Our Research Centers Provide
Technology
Ambiance/Attention
Integrity
To assist in the completion of opinion research projects
What We Do
TAi Companies are opinion research centers located in strategic cities to conduct local and regional market studies and to initiate and participate in national data collection projects. The Company provides its clients with facilities for holding marketing research focus groups. In addition, it also recruits appropriate respondents according to client specifications, provides video and audio taping, or video conferencing capabilities as well as other amenities. All respondents are paid a nominal incentive for their participation. The Company's clients include major corporations, and/or research and advertising agencies that represent them, operating in many industries including pharmaceuticals, broadcasting and consumer products.
Since 2002, TAi locations have also provided on-site intercept/interviewing at stores, offices, restaurants, etc. outside the office through a division called Opinion Polling Service (OPS).
In addition, the MultiSite Division provides a national field service to assist moderators/clients in conducting research based at TAi locations or others as desired, utilizing some of the most experienced in-house TAi client managers. TAi Companies are proud members of Focus Solutions Alliance, a national association of independent research centers like ourselves for conducting multiple city studies.
Our Point of View
As owners with backgrounds in both quantitative and qualitative research, we designed the kind of facilities we believe moderators and clients would appreciate; professional, moderator friendly, and client oriented. (1) A client assistant is always provided right next to the client back room and available exclusively to the assigned project from start to finish; (2) Rooms are big and beautiful, adding to the relaxing atmosphere needed during intense work; (3) Faithful attention is paid to the instructions for recruiting, in detail. Changes in screeners must be client-approved, and "professional" respondents know not to darken our door; (4) Most high tech conveniences are offered for busy people; (5) Mature and experienced personnel are able to guide you proactively through the toughest projects; (6) There are no surprises. We'll send you materials to acknowledge so everyone is on "the same page".
Our History
TAi (as in TAi-NJ and TAi-Tampa Bay) stands for Technical Analysis, Inc., our original (1990) and still formal name. But as we expanded to other states, we found that original designation already in use by other companies. So we turned to use of the initials and location (so far, no competition for that combination).
In 1990 when purchased by Hal Meier, a founder of Hospital Research Associates, Technical Analysis was already 10 years old and owned by Pat and Stuart Herman. We honor their contribution and assistance to us in getting started. Some of their employees are now our senior leadership.
Rea Kolski was first our business manager and is now our president. She was formerly with Audits and Surveys and HDM Corp., a qualitative house.
We remain committed to growth for our company and each employee individually.
Business Philosophy
TAi Companies have a mission to fulfill. A statement given to each new employee reads as follows:
1. For our Employees: to make this a business where our employees can achieve personal and family financial goals and where they are challenged to grow in business skills and personal capacity.
I can think of no company that has found a way to look after external customers while abusing internal customers. The process of meeting customer needs begins internally.
Tom Peters
Management Guru
2. For our Clients: to be of use and creative service to those in market research, even when it is especially difficult or inconvenient to do so, thereby helping to establish the standard for customer satisfaction and facility excellence.
The emphasis in client services is deliberately placed on accepting with energy even the difficult or inconvenient projects, for those are the challenging ones that help set TAi apart from the average. We know that early advice or proactive intervention on our part can often make sure these studies are successfully completed.
Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
- Aristotle
Our final measure of success, client satisfaction, is monitored continually, measured quantitatively on a regular basis, and reported on each project at all locations daily to top management.
There are two kinds of companies. The first, the most typical, views complaints as a disease to be got over, with memory of the pain rapidly suppressed. The second... views the complaint as a luscious opportunity.
—Tom Peters and Nancy Austin
A Passion For Excellence
3. For our Industry: to offer leadership in technology, facility design, creative thinking and participation in industry efforts.
Perfection is not attainable. But if we choose perfection, we can catch excellence.
—Vince Lombardi
Football coaching legend. Green Bay Packers
Who We Are
Our Name: Technical Analysis, Inc. was incorporated as such in 1990. W found as we expanded that the name already was widely used. So we are called instead TAi-NJ, TAi-Tampa Bay and TAi-Denver. They are all separately incorporated.
Our Business: Each location has leased office space (New Jersey = 6,500 sq. ft.; Tampa = 10,600 sq. ft.; Denver = 9,100 sq. ft.). The space consists of general office space for our staff, a fully functional kitchen (for catering needs of our clients) and storage areas … total approximately 20% of space. The rest of the 80% of the space is divided into conference suites (in market research terms, these are 2-room suites, one used for interviewing respondents, the other for observing the interviews). In New Jersey there are 3 such suites; in Tampa and Denver there are 4. The two rooms of each suite are separated by one-way mirrors through which the clients can observe the interviews. Sound is piped in from microphones on the tables through ceiling speakers.
Basically our business is (1) to recruit respondents for market research interviews; (2) to host the interviews in the suites described above; (3) to record the interviews utilizing DVD, VHS, and basic audio technologies. In addition, we provide a dedicated client assistant to act as a liaison between our office and the clients. We are among the only companies that provide such a service; (4) to cater whatever meals and/or snacks the clients request. They are often in our facility for an entire day and require such a service. In addition, we feed their respondents if they are going to be interviewed around meal times.
Frequently, we also provide videoconferencing or videostreaming so that client personnel who are unavailable to travel can watch the proceedings from their headquarters.
Our Clients: Almost every major company and business-type conducts focus groups (market research group discussions) and/or individual interviews. It is important that our database of respondents represents a variety of age groups, ethnicities, marital status, education level, occupations (especially doctors and dentists), family situations, interests, product usage, etc. We are constantly growing and tweaking our database to best service our myriad client base. This client base includes companies involved with broadcast media, financial services, automobiles, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, medical and dental services, travel, food, and beverages. Most of our client base is counted among he Fortune 1000 list.
Approximately 600 facilities like ours do this work in the United States alone.
Ancillary Services: In addition, a division of TAi called Opinion Polling Service (OPS) operates at each location. This division is involved in on-site interviewing. In other words, OPS staff members work directly inside he supermarkets, banks, amusement parks, car dealerships, etc. to intercept respondents clientele and conduct interviews on the spot.
Another service is TAi-Multisite, which provides fielding services to our clients. The staff of this division takes care of the many details involved in using multiple facilities for a study, including TAi locations when requested. Our staff locates available facilities, getting cost estimates, etc. This frees up he client’s time to handle the more intricate statistical and fact-finding details of conducting the interviews and writing the reports for the client.
Summary: TAi is well-known as a highly respected, smaller chain of focus facilities. Our facilities are often rated in the top 1 or 2% of all facilities…”the Porsche of the business”, someone said. It helps greatly that our staff turnover is at a minimum. Their accumulated experience and knowledge impacts dramatically on the consistency and dependability of the work provided.
