(Only recently I discovered that it was mandated by the Market Search Society of
There are few occasions however, as I have gone through the motions of my boring speech…something in me has jumped out (well...almost) pestering to grab my attention and despite my incessant efforts at trying to banish this rebellious thought…has persisted enough to almost form a paralleled mental process.
Here is some anecdotal evidence in support of what I am saying…Enjoy!
Hi…My name is Reshma and before we start the discussion let me give
you a brief introduction
(Oh crap! Here we go again…)
The company I work for, we don't make or sell anything… we just meet people like you and take your opinion on the products that you use and your opinion is very
crucial to the companies who make these products. Once such company
has sent me here today
(and today being the key word…since last morning I found out that I if I don’t come here TODAY something earth shattering would happen)
and this company is into making
(well…what should I say about them…they make LIFE SAVING DRUGS and they have put it into research TODAY…since they have ONLY until tomorrow find out about the results and so they have sent me here to talk to all of YOU about)
… JAM !!!
To this some one from the groups asks…Madam Jam…wohi khane wala?
I put on my warmest smile since it is just the start of the discussion and don’t want to piss them off…Haanji wohi …aap ne kaise guess kar liya?
(You are sooooo intelligent…Yes it is JAM…that hideous looking pink blob...)
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Then there are times when I’ve been at the same place so often that I’ve seen the same faces in the audience for researches that I have done on tea…jam…biscuits…you name it …and they use it!
‘Repeat Respondents’ as they are known in the industry or ‘professional respondents’ like they fancy calling themselves can fit into 2 categories….actually 3.
The soft spoken ‘mama types’ the ones who nod their head as you give your opening speech for the (n+1)th time…even though they have heard it only two days ago…they have such a concerned look on their face…almost to say…haan beta mujhe pata hai tum par kya guzar rahi hai ! They are by and large 'nice'. They behave themselves at the discussion, even try to answer intelligently...make my job easy...I don't have anything against them.
The other category is the ‘marketing savvy….I know all the jargon’ babe. These can be real pests and talking to them can be a real test of anyones patience
Your opinions are very important to us…there is no right or wrong when it comes to an opinion…so feel free to express what you say
Haanji yeh sab hume pata hai…ab group discussion shuru karein
Haan jaroor…abhi 5 minute mein shuru kartein hai…par uske pehle mujhe aap logo ko kuch dikhana hai
Haan dikhaye…jo CONCEPT BOARD…dikhana hai
Come...sit here...take my place...is what I feel like telling them...and I'll happily take yours!
The third slot is reserved for the real duhs! They’ll be the ones who as soon as you enter the room would say….
(While trying my best to not recognize her…and trying to drop big hints her way by nodding my head to say yes and no all at once I say) Achha…
(SSShhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…dumb woman…your live telecast is my client sitting in the backroom!)
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Though I’ve fretted and fumed when these incidents have happened…in hindsight many a time they’ve saved the day and given me some interesting stories to narrate when I am back from the travel.
Categories: Qualitative Research_ , Humor_
jam is not "hideous" looking...everything else was funny
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