Closer to Customers
Closer to Customers supports clients directly and through partner companies to better understand customers, markets and opportunities so that so that strategic decisions can be made against a clear knowledge and understanding of the issues involved. We are Business to Business specialists.
Closer to Customers has been delivering this service to clients for 20 years, the Principal, David Dower, leading all projects, sometimes working solo but often bringing on board additional trusted and experienced resources according to the demands of the task.
The value of such insights has never been greater. Often the demands of enhanced customer service, optimising processes and cost control within the business are in conflict.
Today, the value of our insights has never been greater. Customers’ increasing demands for enhanced service and the need to respond accordingly, conflict with the need to control costs and optimise business processes. Ensuring that service delivery continues to match customers’ needs is paramount.”
What We Do
Our market research services include all aspects of project design, project management, fieldwork, analysis and reporting.
Qualitative Research
We work with our clients’ customers, channel partners, influencers and staff. Often in business to business sectors the insights gained from a selected number of high level, intelligent consultations add tremendous value to quantitative, numerical outcomes. Although we often combine our qualitative skills with appropriate online or telephone (CATI) based interviewing, we believe that the power of human dialogue produces the deeper insights that quantitative, numeric focused surveys on their own cannot.
Case StudiesMarket analysis and assessment
Projects range from high level global analysis of specific markets to detailed analysis of specific opportunities. These can be challenging assignments especially when tackling many difficult to access overseas markets. Although the internet may provide much of the direction for projects, there is still a need for persistence to reach players in the market and engagement skills to obtain cooperation from them. Where needed, we will work with a range of local suppliers in overseas markets.
Case StudiesWork Scope
We provide a comprehensive scope of support to better understand customers, markets and opportunities:
Enhanced Customer Experience
Understanding the customer experience and journey; Buying personas and segmentation; Testing the impact of change
Brand health
Advertising and message testing; Marketing / channel effectiveness; Response to brand positioning; Market response to M&A
Products and services
Enhancing product and service propositions; Product and pack design; Product portfolios; Innovation
Markets and Opportunities
Market size and structure; Market potential; Product / Service fit (Go/No Go); Target geographies, customers and partners; Strategies for market entry and organic growth; Due diligence
Closer to Customers has undertaken market research in a wide range of sectors and more than 100 countries:
- Accounting solutions
- Agriculture
- Airports, ATC and air travel
- Air logistics
- Auto components
- Cables
- Car hire
- Chemicals
- Construction
- Credit cards
- Electrical transformers
- Energy transmission & distribution
- Facilities management
- Financial solutions
- Food retail
- Healthcare equipment
- Industrial components
- Industrial automation
- Industrial cleaning
- Insulators
- Insurance
- Laboratory services
- Market intelligence services
- Mental health in the workplace
- Natural gas
- Nuclear
- Nursing and medical services
- Office equipment
- Oilfield development/risk management
- Packaging
- Power tools
- Payment solutions
- Renewables
- Retail refurbishment
- Roadside services
- Sea freight
- Search engines and social media
- Seismology
- Student welfare
- Utilities – water, energy
- Wire rod (HT)
Principal
DAVID DOWER has worked in the market research industry for 30 years, initially with B2B specialists BMSL and Total Research (which became Harris Interactive) before founding Closer to Customers in 2000. His earlier background is in the construction product sector but in market research adaptability is essential and he has worked in many industry sectors and over 100 countries.
While maintaining the Closer to Customers service he has also project managed for three years the data component of a UXO identification and clearance programme on a 2,000km2 Iraqi oilfield to allow the oil company client access for surveying and eventual production.
Also in that time he successfully launched a specialist intelligence company in the energy sector which produced reports and databases on global energy infrastructures. These were bought by leading management consultancies, banks and product manufacturers around the world to assist in strategic planning. He exited that business in 2015.
In a different vein, he is a Director of a small vineyard and wine business in East Devon.
Through all of his work he continues to build experience of business in general and certain industries specifically.