Professional Research Certification

As you may or may not know, one of my many volunteer activities is as Chair of the Professional Research Certification (PRC) Board. This program, under the auspices of the MRA, was introduced several years ago to bring certification to the marketing research industry. A certification program has been a goal of many research associations for at least the past decade. The MRA made it happen.

There was obviously a clear demand for certification. There are now almost 1,100 active PRCers. Individuals are working hard to earn their educational credits that are required to be recertified. Researchers, employers and clients are seeing the value of PRC.

As with most new certification programs, all of the current PRCers were certified through a rigorous open-enrolment process. But the next, and the most exciting phase of PRC is about to roll-out. A committee of dedicated volunteers has been working to develop the certification test. All new applicants for certification must take and pass this proctored test. The test consists of 100 questions randomly selected from a battery of thousands of questions. No two tests will be alike. This phase will be beta tested next week in Chicago. After that, it will be scheduled on a regular basis around the country.

I am biased, but I am also very proud of what PRC has become. I would especially like to thank Jen Cattel, the Certification Manager with the MRA staff, and Ted Donnelly and Peter Van Brunt , two very hard working volunteers.

Cajun Country

Like many marketing researchers, business travel is a part of my life. A lot of people think business travel is glamorous and a real perk of the job. These are usually the people who don’t travel for business. After too many trips to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle; the trips become mundane. And thanks to the un-customer friendly tactics of the airlines, air travel has become a necessary evil.

One of my recent trips took me off of my usual path. Thanks to my friends at TABASCO, I found myself on Avery Island, in the southwestern part of Louisiana, the heart of Cajun Country. If you haven’t been to Cajun Country, you should go. I felt like I had traveled back in time. This is a place where manners are still of utmost importance, the pace is gentle and relaxing, and you are greeted with a sincerely warm smile. Yet business gets done. This trip reminded me that business travel can be a real perk.

Are you Chicago bound?

The annual MRA conference is fast approaching. It will be held the first week of June in downtown Chicago. While I am a bit biased (I sit on the national board of the MRA), this is the one industry conference I most look forward to. It draws a broad mix of end-clients, full service researchers, field services and panel companies.

The educational offerings are diverse, and help me earn the continuing education credits I need to maintain my PRC status. Every time I attend the annual conference, I bring back at least one new skill, perspective or tool that I use in my everyday research life. That one new learning that makes me a better researcher is worth the time and cost of the conference.

The networking opportunities are just as important as the educational offerings. It’s not about immediately gaining a new client. It is about making connections that will last a life time. It is about nurturing the relationship with our vendor partners. And in these challenging economic times, it gives me a chance to talk with my friendly competitors to share business management tips. I find my colleagues genuinely want to help this industry survive and thrive. There is a level of sharing that is unique to this industry.

Will I see you in Chicago?

Ethnography and the Recession: Part IV

I have written a few times about my observations, and those of others, of small signs that indicate how bad the economy really is. Finally, I have an observation that is positive. Perhaps it is a sign that the economy is starting to turn around.

I met a friend for cocktails last night. We wound up at the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco (He reads this blog, and he bought the “way too expensive” cocktails, so thanks). Anyway, the cocktail lounge was packed. Every table in the expansive space was taken. We stayed a couple of hours, and the crowd never diminished. It was almost like a fantasy land. Everyone in the place appeared so relaxed, like they didn’t have a care in the world.

I was excited to see this. Have you seen any positive signs of a turn in the economy?