Archive for the ‘B2B News’ Category
Tuesday, July 8th, 2008
Market research specialists B2B International have welcomed over 1,000 employees during their 10 years, with Leah Fletcher (pictured above) being the lucky 1000th.
Peter Mullarkey, operations manager at B2B International’s UK office says:
We’re delighted to have reached this milestone. More than 1,000 people have now worked for B2B since its inception in 1998. This includes the consultants in our research team and those working in the telephone interviewing unit. There’s certainly always a lot going on here!
Whilst there are a large proportion of English-speaking interviewers, B2B also employs people of many nationalities with up to 35 languages being spoken amongst the staff at any one time. This, in no small part, is due to the international nature of many of the projects that B2B conducts.
Director and co-founder Nick Hague says:
This multi-national aspect is why so many clients commission us. We talk to people all over the world, and the differing time zones means the phone unit is often busy 24 hours a day!
With the opening of a Beijing office 18 months ago and a New York branch having opened in June, Peter says constant expansion means B2B that is always looking out for additional staff:
The B2B phone unit is thriving. Work is quite flexible, which suits many people, and also very varied – short interviews, longer in-depth conversations, through to focus groups. We‘re a happy and dedicated team…and the provision of a tea trolley also proves highly popular, as well as helping lubricate their voices whilst interviewing!
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Nick Hague, International Market Research, Market Research, B2B News |
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Tuesday, July 1st, 2008
A new survey by B2B International examines the increasing demand for security at the front door in Europe.
Friedland have been manufacturing door chimes, wireless security and security lighting since 1938 and their brand, especially for door chimes, is synonymous with high quality products.
Friedland’s main market is the buildings and construction industry. This sector has been buoyed in recent years by strong growth, but faces a more challenging environment in the near future. The way buildings are constructed and periphery products (security, lighting) to the building are specified is also changing with the roles and responsibilities within the supply chain slowly becoming merged.
Given the continually changing market conditions in which they operate, Friedland commissioned B2B International to research the French and German markets for door-entry systems, security lighting and alarms.
The market for door chimes in Europe is in decline due to the increased demand for audio/video intercoms for door entry.
Installers are the key decision makers when it comes to deciding what doorbell is fitted in nearly nine out of 10 cases. Quality, reliability and functionality are the key requisites that installers look for from a door chime. Wired door chimes are preferred mainly due to the robustness of the system but also because many installations are replacing existing wired systems.
Friedland’s brand in the door chime market shows very high awareness with nearly all installers in Germany and three quarters of installers in France being aware of Friedland.
In contrast to the door chime market, the market for security lighting and security alarms is in the ascendant with the heightened demand for greater security. The annual market for these products is growing at between 3% and 5%.
B2B executive of this report, Matt Powell, says:
Everyone is becoming more security conscious, so it is not surprising that the research indicates a growing demand for security products in general and for new door-entry products in particular. In the future, companies will need to revise their offerings to meet different market segments. What we see is that brand is important and gives installers comfort that they will be getting a reputable product. Freidland are in a strong position with their ever-present brand. This research will enable Friedland to position itself as an innovator and leader and develop new security products – in other words, to become more than just a door chime company.
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Matt Powell, Market Assesment, Market Research, B2B News |
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Monday, June 30th, 2008
B2B International recently celebrated its 10th birthday – And what better way to celebrate than a good old-fashioned cake?
Founder Nick Hague has found it an exciting first decade:
Planned and sustainable growth has been key to our success. It’s interesting to look back at some highlights – becoming a global agency with the opening of an office in Beijing in 2007 and one in New York this month; managing over 1,000 market research projects per and recently welcoming our 1000th employee!
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Nick Hague, Market Research, B2B News |
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Monday, May 12th, 2008
Following the opening of its new office in New York, B2B International is pleased to announce the dates of its New York business-to-business marketing workshops in October 2008.
The workshops will take an interactive format and be led by senior business-to-business marketing and market research practitioners. There are two workshops - on Tuesday 21st October and Wednesday 22nd October - each of which is designed to provoke discussion and learning around key business-to-business issues.
On Day 1 (Tuesday 21st October) we will consider the challenge of branding and differentiation in business-to-business markets. For example, how do make our offer distinct when our competitors offer something extremely similar, and when the buyer’s decision-making unit is dispersed throughout the organisation?
On Day 2 (Wednesday 22nd October) we consider the equally significant challenge of segmentation and CVP development in business-to-business markets, on an international basis. For example, is it effective to rely on the obvious firmographic criteria of geography, company size and company type when targeting our offering at a worldwide b2b market? If we decide to use a needs-based segmentation, how can we reliably identify the needs of the market and how do we implement the segmentation? What are the implications of implementing a single CVP across different geographies?
The workshops will be led by Paul Hague, a world-renowned business-to-business marketing and market research expert, with 35 years’ experience behind him. Paul remarks:
We have conducted business-to-business marketing workshops for some of the largest corporations in the world, across the fields of engineering, chemical and petrochemical, gases, construction, pulp & paper and many more. In the last year alone, we have run sessions in Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and London, with great success. Our New York office allows us to bring this offering to our many US-based clients.
A detailed programme of the sessions will shortly be made available. In the mean time, enquiries regarding the workshops or our market research capability in the United States should be directed to our New York office at newyork@b2binternational.com.
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Market Research USA, Paul Hague, Segmentation, Branding, B2B News |
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Tuesday, May 6th, 2008
Forget the traditional Oxbridge boat race, here’s the Manchester-Salford equivalent!
B2B International is donating money to the North West’s Two Cities Boat Race on 10th May, an annual event at Salford Quays where thousands watch university rowing teams from Manchester and Salford fight with sculls.
Nick Hague, director at the Bramhall-based business-to-business market research agency, says:
This race presses many buttons for us. Both universities are valued clients so it’s an opportunity to support them. Also, money from the donation is given to SPARKS, a fantastic charity that supports medical research for children. What’s more, the Chinese Dragon Boat Race, which takes place alongside the main Regatta event, is of great interest to us as B2B has an office in Beijing and does a lot of work throughout China.
Dragon Boat Racing has established itself as the UK’s favourite mass participation water sport (allegedly) so B2B is planning to enter a team next year…once 17 staff have practiced their team-building and rowing techniques!
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Market Research China, B2B News, Articles |
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