campaign”. If I wanted a how to guide… I’d get something else. Plus it is well-written.

Keep up the great work gentlemen! Looking forward to more great episodes.

I just started reading Six Pixels of Separation as well. Chris, I could not agree with you more. The book is great because it focuses on the conceptual and not just a blueprint of “how to create a campaign”. If I wanted a how to guide… I'd get something else. Plus it is well-written.

Keep up the great work gentlemen! Looking forward to more great episodes.

As for the question of the week, I haven’t had any outstanding experiences with focus groups, except for the opportunity for clients as a group to take direct shots at senior management. While it was uncomfortable while it lasted, it ended very well. The clients were able to validate their top issues with consensus with other clients, and we re-prioritized to answer the issues – and gained a significant group that remain loyal to us.

As for the question of the week, I haven't had any outstanding experiences with focus groups, except for the opportunity for clients as a group to take direct shots at senior management. While it was uncomfortable while it lasted, it ended very well. The clients were able to validate their top issues with consensus with other clients, and we re-prioritized to answer the issues – and gained a significant group that remain loyal to us.