Are you leveraging the right tools to make data magic happen?
In the fast-paced world of consumer insights, the tools we use to gather and interpret data can make or break the effectiveness of our strategies. As insights professionals, we are constantly looking for solutions that can streamline our processes, provide quicker turnarounds, be cost-effective, ensure top-notch data quality, and help us understand not just what is happening in the market but why.
It’s a tall order.
But what if there was a way to make it all easier?
At TMRE 2024 in Orlando, KFC U.S.’ Consumer Insights and Market Intelligence Manager Renee Reeves joined Cint Customer Success Consultant Ryan Fletcher for a fireside chat on how building the right tech partnerships is the (not-so-secret) recipe for fostering a culture of innovation and setting your insights team up for success.
If you missed hearing them live or were there and loved the discussion so much you want to read a recap, you’ve come to the right place.
Insights professionals require the unique ability to transform raw undefined data into compelling stories.
Renee Reeves, a seasoned insights professional with 15 years in the field, explains:
“I take the data and make it come alive. It’s not just about reporting numbers; it’s about telling a story that speaks to what those numbers really mean. The goal is to bring the data to life in a way that makes it accessible to everyone – from the global head of insights to the office janitor – whether they’re familiar with the methodology or not.”
But to find the story that needs to be told, you must first have the right tools: tools that allow you to tap into hard-to-find audiences and translate complex data into actionable insights.
The quest for data magic
When Renee joined the KFC U.S. insights team, she found herself faced with a challenge insights professionals know all too well: She had a wealth of data at her fingertips yet little insight into the why behind it.
While KFC had plenty of quantitative data, it didn’t clearly understand its client’s perspective. The numbers alone couldn’t tell the story of the company’s standing in the quick-service restaurant space. Renee needed a tool to help unlock these crucial insights, otherwise buried in large, unstructured datasets.
Thankfully, Renee knew the perfect tool to transform the black-and-white data into a vibrant, colorful, and easy-to-understand narrative that would drive strategic business decisions.
… is it because of the Potato Wedges?
Finding the why in a sea of data.
In 2019, while working for news publisher E.W. Scripps, Renee stumbled upon Lucid (now Cint) while looking for a tool to help her reach the right survey audiences.
“When I first discovered Cint, it was like opening a door to an entirely new world of possibilities,” Renee recalls. “The transparency and flexibility of the platform made it a great fit for the fast-paced nature of advertising agencies, where quick turnarounds are crucial.”
From there, a partnership started to develop. And that’s why she knew she could trust Cint when solving this challenge at KFC.
“That’s when I realized how valuable Cint’s ability to provide on-demand consumer research was. We could quickly gather consumer insights to answer those critical ‘why’ questions and adjust our strategy on the fly,” Renee explains.
From quick feedback on product offerings to understanding customer sentiments about the infamous Potato Wedges (a hot topic for KFC fans and the TMRE audience), the Cint Exchange would allow Renee and her team to get the immediate answers they crave.
Renee knew she had the right solution, but could she get buy-in from her team?
So, you think new tech is scary?
Taking your team and key stakeholders on a journey from skepticism to trust.
It’s not exactly a secret insights professionals tend to be wary of new tech.
Whether you’re adopting AI or onboarding a new Restech partner – or even back in the day moving from old-school survey methods to automated insights platforms – it can be daunting to try something new: What if it doesn’t work? What if it doesn’t solve your problem?
Renee’s team was similarly hesitant about incorporating the new Cint Exchange into their workflow.
“As insights professionals, we’re naturally a bit skeptical of new technologies. We’re always concerned about data quality, methodology changes, and whether the tech will really deliver on its promises.”
However, knowing that the Restech landscape is quickly evolving, and insights teams that don’t keep up will fall behind and underdeliver, Renee drew on her positive experiences with Cint to put her team at ease.
She shared how the platform had helped her in previous roles by enabling faster turnaround times, providing cost-effective solutions, and allowing her more flexibility when designing surveys and research initiatives.
“We showed the team how we could now start and stop surveys on demand, modify questions in real-time, and get answers much faster than we could before,” she explains. “Once they saw the potential, it was a no-brainer.”
Training, teamwork, and tasty chicken
The human component of tech adoption
With the team on board, it was time to implement.
While tech adoption is often seen as a predominately technical process, the human element to change management is equally as critical to success in onboarding and ongoing user experience.
Within your insights team, this might mean having a designated champion to ensure everyone is comfortable and kept up to speed.
At KFC U.S., where the team works in a hybrid office environment, Renee implemented a combination of lunch-and-learns, team training sessions, and hands-on guidance to help everyone familiarize themselves with the Cint platform.
“Lunch-and-learns were a big part of getting everyone comfortable with the tool,” she shares. “We’d screen-share during remote sessions, walk through the platform together, and troubleshoot as a team. And, in the office, there was the added bonus of free food! While we didn’t get Potato Wedges, there was always KFC chicken on hand to keep the team engaged.”
Support from account managers and customer success teams also play a critical role in ensuring the transition to new tech is smooth.
Renee recalls how, over the years, in addition to always having a friendly face eager to help, Cint has continually updated resources—like online guides, step-by-step tutorials, and FAQs—to make learning how to use the platform more user-friendly.
“It’s the human touch that has made all the difference,” she says. “From the account managers to the evolving online resources, Cint has always been there to support us, and that’s something that’s helped the rest of my teams at various companies get on board with the new technology. It’s not just about a tool: It’s about the people behind it and the trust we’ve built together that’s been key to our success.”
