Brand Awareness Assessment for a PE-backed OEM repairs distributor

The Assignment

Company Background: The company is in the US and owned by a private equity firm, the company recently bought a leading national distributor of OEM repairs (parts used to fix appliances in homes)

• Research Goal: They want to assess how well known their brand is among three target groups:

  1. Home warranty company leaders (e.g., executives at companies like Samsung or Whirlpool that offer home appliance warranties)

  2. Appliance repair technicians who fix appliances in people's homes

  3. Heads of households

• Desired Consultant: They're looking to hire a consultant to conduct customer calls and surveys with these three groups. Ideally, this consultant would already have access to lists of people in these categories to make contacting them easier

• Timeline: They want to get started quickly and the consultant will report directly to the company's Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

REKOLT’s proposition

While customer calls and expert interviews are valuable for gaining initial knowledge, REKOLT emphasizes the power of data-driven approaches for B2C companies. Garnering thousands of insights through data analysis provides a more comprehensive understanding than relying on a limited number of customer calls.

REKOLT's Approach:

• Heads of Households: Brand awareness and perception will be assessed through a data-heavy approach. REKOLT proposes scraping reviews from Google Maps and TrustPilot for companies like RepairClinic. Utilizing sentiment analysis on these reviews (which can include details like purchased products, service experiences, and even photos) will generate granular insights on brand awareness and perception among real customers

• Appliance Repair Technicians: To access and interview technicians, we would generate a list of leadsfrom Task Rabbit and specialized Facebook groups

• Home Warranty Executives: We propose cold messaging on LinkedIn, which is usually effective

Note that for these populations (technicians and executives), having done the reviews analysis will enable us to be extremely precise in our questions and avoid the vague inquiries that are felt like time loss

By combining the insights from review analysis and customer calls, REKOLT would provide a comprehensive picture of brand awareness and perception. The summary would include:

• Overall Brand Awareness Level: A clear picture of how well-known the brand is among each target group (heads of households, technicians, warranty executives)

• Brand Perception: Insights into how customers view the brand, including its strengths, weaknesses, and areas for differentiation

• Customer Needs and Preferences: Understanding what factors influence purchase decisions and how the brand can better cater to customer needs

• Actionable Recommendations: Based on the findings, REKOLT would propose specific strategies to improve brand awareness and perception among the target audiences

What are the advantages of REKOLT’s approach vs. the initial request for only customer calls?

Scale and Comprehensiveness:

• Larger Sample Size: REKOLT's data analysis of reviews allows them to gather insights from a much larger pool of customers compared to a limited number of customer calls. This provides a more statistically significant and representative picture of brand awareness and perception

• Multiple Data Points: REKOLT goes beyond just what people say in calls. Our approach incorporates sentiment analysis of reviews, which can reveal underlying attitudes and emotions that might not be explicitly stated in conversations. Topic modeling helps identify recurring themes and pain points customers frequently mention

Efficiency:

• Faster Turnaround: Review data is readily available, allowing for quicker initial insights. While customer calls still need to be conducted, having the review data can help REKOLT tailor their interview questions and avoid wasting time on generic inquiries

• Eliminating False Starts: Customer calls often involve a learning curve, with initial calls yielding less valuable insights due to unstructured questioning and unfamiliarity with the target audience. REKOLT's data analysis provides a solid foundation for crafting insightful interview questions from the start, avoiding wasted time and effort

Actionable Insights:

• Deeper Understanding: By combining data analysis and customer interviews, REKOLT can provide a more nuanced understanding of brand awareness. We can identify not just how well-known the brand is, but also how customers perceive it and what drives their purchase decisions

• Targeted Recommendations: With a richer understanding of customer needs and preferences, REKOLT can offer more targeted and actionable recommendations for improving brand awareness and marketing strategies

Overall, REKOLT's approach offers a more data-driven, cost-effective, and insightful way to assess brand awareness compared to relying solely on customer calls.

While customer calls can provide valuable qualitative data, REKOLT's approach leverages the power of big data to gain a broader and deeper understanding of the customer landscape.