Qualitative research from Consensus Research
We have masses of experience and love what we do! Dedicated to the highest quality from project design to delivery, we apply creative fresh thinking to each project ensuring the best approach for your research needs. Our knowledge of the financial and professional services markets means our qualitative solutions really provide you with true market insight.
The Team
A team of creative and highly skilled researchers you'll enjoy working with. Click a photo to view CV
Methods
Using a broad range of conventional and next-generation methods to get you the best results.
Click an image to view more information.
Techniques
An ever-developing variety of techniques to get the most out of each project.
Roll over an image to view more information.
Interviewing techniques
To go beyond the obvious, get to underlying motives or make difficult or sensitive topics easier to broach
- Laddering
- Enabling & Projective Techniques
- Story Telling
- Sensory Elicitation
Branding
To get an in-depth understanding of brands' images and equities, both on a rational and emotional level
- Brand Sorting
- Brand Personification
- Brand Corridor
- Party Game
- Collage
Searching for insights
To maximise chances of discovering the most relevant and impactful consumer insights
- Mind Mapping
- Laddering
- Metaphor Elicitation
Trade-off techniques
To find a perfect balance between features, benefits and price
- Ranking
- Optimal Model Building
- Board Games
Case Studies
Read more about the exciting work we've done
Karin Heath
Research Director
After 14 years of globe-trotting in the name of qual, Karin is fully charged just like the energiser-bunny!
A self-confessed perfectionist, Karin never tires in her quest to produce the ultimate insightful debrief. She only stops for a good reason: either she's stuck in a wetsuit or she's thinking of new ways to get to the right answers - or both.
She's known to go the extra mile or two in her spare time too; as a keen triathlete, she has completed an Ironman, and run marathons all over the world. And since becoming a mum, she is pioneering a new discipline by racing with her daughter – in a pram!
Karin is a German native with a diploma in Applied World Business Languages, and has worked in research in the US, Egypt, UAE and the UK.
Moderates in English & German
Kasia Gandhi
Associate Director
Kasia never stops seeking new challenges and adventures. So, luckily for her, qual research never gets boring.
With over 10 years as a 'qualie', Kasia keeps herself entertained by exploring new approaches and designing advanced techniques and tools to inspire clients, and make each project fresh and exciting.
In her spare time Kasia is also constantly on the quest for new adventures, and is known for acquiring hobbies, taming dangerous animals, raising kittens and most recently, forcing her body into impossible yoga poses (the world does look different when your head is on the floor...).
Kasia holds an MA (Hons.) in Spanish Linguistics and a Diploma in Consumer Psychology from the University of Warsaw.
Moderates in English & Polish
Janet Baldwin
Project Manager
Before starting her career in research, Janet spent several years living in Borneo, where she developed a palette for spicy food. During her time overseas, Janet kept herself busy working with special needs children, as a kindergarten teacher, a librarian and amateur dramatics.
After a number of years overseas, Janet decided it was time to return home as she missed Coronation Street desperately. Once home, Janet embarked on her career in market research and has never looked back - that was over ten years ago.
Janet still enjoys travelling and seeing different parts of the world. If she ever misses Borneo she just rustles up a beef rendang.
Janet has a Bsc (Hons) in Psychology (with options in Sociology and Philosophy) from the University of Surrey. She is also a member of the British Psychological Society, and can speak conversational Malay.
Moderates in Emglish
Elke Neuteboom
Research Director
Elke's interest in research began while studying Psychology in the Netherlands, and it is no surprise that she ended up in market research after moving to the UK – missing the national Dutch treat: 'stroopwafels' which she brings with her every time she comes back from a trip to NL.
Elke likes to approach life in a creative way, after having won a bicycle in a drawing competition when she was 10 – resulting in a creative approach to research projects, both qualitative and quantitative.
In her spare time Elke likes to spend time with her family, travel, go out with friends, play badminton and read lots of books.
Elke is Dutch and has a MA in Organisational Psychology from the University of Utrecht.
Moderates in English & Dutch
Marisa Robertson
Senior Research Executive
Marisa's hunger to explore and understand people, cultures and places makes this the perfect job for her. Indeed, her qual adventures have taken her around the globe, from Mexico to Sweden via Hartlepool (to name but a few stops).
Marisa has lived in France and Japan, and travelled through Australasia, North Africa, the Americas and Europe.
Travel has brought with it a love of food and the confidence to try the weird and wonderful, including: dog, sparrow, snake and ant larvae - yummy!
When Marisa is not travelling, eating or drinking (generally more conventional food), she's working it all off by cycling, scuba diving, swimming, or walking her cat!
Marisa has a BA (Hons) in European Studies from the University of Reading.
Moderates in English
Victoria Boelman
Associate Director
Victoria joined RS in 2002, after a year living and working in the sunshine of Spain, when she realized that market research allowed her to combine her passions for travelling the world and nosing into other people's lives and cultures. She spent the following 6 years researching all kinds of everything from ink and toner cartridges, to pensions reform, to mobile phones, with audiences as diverse as CEOs, financially constrained householders and early adopters of consumer technology across the globe. Victoria subsequently took a year and a half out from RS to work as the Market Research Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support where she further developed a passion for social and policy research and bringing the voice of the 'seldom heard' to the table, loud and clear! She returned to RS at the start of 2010.
Victoria is happiest under canvas in the wild, hiking up mountains in the summer and skiing back down them in the winter. She is also learning Dutch to try and impress the in-laws.
Victoria has a BA (Hons) in Geography and Hispanic Studies from Birmingham University and a Postgraduate Certificate in Social Sciences Research Methods from the Open University.
Moderates in English
Françoise Briatte
Research Executive
Françoise joined us after completing her degree in Business in 2007. Her aim was to find a varied role offering a range of possibilities for personal development - something in which she has succeeded.
While Françoise has traditional hobbies such as reading, music, cycling and skiing, she is not scared of exploring the unusual and would definitely place skydiving and her stay in a Rwandan community among her most interesting experiences to date.
Françoise's degree course focused on the marketing and international relations aspects of Business Engineering and included components in statistics, market research and marketing.
Moderates in English & French
Jason Leong
Project Manager
Jason loved studying Marketing, Asian Business, German and Political Science at The University of Western Australia, but never gave much thought to what he was going to do with it all in the end.
Then, one day, six years ago, he saw a job advertisement seeking "a graduate who wonders how the world works and enjoys solving puzzles" and he thought, "Perfect!". He got the job and hasn't looked back since.
Jason really enjoys meeting new people and working out what's driving their attitudes, values and behaviours. In his work, he has moderated focus groups with single mothers in industrial South Wales, through to Sydney's top CEOs.
A true globetrotter, Jason has lived in Australia and Malaysia before moving to the UK - a great base when you're forever just popping to Europe for the weekend.
Moderates in English.
Kate Anderson
Group Business Director
Kate started her career in market research at the tender age of 16 and never looked back! A glutton for punishment, she was not at all put off by the delights of telephone interviewing, sticking at research through her degree and indeed for the last 20 years.
"Never say never" is her motto, and she enjoys a good qual challenge be that conducting our first projects in Russia and China way back in the '90s, tackling the pensions' crisis in a sports hall in Leightonstone with David Blunkett (then Secretary of State) in attendance, or engaging leading CFOs in a discussion about toner cartridges.
Kate makes exceedingly good cakes, a skill which greatly aids her in her fundraising work for her daughters' school. It also makes running a very necessary pastime. This year 10k, next year the half marathon!
Kate has a BA (Joint Hons.) in German and Spanish from the University of Bradford.
Moderates in English.
Peggy Young
Associate Director
Following a short spell as a bank clerk (?!!!), Peggy decided to dip her toe into the fascinating world of financial services market research. What was originally intended as a short-term 'project' turned into a career that now spans more than a quarter of a century!
With experience both client-side (Barclays Bank and AXA Insurance) and agency-side, she brings a detailed knowledge of the financial services industry to projects. And, despite a mathematical background Peggy has become a keen qual researcher undertaking many depths, focus groups and workshops.
Somehow, during all this, Peggy found the time to produce the beginnings of a football team – well, three sons anyway. And what little spare time she has after looking after the family, is dedicated to swimming (once a county champion) and Body Jam classes – just as well because she loves her food!
Moderates in English
Elke Kagerer
Project Manager
Having tried her hand as a bank clerk, barmaid, trade fair hostess, and transport planner, Elke finally found exploring people's opinions and attitudes to be the perfect job for her.
Since joining us in 2006, she has been able to combine research with her love of travel taking her as far afield as Moscow, Dubai and Brisbane. She also gets to see her home turf of Bavaria many times a year, moderating focus groups and interviews in her native German.
In her spare time, Elke loves to explore areas of London and other parts of the world, always on the look out for her next favourite food (but, what could beat macaroons?)
Elke is a German native and holds a BA (Hons.) in International Leisure and Tourism Management from London Metropolitan University.
Moderates in English & German
Kate Downer
Project Manager
Kate joined us in 2003, after realising that head-hunting really wasn't for her, and that a career finding out about other people would be much more interesting.
Her qual career to date has featured, among many others, 8-year-olds, contact lens users, hazardous drinkers and plus-size supermarket shoppers.
Kate spent January in Nicaragua, where she volunteered as a primary school teacher, trekked through cloud forests and fended off scorpions!
Kate has an MA (Hons) in French and Spanish from Cambridge University and is working towards an MSc (Hons) in Management and Business Research Methods.
Moderates in English
Andrew Wood
Research Director
Who'd have thought that the (over?) eager young Cambridge graduate that first set foot in our offices in 1999 would be here, over a decade later, as head of our Pensions and Public Policy division.
Andrew's obsession with the latest mobile gadgets initially led him across the world, conducting qual research for the world's top consumer technology firms.
But since he joined our public policy division, his research and consultations are now more likely to put him face-to-face with financial industry leaders and central government policy-makers in the UK, rather than digital camera enthusiasts in Taiwan.
All of which means if you catch him travelling nowadays, it's most likely to be at a Spanish music festival, on the ski-slopes of Banff, or following his beloved Arsenal in Europe.
Moderates in English
Dominika Wintersgill
Project Manager
Always wanting to know more, Dominika started her market research career as a social researcher before joining us, where she found a perfect mix of public policy and consumer projects.
Whether queuing to check in at Heathrow or enduring rush hour in the London underground, Dominika will use every moment to indulge in her passion for literature. Having read thousands of books, Dominika is unmoved by any amount of information that needs to be analysed.
Dominika is a Polish native and holds a MSc in Culture and Society from the London School of Economics.
Moderates in English & Polish
Face-to-face
- Focus groups: We conduct large numbers of focus groups every year
- Depth interviews: Individual or paired; consumers or CEOs; at home / office or in facility - we love doing them all!
- Diary room: Our unique approach to collecting in-depth individual responses of focus group respondents
- Creative & co-creation workshops: A great tool for in-depth exploration and creative development, with or without client participation. Read more
Online
Telephone
Depth interviews and semi-structured interviews: we and our dedicated depth interviewer team have long-term experience in recruiting and conducting research over the phone with hard-to-reach, senior business audiences as well as consumers
Client participation workshops, incorporating a diary room, to help insurance claims handlers better manage customers.
Keeping customers informed is one of the key drivers of satisfaction during an insurance claim. In recognition of this a major general insurer needed to know what customer’s expectations were of the claims process, what information they would like to receive and how they would like this information communicated to them in order to improve efficiency, drive down costs as well as enhance the service offered. This information was also to be used to invest in the development of a system to provide the customer with automated updates at key stages of the claim.
We undertook client interactive workshops with motor and household recent claimants. The workshops were designed to gather first hand knowledge of their claims experience, how it compared to what they were expecting, how it could have been improved and, most importantly, what information they wanted, when, and in what form. A key addition was the inclusion of a diary room in which all participants were invited to share their views on camera. Both workshops were attended by representatives from the call centres as well as senior members of claims management. Our findings were used to re-engineer the way in which claims customers are handled. The diary room recordings now form part of the internal training provided for call handlers.
Depth interviews with customers to ensure compliance with the FSA's Treating Customer Fairly regulation.
How could this leading UK friendly society ensure that its equity release customers are receiving the service that this complex product requires? As a mutual our client is passionate about helping people and ensuring they get good value products. The sale of an equity release mortgage involves an IFA and a solicitor as well as the lender so there are many opportunities where the service offering could, potentially, fall below the high standard that our client requires. Any poor service is also risks non-compliance under the TCF requirement.
We conduct a regular qualitative telephone study among new equity release customers. We provide our client with in-depth feedback on how customers have been treated throughout the sales process as well as identifying areas where better communication would ensure that customers are truly being fairly treated.
Online focus groups across Europe.
How would the launch of a new online trading platform would be received across Europe? What resistance would there be, if any, to trading with a UK company? What are the best channels to use in each country to market the new platform, reaction to the various features of the service, how would it need to be positioned etc?
Our solution was a natural fit with the audience – online focus groups conducted across France, Spain and Italy. These delivered clear guidance on how to position their launch, what features to bring to prominence, what marketing media to use etc. on a country by country basis.
Depth interviews and focus groups with employees and intermediaries to evaluate training and sales support material.
How could a leading asset manager ensure that the support it was providing for intermediaries and in-house sales teams met their needs? How could it be improved, how does it compare with the competitive offerings and where does it fit within client's portfolios? Does its intermediary-facing training and support material do the job and what could be done to help drive increased sales? Is it TCF compliant?
We designed a programme which sought the views of both intermediaries and the client’s internal sales teams. Face-to-face depth interviews were conducted with intermediaries across the UK together with depth interviews and focus groups with members of the sales teams. We provided clear feedback as to how intermediaries felt it was positioned in the marketplace and recommended how to improve marketing and training materials.
Depth interviews to help in the development of a pension website.
How could a major asset management company develop and refine a new pensions website aimed at consumers? The layout, structure and content needed to project our client's site as helpful, trusted and informative to both customers and potential customers. How can they minimise expensive web development and ensure that the site delivered on its objectives?
We provided our client with early feedback by exposing consumers to the newly designed website in wireframe format. Face-to-face depth interviews were conducted with existing and potential customers. Using the wireframes we provided our client with detailed guidance on how to improve the site in terms of navigation and content and terminology used.
Focus groups and depth interviews to help guide the development of a new PMI product for consumers.
How could a well known provider of private medical insurance ensure that the new modular proposition meets the needs of consumers and increase its share within the individual PMI market? Our client wished to know why and how consumers like to purchase PMI and also the best way to market the package to customers and potential customers. Marketing and correct communication of the benefits were key topic areas for investigation within the study.
Our solution was to undertake focus groups with PMI holders (both customers and non-customers of the client) which were supplemented with face-to-face depth interviews with consumers who did not hold PMI but were considering it. This enabled us to provide the client with detailed information on the journey that consumers go through when buying PMI and what they look for in the product. Existing PMI customers provided valuable feedback on how the proposition compared to existing products.
