Thirteen Awesome Things About Market Research

Market Research studies and calls have made it into American Pop Culture in the form of being mentioned or shown in numerous movies and novels.  Usually the scene is the phone ringing at a crucial moment in the hero or heroine's life and instead of it being a call they expected it's a call from a Market Research firm.  I recently left the field of Market Research but I have to say I had a great time working in that field and that it gave me a totally new perspective into many areas of  my life. All jokes aside about Market Research and Surveys, allow me to share with you thirteen awesome things about working in that field.

1.  Flexible Schedules
      I was able to change my schedule at a 1 week notice to accommodate changes needed to attend college classes or other jobs.

2.  Keeping up data entry skills
     By keying in data while talking with respondents while on the phone or by typing verbatim responses I was able to keep my data entry skills in shape and up to par.

3.  Developing reading skills even more
     I already had great reading skills before I started the job, but after several years I realized that sometimes my brain started letting me read out loud in a mode I will call automatic.  I could read out loud and talk to people while thinking about a different subject of my own choosing at the same time. 

4.  Call Centers are never boring
     Many people say working in call centers is boring.  To me call centers are never boring because they have lots of people there. The people who work in call centers come from all different walks of life that are as many and varied as the USA can hold.  What is boring about that?

5.  Market Research works
     I can't go into detail about the studies I was involved in due to confidentiality purposes but I can point to a  very successful public market research study that was advertised.  A few years back Domino's Pizza chain set out to find what changes needed to be made to their product to improve it. The chain then implemented the changes the public wanted for the taste of the pizzas as well as combining the results of the survey with a national publicity campaign.  The end result was a marked increase in sales for the company.

6.  Working in an office atmosphere
      Working in an office atmosphere, indoors with air conditioning and heat available, is a pleasant way to make a living.

7.  Learning how to really listen to people
     Listening to people is more then just being quiet and listening. It's about understanding what they are actually saying and how to interpret that. 

8.  Learning the importance of enunciation
     My voice doesn't carry very well in person and when I was younger I slurred my words and so then I often had to spend lots of time repeating myself because people didn't hear or understand what I said.  Talking on the phone and public speaking taught me to enunciate my words and to speak loud enough to be heard the first time. 

9.  The importance of cheerfulness and enthusiasm in work
     When I smiled or laughed while talking with people I soon would start to feel cheerful and enthusiastic for real. This made the work seem much lighter and flow naturally without much effort (most of the time).

10.  Experience with surveys helped with my homework
       I had gone back to collage and I wrote out a speech assigned in Biology class word for word and read it out loud just like I would deliver the script of a survey.  I did so well my instructor clapped for me at the end of my speech. 

11.  Learning about numerous subjects I previously didn't know much about
       Market Research studies can be about virtually any subject and so I was always learning and did not feel stagnant. I actually first heard of blogging in a market research study.

12.  The work stays at work 
        I never ran into any respondents in person and I had no work to take home with me to do.  When I left for the day my work was done. This was a fact that I could appreciate after working in other fields.

13.   Market Research helps promote the economy
        Market Research helps promote the economy by providing jobs for people as well as finding out what customers think or want from a company. Some respondents will tell you what they think you want to hear but if you talk to enough people a pattern will emerge of what people really think about a subject.

In his book, THE AUDACITY OF HOPE, President Barack Obama wrote that he once lost an election because he failed to commission a poll and find out that people didn't know who he was.  That is just another little tidbit about Market Research. (And yes I do own that book.)


To participate in the Thursday Thirteen go to Thursday13-.com 



  

ONWARD: What Time is it?

Sunday Stealing

So this week's meme from Sunday Stealing is all about the time and time change.  I had to laugh because lately the time has been a big issue around our parts.  Technology has come so far, yet in our town I'm not sure if there are any two clocks set on the same exact time!

One night I got off work and I looked at the time in my car and I decided that I would not be able to make it to pick up a prescription as the drugstore closed in five minutes. Then I happened to pass a clock on a sign in town that said it was only ten minutes till the hour. Since it was now ten minutes to the hour that meant I would have time to make it to the drugstore drive thru before it closed.  But wait!  What if I got to the drugstore and their time was faster and they were already closed?  I made it to the drugstore before they closed and so I was successful to not having to put off an errand to another day.

When we get to work every day I ask people what time it is and everyone has a different time. No body's computers or phones are set on the same exact times.  I often set the timer on my phone but sometimes it gets turned off accidentally while I do other tasks.  Of course we could wear a watch and know exactly how many minutes passed if it's digital. But we still might not have our watch set to the time the sign in times to work are.

Lunch break can often go a little like this. The computer might say it's exactly on the hour. The clock by the break room that is battery operated appears to be five after the hour. Then the clock in the car will say five till the hour.  Turning on the phone it will be ten minutes after the hour. While standing in line at the store the wall clock there will say it's usually faster then the time I think it is. I set the timer on the phone but it does often get stopped accidentally. So, that's sort of the picture.  Sometimes I get back early because I have lost track of the time and don't want to be late, while other times I get back five minutes late. Fortunately the company is very understanding of lunch hours.

And now tonight is the night to change back to daylight savings time. Which means a lot of clocks will really be out of kilter for at least the next week. In fact the time on some computers was changed earlier then today.

Gone are the days we could just look at an old fashioned clock and say, "It's about a quarter after", and not have to worry about what the exact minute was.  How did people ever make it in sundial times?

This weeks meme is taken from the blog N0-boba-Please via Sunday Stealing

1.  Do you think Daylight Saving Time is still necessary?  Yes, the children shouldn't have to go to school in the dark.

2.  How long does it take you to adjust to the time change?  A few days.

3.  What is the hardest part of the time changes?  Not knowing if a time has been changed on various clocks.


4.  How many clocks are in your house? Four

5.  Are you generally early, late, or on time.  I refuse to answer that on the grounds it might incriminate me!

6.  Do you wear a watch?  Nope

7.  If an invitation for an event is listed as 8-11 pm, what time would you arrive?  Most likely I would choose to go a little late and leave a little early if it is an informal event.

8.  Are most of your clocks digital or dial?  Digital

9.  What does you alarm clock sound like?  Different ring tones and songs.

10.  Do you use the snooze feature on the alarm clock?  No I set multiple alarms on the phone and/or the timer on the phone.

11.  Does clock ticking drive you nuts?  No, but I hate it when clocks chime every half hour or hour in a quiet house while trying to sleep.

*Let me take this opportunity to apologize to the big child for all the times I forgot about the time difference between our two towns!

image from www.sundaystealing.blogspot.com

sketch by LMA

to participate in Sunday Stealing go to sundaystealing.blogspot.com

ONWARD: Sunday Stealing at Random

           

Sunday Stealing is a blog that provides a service to bloggers by hosting a weekly meme bloggers can participate in for fun and to find great blogs.  The meme is stolen and adapted from other blogs but the original blog the meme was taken from is always credited.  This weeks meme is from the blog MY RANDOM RANDOMNESS.  To participate in Sunday Stealing go to www.sundaystealing.blogspot.com

How did you choose your baby's or pet's names?  I chose the 1st one because it reminded me of something when I heard that name.

Have you ever been fishing?  One of my grandfather's was a commercial fisherman. Can you say catfish y'all?

Have you ever had your national flag painted on your face? No, I will just stick with flag shirts.

What was the last social faux pas you made?  Probably interrupting someone.

What makes you nostalgic?  The music from the 70's and 80's they play in the grocery stores here.  We always moved a lot so I always know exactly how old I was and where we lived and what year the song was a hit.

What's the scariest thing you have ever done?  I picked up a hitch hiker one time and it turned out he had escaped from the small town policeman.  I only had stopped because at first I thought it was someone walking I knew.  Fortunately, they just wanted a ride home.  I went back to my little town and the whole town was turned upside down looking for them.  I told the policeman I gave them a ride home. It was either drive them home or be abandoned on a dark country road without my car....

What fairy tale character would you most associate with?  Rapunzel

How much do you tend to swear in public?  I try not to swear in public as I feel swearing shows a lack of imagination in vocabulary.

If you ruled your own country, who would you get to write your national anthem.  I could write the words myself.

Who is the most intelligent person you know?  The older you get, the less intelligent everyone seems.

What is the worst piece of advice anyone has ever given you?  Dr. Phil says people only treat you how you LET them treat you.  Well Dr. Phil, you have to choose your battles.

If you had to describe yourself as a flavor, what would it be?  I couldn't be described as one flavor.

If you had to describe yourself as a car and/or an animal what would it be?  Fortunately i don't have to describe my self as a car or an animal.

Do you think laughing at some one's misfortune is wrong?  I think there is a little of Schadenfreude in everybody.

If a loved one was to serenade you what song would you most like them to sing?  I used to be frequently serenaded by the song Mama from the movie Soul Food.

Would you ever let your parents pick a partner for you?  ha ha

Have you ever tried spam? (the meat/food kind)  Fried spam usually eaten with eggs.  Great for keeping around "just in case", as in just in case there's a tornado, ice storm, snow, national disaster, or a hungry man in the house.

the end.

image taken from www.sundaystealing.com
sketches by LMA 

OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD: The Heights by Peter Hedges

I almost dismissed this book because of the book jacket.  At first glance it appeared to be a vague impression of green trees with the book title in huge, unappealing white letters on top. But then I saw the words Author of What's Eating Gilbert Grape above the title and I had heard of that and so I thought this story would also be of some quality.   

The Plot:  Tim Welch is the nerd school teacher who scored a hottie wife named Kate.  The hottie wife can actually make more money then her husband but she is doing the mom thing at home with the two kids instead.  Things start to get predictable and blah for this big city couple until the ultra rich Anna Brody starts to take an interest in them.  All of a sudden this makes the couple pseudo popular in their neighborhood.  The seeds of temptation are planted for them to stray as the couple starts to feel flattered that people with worldly success desire them. 

What I Feel The Author Is Saying:  So much of life is a game that it can often be hard to tell what is real.  People feel somewhat more validated as a person  if a wealthy or famous individual desires them.  Things are not always what they seem.  Is someone really a fantastic person or is it just hype?

Practical Life Applications:  

1.  It is not a good idea for a husband to spend time alone with his wife's friend.
2.  Just because someone is famous it doesn't make them a better person.
3.  Don't be jealous of people with fantastic public persona's because they might be a jerk at home.
4.  Sometimes a speech is just a speech.  A staged planned out event to get desired results.
5.  Family bonding doesn't always require huge staged events.

Peter Hedges is also the author of What's Eating Gilbert Grape.  It's a movie y'all.  I haven't seen all of it but I remembered it kept the big child's attention.

ONWARD: More! More! More! Sunday Stealing that is...

Sunday Stealing is a blog that purloins memes from other blogs so the universe can prosper from the wisdom of these memes.  Link up with Sunday Stealing at www.sundaystealing.blogspot.com

For myself I am participating in part two of the MORE meme without having participated in part one. Why? Because this is a blog and there really are no rules so that means I can do whatever I want.

what would you choose to be famous for?  Journalism

if you have a web cam are you ever paranoid people are watching you?  actually yes!  my computer was hijacked and held hostage by some kind of scam and it took a picture of me! so now my web cam remains covered!

do you find it difficult to sleep at night? Any reasons why?  i have so much more energy at night.

if you had to go on a game show which one would you choose?  i have always thought that FAMILY FEUD might be a fun show to be on.

what about if you had to go on a reality show?  which would you choose?  mine

tell me about your favorite TV show.  how can one have a favorite TV show? there are so many!

why were you last irritated?  no one can knows what the exact right time at work is as all the clocks on the computers say different times and this can lead to confusion.

what time did you get up this morning?  i had a nap for about 3 hours while sitting with my grandmother and then i came home about 2:30 a.m.

do you like the countryside?  i like the countryside if that means farms with mowed down or planted fields.  However, if the countryside means truly middle of nowhere places with snakes, raccoons, weeds, mud, then i don't like it.

if you see someone yawn, do you often yawn as well?  of course i do!

Recommend me a good movie.  FAME, the original one from the 80's.

how often do you change you hairstyle?  once a year

do you have a favorite day of the week? what is it?  nope

are you alone?  what kind of fool question is that?

when is the last time you were on the phone at 2 am? if that includes texting then that is today.

we're thru. yay!

this is an ad from the Internet i really like a lot!

ONWARD: Encouragement by The Book (of Luke)

Then turning to his disciples He said privately, "The eyes that see the things you see are blessed!  For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see yet didn't see them, to hear the things you hear yet didn't hear them."__Luke 10:23-24 HCSB

    This is a verse that can be taken in a literal sense as well as a supernatural, spiritual sense.  In the literal sense we are very lucky to live in a time of more knowledge and technology then any generations before us. In the supernatural, spiritual sense how lucky we are to know the things we know as believers. 

     The words of Jesus in the book of Luke are full of hard hitting answers that believers as well as the secular world seek about Christianity.  (And) how awesome is a word from the Lord when you need one!!

ONWARD: The Simple Woman's Daybook for July

July 6th, 2013

Outside my window are the tall apartment buildings and eateries of downtown Louisville. It is early morning on a holiday weekend and it is so quiet I can hear the birds chirping contentedly.  It's an overnight trip for me bringing a family member back.

I am thinking of the details of the day: visiting with people, taking pictures, minor shopping, getting a family member's "old" phone set up for me at the phone store, and maybe a nap before driving back to my town.

I am thankful that I live in a time where there are more options then ever for my age and gender.  I am free to think and feel what I want and my thoughts don't have to fit "inside a box".

In the kitchen...I am not at home, so it's not my kitchen. As most people can tell by now, I am not much of a cook. I do like to think I taught the big child  important things like how to cook food on tinfoil in the oven so as not to have any mess to clean up.(smile)

I am wearing...a sage green polo shirt and jeans.

I am creating...a second blog. I plan to feature more original content on it.

I am wondering... about various political things and the economy.  One thing on my mind is the so called "Obama care" health insurance mandate for employers. Is this really going to make employers decrease people's hours at work in order to not have to legally provide health insurance for employees?

I am reading...blogs and current events online. I like Yahoo news.

I am hoping ...to spend more time  with family members.

I am looking forward to opportunities for the "second half" of my life.

I am learning about the social aspects of blogs.

Around the house...I recently had company, so all is clean and neat except for one room.

I am pondering...the question should be, what am I NOT pondering! I am pondering finances, jobs, locations, people, family members, family cycles, science, health, science/technology, and God.

A favorite quote for the day...is a line from a Chaka Khan song.

"Strange as it seems...we make our own dreams come true..."


One of my favorite things are blogs that make me smile...Recently  two great blogs I came across were www.theramblingbiddy.blogspot.com and www.expectbigthings.blogspot.com

A few plans for the rest of the week...working on a new resume, work, and lots of errands I should have done last week.

A peak into my day...

  The flowers we bought at the Dollar Tree store that decorates our window sill.

To participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook go to
www.simplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com
Many Thanks to Peggy Hostler for hosting this.

Photo: Mine
Image: Credit given to www.simplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com