From Race to the Bottom to Rise of AI

Chris on October 10, 2025

Each year, the Future Trends webinar gives us an opportunity to pause, reflect, and take stock of where the future of market research is headed. This year’s discussion was especially striking. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant prospect on the horizon; it is here, shaping how we work, think, and deliver value.

As with every wave of innovation, AI forces us to reckon with what we’ve learned from the past. The insights industry has already lived through its own growing pains. For years, the “race to the bottom” drove down costs but left behind an enduring problem with data quality. That legacy continues to shape how we approach the work ahead.

The challenge before us now is simple in statement but complex in execution: how do we ensure that new tools like AI serve as a force for higher-quality insights, not just faster and cheaper outputs?

The Legacy of the Race to the Bottom

The story of the last decade in research is, in many ways, the story of a marketplace caught in a cycle of underbidding.

To win projects, companies slashed costs, often at the expense of participant incentives. That decision may have been expedient in the short term, but the long-term consequences were significant.

Participants became fatigued, undervalued, and, in some cases, disengaged altogether. Fraud crept in through the cracks. The result was an erosion of trust in the data itself, the very foundation of our work.

At L&E Research, we saw this problem emerging early and took it seriously. We invested in “research-on-research,” asking participants directly about their experiences, not just with us but across the industry. How did incentive levels affect their willingness to participate? How quickly did they expect to be paid? How did they feel about moderation and engagement styles?

These weren’t academic questions; they were existential.

When participants don’t feel valued, the quality of insights deteriorates. That’s why we aligned ourselves with industry-wide initiatives through the Insights Association and built fraud mitigation into our processes well before it became the industry’s headline concern.

The race to the bottom is part of the research industry’s legacy, but it is not our future. Having acknowledged how we got here, we now have the opportunity to move forward with stronger footing.

Data Quality in the Age of AI

Today, the conversation about speed and cost has been reignited by AI. Procurement departments push for faster, cheaper research. Sales teams feel pressure to deliver. And once again, quality risks being left behind.

However, the tools themselves are not the problem; it’s how we use them. AI can accelerate processes, but it can also strengthen outcomes if we put quality at the center of our applications. The choice is ours.

At L&E, we’ve seen firsthand how AI can be deployed to improve accuracy while also saving time. A recent case study with our CondUX platform is a powerful example. A client asked us to analyze nearly 200 photos submitted by participants. Traditionally, this would have taken a team of humans more than 18 hours to review and categorize. Using CondUX’s object detection capabilities, we reduced the process to just two and a half hours, including setup and quality control.

The time savings alone were impressive, but even more importantly, the AI surfaced errors that the human reviewers had missed. By flagging low-confidence images for human verification, CondUX didn’t replace human oversight; it enhanced it.

This shift is significant. Qualitative research has long relied on asking participants to describe their behaviors and environments. Object detection allows us to observe instead. Rather than asking what’s on a kitchen counter, we can see it directly. Observation has always been at the heart of qualitative work, and AI now gives us new tools to scale it without losing authenticity.

The lesson here is clear: AI doesn’t have to perpetuate the mistakes of the past. If used wisely, it can reverse them. Instead of cutting corners on quality, AI can elevate it.

The Human Factor: Training, Oversight, and Storytelling

Yet even as we embrace new tools, one truth remains unchanged: humans are central to research. AI may be, as one panelist described it, “the best intern you’ll ever have.” But even the best intern still needs a manager.

AI can synthesize information, but it cannot think critically. It does not problem-solve. Left unchecked, it can amplify errors rather than resolve them. The risk of over-trusting AI is the risk of making high-stakes business decisions on faulty insights, a mistake no brand can afford.

That is why human-in-the-loop oversight is non-negotiable. Researchers must continue to bring context, domain expertise, and discernment to every AI-assisted output. AI may help answer “what,” but humans must still interpret “why.”

This balance between technology and humanity is not just relevant for today’s practitioners; it also defines the training of tomorrow’s researchers. Academic institutions play a critical role here. Just as earlier generations learned math without calculators, students today must learn the fundamentals of research without over-relying on AI.

If researchers don’t understand the basics, AI becomes nothing more than a “yes-person,” agreeing, generating, and emulating without questioning. Only those who have mastered curiosity, empathy, and storytelling will know when the machine is wrong, and more importantly, how to use it responsibly.

The future of market research belongs to those who can balance both: the efficiency of AI and the empathy of human interpretation.

Looking Ahead with Optimistic Caution

The insights industry is entering a period of remarkable transformation. Investment in AI and other technologies is accelerating, and the potential to make research faster, more scalable, and more accessible is undeniable.

Optimism must be paired with caution. If we lean too far into speed and cost, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past and recreating the very data quality challenges we’ve worked so hard to overcome.

The way forward is not about rejecting efficiency. It is about balance. AI should help us achieve all three points of the triangle: speed, cost, and quality, without sacrificing one for another. That balance is not easy, but it is possible. And it is necessary if we want our work to remain meaningful, relevant, and impactful.

What gives me confidence is the spirit of this industry. Time and again, researchers have shown the ability to adapt, innovate, and lead. We are not passive recipients of technology; we are active shapers of how it is applied. If we keep people – participants, clients, and researchers – at the center of our work, then tools like AI will not just make us faster or cheaper. They will make us better.

Shaping the Future of Market Research

The future of market research is not defined by technology alone. It is defined by how we choose to use it. The race to the bottom taught us that neglecting participant experience and data quality comes at a high cost. AI gives us the chance to learn from that history and write a different story, one where speed and cost efficiencies are balanced with quality, and where human expertise guides every technological advancement.

At L&E Research, we believe the path forward is not about replacing people but empowering them. With the right balance of tools and talent, the future of market research can deliver insights that are not only faster and more efficient, but also deeper, richer, and more reliable. That is the future we should all be working toward.

Security and Quality Aren’t Perks. They’re Prerequisites.

DWG Admin on September 15, 2025

When it comes to choosing a research partner, trust isn’t a luxury.

It’s the baseline.

That’s why two questions should always be front and center:

How do you protect my data?
How do you make sure nothing gets missed?

At L&E Research, we believe that security and quality are non-negotiable for ISO certified market research.

That’s why we’ve invested in dual ISO certifications: one for information security and one for research quality.

Very few partners hold both. Fewer still bake them into every project the way we do.

What It Means To Hold Both Certifications

At L&E, we understand that trust in ISO certified market research comes from two places: data security and process quality.

These two ISO certifications work together to cover both.

ISO/IEC 27001:2022 is the international standard for information security management. It ensures that your data is protected through formalized policies, risk assessments, employee controls, and encryption practices.
ISO 20252:2019 is the international standard for managing market, opinion, and social research. It ensures that every research project is executed with consistency, documentation, and methodological rigor across all phases.

Holding both means that we don’t just protect your data or deliver your research well.

We do both, every time.

Fewer Than Five Firms Hold This Dual Certification

The Insights Association, through its audit body CIRQ, has certified L&E Research to both ISO standards.

Fewer than five companies hold both certifications for ISO certified market research.

The dual status is rare and difficult to achieve. It represents a deep investment in systems training, oversight, and continuous improvement.

When you work with a partner that holds this distinction, you choose a level of excellence that goes beyond standard vendor relationship.

Why ISO Certified Market Research Matters To You

When you partner with an ISO certified market research firm that holds both standards, you gain tangible benefits across security, quality, and operational efficiency:

Peace of mind for IT and compliance teams. ISO 27001 certification assures that every layer of your project data, from client records to video files, to survey data, is protected by one of the most respected security standards in the world.
Confidence in research integrity. ISO 20252 certification ensures your qualitative and quantitative research is managed with consistent documentation, governance, and methodological accuracy.
Faster onboarding, fewer surprises. Auditable standards reduce friction in vendor approval processes, especially in healthcare, financial services, and tech where security and governance matter most.
Proof of excellence, not just promises. These certifications are independently verified, maintained through regular surveillance audits, and publicly listed through CIRQ. They reflect an organization that holds itself accountable.

Trust Is Earned

When we say we’re built for your peace of mind, it’s not just a promise.

It’s a process.

One that’s been extremely audited, globally validated, and continually improved to meet the ISO certified market research standards you deserve.

Looking for a partner that holds itself to the highest global standards? Let’s talk.

The New ISO Standard Is Here. We’re Already There.

DWG Admin on August 26, 2025

At L&E Research, staying ahead of the curve isn’t just a business goal: it’s how we build trust. That’s why we are finalizing our certification to ISO 27001:2022, the latest update to the international standard for information security. This new version brings stronger safeguards, clearer structures, and more relevant controls for today’s digital landscape.
We are not waiting for a deadline to act. We are meeting the future of data protection now.

What is ISO 27001?

ISO 27001 is the international benchmark for information security management. It defines how organizations should structure, implement, and maintain safeguards that protect sensitive data. Being certified means our security practices have been reviewed and approved by an independent, accredited body through a formal audit process. For our clients and partners, it is a clear signal that we take information protection seriously and that we have the policies, procedures, and culture in place to prove it.

What’s Different about the 2022 Version?

The 2022 update introduces structural and practical improvements to the standard. While the core principles remain the same, the refinements help organizations better align with modern digital environments. Here’s what changed:

A more streamlined framework. The original 114 controls have been reduced and reorganized into 93, grouped into four categories: organizational, people, physical, and technological. This makes the standard easier to manage and apply.
New areas of focus. Eleven new controls were added, including items like cloud service security, data deletion, and threat intelligence. These additions reflect the realities of today’s digital ecosystems.
Improved clarity and alignment. Language updates throughout the document make the standard easier to understand and integrate with other ISO frameworks, such as those for quality or risk management.

While the changes may appear technical, the intention behind them is simple: to make security stronger, clearer, and more adaptable.

Why it Matters for Our Clients

Our upgrade to ISO 27001:2022 is about more than keeping up with industry standards. It reinforces our promise to protect the data and relationships that power your research. Here’s what it means for you:

Greater assurance that your data is secure. The updated controls reflect current risks and ensure that our practices remain aligned with best available guidance.
Less time spent on vendor assessments. Certifications to the latest version helps meet IT and procurement requirements faster and more efficiently.
Confidence that your partner is continuously improving. Our upgrade shows that we don’t wait for compliance deadlines to take action. We invest in systems that benefit you directly.

Part of a Larger Commitment

L&E Research is also certified to ISO 20252:2019, the international standard for quality in managing research projects. Together, these two certifications represent our focus on protecting both the integrity of your research and the information it contains.
We believe security and quality go hand in hand. Our commitment to ISO 27001:2022 is one more example of how we bring that belief into practice.

Want to learn more about how our certifications support your research goals? Let’s start a conversation.

Smoother Projects. Smarter Decisions. Fewer Surprises.

DWG Admin on August 22, 2025

Getting research right isn’t just about who you recruit or what you ask.

It’s about how every step is managed – before, during, and after fieldwork.

That’s where certification matters. At L&E Research, our quality systems are built on globally recognized best practices, helping you avoid missteps, reduce friction, and deliver cleaner insights from the start.

We’re proud to be ISO 20252 certified, the international quality standard for managing research projects.

That certification exists in the background of everything we do, but the outcomes speak clearly for themselves: smoother execution, better alignment, and fewer surprises.

So what does that mean for you as a client or research partner?

Here are five advantages of working with an ISO 20252 certified organization.

Built-In Quality At Every Step With ISO 20252

ISO 20252 outlines strict process requirements for every phase of research project execution.

That means quality is not something we add at the end. It’s embedded from the very beginning.

From proposal development through fieldwork and reporting, each step is guided by documented procedures, checks, and controls. These measures reduce error and improve consistency.

This translates to research outcomes that are not only reliable, but also replicable across projects, methodologies, and markets.

Confidence In Methodological Rigor

ISO 20252 includes annexes that define specific standards for various research methodologies, including qualitative interviews, online surveys, ethnography, data management, and more.

L&E’s certification covers all six annexes. As a result, our entire portfolio of services operates under the same high standards.

When your project involves a specialized audience or a complex methodology, you can trust that the execution will meet globally recognized expectations for rigor.

Clear Project Documentation And Transparency

Documentation is a core requirement of ISO 20252.

Every project is governed by clearly defined protocols and procedures. This is something clients often don’t see until they work with a certified partner.

The structure and clarity this provides helps clients understand exactly how recruitment, moderation, data handling, and reporting are managed.

Whether you’re onboarding a new vendor or expanding research to a new region, working with an ISO 20252 certified partner can eliminate uncertainty and align expectations from the start.

Audit-Ready Operations

ISO 20252 certification requires an external audit by an accredited body (like CIRQ) every three years, with annual surveillance audits in between.

This level of oversight ensures that certified organizations remain compliant, current, and continuously improving.

In regulated industries or when dealing with high-stakes data, the assurance that your partner is audit-ready is not just comforting. It’s critical.

A Commitment To Excellence, Not Just Compliance

Any company can claim quality. Fewer can prove it.

Certification to ISO 20252 is a signal to clients that your research partner has gone through an independent, rigorous evaluation process.

It reflects a commitment not only to doing the work, but to doing it well. That means consistently, transparently, and with your project outcomes in mind.

At L&E Research, ISO 20252 isn’t just a credential. It’s part of our operational DNA.

Looking For A Research Partner You Can Rely On?

Whether you’re sourcing qualitative participants, conducting a national survey, or managing a complex, multi-market study, working with an ISO 20252 certified partner ensures your insights rest on a foundation of reliability and process excellence.

Let’s have a smarter conversation. Contact us to learn how L&E Research can bring quality, consistency, and clarity to your next project.

Building Connection, Elevating Experience

DWG Admin on July 21, 2025

If you ever needed proof that “The People for You” starts with the people beside you, our 2025 Management Retreat in Chicago made the case. There was laughter, new connections, and even a few impressive dance moves.
Each year, we press pause on our screens and schedules to come together, face to face, as a leadership team. But this year’s gathering felt especially meaningful. With a retreat theme of “eLEvating the Client Experience,” we focused not just on what we deliver to our clients but on how we support one another in delivering it. After all, the client experience begins with the team experience.

From Conversations to Choreography

Chicago served as a vibrant backdrop for three days of collaboration, shared meals, and just the right amount of chaos (mostly the fun kind). While we won’t name names, one of our newest leaders revealed a jaw-dropping talent for coordinated dance. They quickly earned a reputation as the most unexpectedly entertaining breakout star of the week. Their energy reminded us that confidence and connection can happen fast when you’re surrounded by the right people.
The retreat mixed small group working sessions with full-team moments, allowing departments to dig into their own dynamics and then come together for big-picture planning. From team-building games to a lively round-robin dinner, the tone was celebratory but intentional. Every detail was designed to strengthen how we show up for each other and for our clients.

New Faces, Familiar Values

For a handful of teammates, this was their first time meeting the broader leadership group in person. But from the first handshake to the final farewell, it was clear that our values – transparency, collaboration, and trust – bridge any distance. In-person connection may not be required to do great work, but it accelerates the kind of relationships that make great work feel effortless.

A Better Client Experience Starts Here

As much fun as we had on the dinner cruise (and yes, the snacks, the skyline, and the playlist all delivered), the real purpose of our time together was to align around what’s next. Throughout the retreat, we focused on what “elevating the client experience” means in practice, from technology enhancements to process improvements to simply ensuring every client touchpoint feels just a little more human.

The takeaway is simple: the more cohesive we are as a team, the more consistent and compassionate we can be in our service. That’s the power of in-person investment, and it’s why we believe in making it a priority not just for ourselves but for our clients too. Whether we’re facilitating a focus group or hosting a strategic conversation, nothing beats the clarity, empathy, and momentum that comes from looking someone in the eye.

Built for Flexibility: Cincinnati’s New Home for Sensory and Simulated Research

DWG Admin on June 18, 2025

At L&E Research, we continuously listen to the needs of our clients and evolve our offerings to meet the ever-changing demands of consumer research.

In line with our commitment to delivering innovative, participant-first research environments, we are thrilled to announce the opening of our Cincinnati Sensory Center, a newly built and highly adaptable space located in the lower level of our Cincinnati focus group facility.

Designed For Sensory Precision And Flexibility

From formulation testing to product experience studies, sensory research often demands specialized environments.

Our new sensory research facility was developed with precision in mind, built to support the unique requirements of both qualitative and quantitative sensory studies.

Whether you’re testing fragrances, evaluating pet care routines, or simulating retail shopping behavior, our space was designed for one purpose: to be the right environment for you.

Here’s a look at what’s inside:

Personal Care Testing Stations

Featuring integrated sinks and privacy mirrors at each station, this area allows for intimate, hands-on testing of personal care products.

Researchers can observe usage behaviors in real-time, all within a layout designed to support participant comfort and visibility.

Hydro Safe Research Hub (Pet + Surface + Grooming Studies)

This versatile wet-testing zone, our Hydro Safe Research Hub, was designed with adaptability at its core.

Originally built to accommodate pet care studies, it features integrated water access, multiple hard surface types, and durable flooring for easy sanitation.

Today, it’s used for far more: from evaluating cleaning products in action to conducting grooming studies such as shaving or handwashing protocols.

Whether your research involves fur, foam, or function, this hub supports real-world usage in a controlled, observable environment.

Placement & Packout Research Space

Understand how consumers interact with your product packaging before it hits the shelves.

With ample room for packout and placement testing, this area empowers researchers to explore how packaging design, messaging, and usage context influence buying behavior.

Retail Simulation With Store Shelving

Get insights on real purchase intent through in-situation research.

Our modular shelving system lets you replicate store shelves and aisle layouts for a realistic shopper experience, enhancing studies in category navigation, eye tracking, and merchandising.

Open Customization Zones

Not every study fits into a box, and we don’t expect yours to.

Several areas within the Sensory Center are left intentionally unstructured, giving you the freedom to tailor the environment to the unique needs of your brand or study design.

Built For Researchers. Ready For What’s Next.

Cincinnati has long been a key market for research innovation, and this new sensory research facility is a reflection of that legacy.

By building a space that can flex to the needs of today’s most forward-thinking researchers, we’re empowering our clients to conduct better studies with the right participants, in the right environment.

Whether you’re exploring product development, behavioral research, or anything in between, the L&E Sensory Center is ready for you.

Let’s make sensory research more insightful, together.

Explore our Cincinnati facility

Strides of Solidarity: L&E Joins the Research Community to Give Back

DWG Admin on June 17, 2025

At L&E Research, our mission has always extended beyond connecting researchers with the right people: we are committed to making a meaningful impact in the communities we serve. That’s why we were proud to sponsor and participate once again in the Marketing Research Education Foundation’s (MREF) annual Race Around the World for Education. This global event, held throughout the month of May, unites individuals and companies from across the market research industry in a shared goal: to support the education, development, and well-being of children around the world. Participants walk, run, and bike to log miles that symbolize their collective journey and their commitment to giving back.

A collective Effort

This year, 41 L&E team members laced up their sneakers, hit the pavement, and moved together in support of a cause close to our hearts. Together, we logged over 2,600 miles – enough to nearly circle the globe or travel from the East Coast to the West Coast of North America. But more importantly, every step was in service of something greater. Funds raised through the event – over $51,000 this year – are being directed to critical programs such as:

Pre-tech STEM education for preschoolers with autism
Digital literacy training for English Language Learner
College prep assistance for teens
After-school STEM enrichment in geographically isolated communities

We are honored to contribute to these initiatives, which align with our belief that education is one of the most powerful tools for empowerment and equity.

Movement with Meaning

For our team, the Race Around the World isn’t just about fitness or fun (though we enjoyed plenty of both!). It’s about mobilizing our energy, time, and shared values to create tangible impact. Throughout May, we saw team members rally coworkers for group walks, get outside with their families, and share snapshots of their journeys all in the spirit of collective action. Whether walking solo on a quiet morning or biking with friends on a weekend trail, each mile reflected a commitment not just to personal health, but to the health of our global community.

Looking Ahead

While the race may be over for 2025, our commitment to service is ongoing. We’re grateful to MREF for organizing such a powerful initiative and to our L&E team for showing up with heart, energy, and generosity. As we look forward to participating again in 2026, we remain focused on what matters most: being a people-first company, in every sense of the word.

Because at L&E, we’re not just the people for you. We’re also the people with you, racing forward, together.

Rallying for a Cause: L&E Health at Relay for Life

DWG Admin on June 12, 2025

On May 3rd, members of our L&E Health team gathered in Cary, North Carolina, to take part in the Relay for Life, a powerful community event that brings people together to honor cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost, and take action to help end cancer as we know it. This wasn’t just another team outing: it was a moment that reaffirmed who we are, both as individuals and as a company. At L&E Research, we believe in the strength of connection, whether it’s helping our clients find the right people for research or standing side-by-side in support of a cause that touches countless lives.

The event offered our team the opportunity to:

Strengthen relationships outside of the workplace
Engage meaningfully with our local community
Walk in solidarity for a cause that affects so many of us

Through shared stories, laughter, and heartfelt conversations, we left the event more united and inspired. We were honored to meet passionate community members, survivors, caregivers, and fellow advocates who reminded us of the power of hope and the importance of action. And the impact? Together with fellow participants, our team helped raise over $84,000 with donations still coming in. This incredible outcome reflects the generosity, spirit, and unwavering commitment of everyone involved.

To those who participated, donated, or offered words of encouragement – thank you. Your support means the world, and it fuels our shared drive to make a lasting difference. As we reflect on this experience, we’re reminded that being “the people for you” isn’t just a tagline: it’s a way of showing up in every aspect of life. We’re proud to stand with our community in the fight against cancer, and we look forward to continuing this journey of impact together.

Smarter Strategies, Better Experiences: What We’ve Learned

DWG Admin on May 8, 2025

Welcome back to the final blog of our Challenging the Status Qual series, where we delve into L&E’s journey to enhance participant experiences in research. In the previous blog, we dug deep into how participation in research can become a meaningful activity rather than just another task. Now let’s look back at the insights from our study, explore how L&E is acting on this feedback, and share practical tips to elevate participant experiences across the industry.

Respect, Rewards, and Results: Engaging Research Participants

Understanding the motivations and barriers of qualitative research participants is key to designing an experience that will not only deliver valuable insights, but also foster engagement and fulfilment.

People enjoy being part of a something larger. It is clear from our study that the opportunity to share opinions is rewarding, especially when participants see how their input is used. This remains true even when the primary incentive is monetary compensation – many take pride in their contribution, find the process interesting, and value making an impact. One participant shared, “I enjoy being part of the process… Hopefully, some of the things that we talk about do provide some value”.

However, a common frustration is having to fill out long, rigorous screeners that ultimately disqualify them. This makes them feel rejected or used for ‘data mining’. Respecting their time by informing them promptly when they don’t quality, ensuring transparency on the process, and sending clear, targeted invitations are key. One participant states that L&E’s approach was preferable because “efficiency is a big thing with you guys, making it user-friendly to go from the email process to getting booked.”

It is no surprise compensation emerged as a top solution to improve experience. Participants are interested in gamified reward points they can accumulate for gift cards, as well as opportunities for shorter, paid surveys with no qualification screener – even when compensation is lower. These are adjustments that would make research participation more attractive and gratifying.

Best Practices for Suppliers and Researchers

Having heard participant feedback, we identified the best practices for researchers and sample recruitment suppliers looking to get better engagement and reduce participant frustration. Sample recruitment suppliers can consider these best practices to ensure participants feel their time is valued and improve their experience:

Leverage dynamic technology and smart technology and smart techniques to target participants, as well as using demographic datapoint tracking to improve acceptance rates and reduce disqualification.
Streamline all opportunities into a central member portal.
Clearly communicate expectations.
Offer rewards for screener attempts, even when they get rejected to ease frustrations around screens – a major point for many.
Referral incentives can also help your member base.

For researchers, keeping in mind these strategies can significantly enhance participant experiences and reduce frustration:

Be mindful when designing screeners: respect participants’ time by keeping it short, and only ask what is necessary.
Notify Participants promptly if they are disqualified and consider collecting profile information through a check-in activity or during the session, rather than at the screener to best prioritise their time.
Participants take pride in their contribution, so sharing research results, when possible, helps keep them invested in being part of the research.
Keeping discussions lively during activities is essential to maintain their interest.
Avoid further taking up your participants’ time by changing details that will affect and confuse things.

From Feedback to Action: Driving Participant Satisfaction at L&E

At L&E, we’re actively addressing this feedback to optimise our member engagement. Our team has been busy improving the user experience on our member portal: making finding and doing screeners more accessible, improving the survey experience, and simplifying the login process. We are also in the process of developing our mobile app, intended to enhance communication, especially with younger people, through notifications rather than email.

Gamification is now embedded in our process, allowing members to earn points and badges, translating to monetary rewards. Beta testing shows a 5% increase in engagement rate in just a short few months, demonstrating the power of a more interactive and fun experience.

We’ve strengthened our communications, ensuring that screener expectations, such as time length, uploads, are clear from the get-go. Enhanced technology will also further support these improvements, enabling us to better target participants based on their profile datapoints to reduce outreach fatigue.

With the insights gained from this series, we’re excited to see our participant engagement continue to grow as we work on enhancing their experiences. Our roles as researchers and sample recruitment suppliers extend beyond conducing quality research; it includes ensuring a positive, fulfilling process for participants. Addressing their key concerns will strengthen relationships and emphasize the invaluable role they play in our work, because, at the end of the day, at the heart of qualitative research are the people who contribute to it.

How L&E Is Solving Market Research’s Biggest Data Challenge

DWG Admin on May 8, 2025

A Message From the CEO

Dear Partner,

A lot of talk about data quality has risen to a roar of late, and some of you have asked me to comment on it, as well as share what L&E Research is doing to ensure you get quality data, today and tomorrow, in order to make the best decisions. I myself have been pondering, as a 30+ year veteran of the industry, whether the market research industry has reached a crossroads. Please read on with your cup of coffee (or your favorite beverage of choice…no judgment here) on what’s going on, and what L&E is doing to raise the bar of data quality.

A Quick Synopsis on Data Quality

Let’s review what has recently transpired as it relates to panel quality.

An independent counsel (Case4Quality) was created a few years ago to study the issue of fraud in sample. The conclusion was sample is ridden with fraud. Bots (technology created personas that are given credentials to emulate humans) and “fraudsters” (people who are not who they say they are) riddle the sample landscape.
Last year Dynata, a 2018 merger of SSI and Research Now (creating the largest panel company in terms of both revenue and panel size) declared Chapter 11 and reorganized through the courts, eliminating over $500 MM in debt (I assume I do not have to expound on why the largest panel company in the space declaring bankruptcy is problematic/relational to data quality).
In the qualitative space, this person (Kimberly Joyful of Paid For Your Say) promises to teach consumers how to plug into the larger #mrx ecosystem to get into more studies that pay. While their website promotes an altruistic outcome, the reality is the leader of this group is a former researcher teaching her now 11k+ audience how to cheat in order to gain access to paid research studies.
And finally (but lastly??), last week a company in the #mrx space, Opinions 4 Good (also rebranded as Slice), was federally indicted on charges of fraud, making fake data sold as legitimate consumer opinions via the use of “ants” (people creating fake accounts to complete the surveys, with the leadership not only allowing it, but actively enabling and in fact creating it themselves).

While the latest federal fraud case is alarming, in that company leadership knowingly falsified data (if the formal accusation is true), as I have outlined above, the bells have been ringing for quite some time that the #mrx ecosystem has a quality control problem. Everyone says their sample is “high quality.” But how do you know? I wanted to take a moment to demonstrate how some companies collect data, how L&E collects data today, and the engineering we’re undertaking for an even better solution tomorrow.

The Sample Ecosystem

Tia Maurer, Group Scientist at Procter and Gamble and member of the Case4Quality team advocating changes for a better data ecosystem, recently presented at an Insights Association (IA) event on fraud in research, and where sample is obtained by suppliers. I have copied a page from her presentation showing the five typical sample sources

*sample sources provided by The Market Research Society

I regularly use a cooking analogy when I speak with clients about sample and where they obtain it: “Do you care how the sausage is made?” Those clients that care about data quality always say “yes”: knowing how the sausage is made means understanding the origins of your sample, thus in turn knowing where your data is coming from. As everyone knows, the ingredients make the dish. Loyalty/rewards, affiliates/publishers and river/intercept are all tapping into outside communities in hopes they can be converted into a completed survey (these sources are also terrible for qual, as we proved in our research). However, there’s no way of identifying who that person is: the hope is they are who they say they are, and provide authentic feedback. And these sources have very poor response rates (read on for more on that). Databases/targeted lists typically have marginal accuracy (i.e. They usually have 60-80% accuracy of contact information). And like the other sample sources, response rates are low (especially now in the mobile phone era). This is why L&E builds organic panel

How L&E Does It

When speaking with clients, I always start by outlining the fundamentals of the research ecosystem and why we complete our research via our independently owned and operated research panel. Years ago, collecting data was typically conducted via phone call. You may remember the days when we all had a home phone/phone number (some still do, but analysis shows that number is now 27-29%). Now most people use mobile phones, and call screening has intensified, with mobile devices using apps to help identify (and block) callers. As a result of better screening technology (and some would argue over-saturation of surveys/poor surveys), response rates have plummeted. I outline this below to demonstrate the following math equation, which is actual study incidence:

-Accurate number (A; generally, list services would sell 80% accuracy) x someone answering the phone (B; I’ll be generous and estimate 80%) x cooperative HH (C; Pew Research reported 7% response rate in 2017, and getting worse) x qualified for the research and completes the questions (D; let’s say 20%, again a generous figure in many research study cases) x agrees to engage in phase 2 qual (E; let’s say 90%) x is available at the time of phase 2 (F; let’s be generous and say 95%) and then actually completes the research (G; our show rates are 93%, which is high for the industry) = study participation rate.

So, to calculate this: 80% x 80% x 7% x 20% x 90% x 95% x 93% = less than 1 in a hundred (.7% specifically) complete the study.

Less than 1% success is cost prohibitive for most clients; thus, we build organic panel by finding people interested in sharing their information and welcoming our engagements in exchange for participation in research studies. Turning data accuracy (A), response (B) and cooperation (C) into nearly 100% makes our overall completion rate considerably higher. 1.6 million people later and growing…that’s how we solve the sample problem.

The downside of a panel is it attracts bad actors. The industry calls them cheaters and repeaters (people that lie to attempt to get into studies, like the training classes taught by Paid For Your Say). L&E does a lot to weed out these bad actors:

We check ID’s. Over 90% of our panel has been ID validated. Online or in-person, we require a driver’s license or passport to participate.
We constantly scrub our panel. Duplicate phone numbers, addresses, email addresses…we’re always ferreting out people that are attempting to game the system, utilizing both technology and full-time staff to “clean” our panel.
Geofencing: as a company exclusively providing US panel, we firewall out all traffic not within the US (people outside of the US, their device has an IP address that shows their geo-location, unless they use a VPN. As a result, we also block most VPNs, and validate the few VPN accessed accounts that we allow).
We use a series of steps that require human engagement, resulting in humans verifying the human on the other end (example would be a tech check for online).

As you can see, we do quite a bit to deliver quality sample for our clients’ research. Despite this, we still have fraud issues. When we discovered Paid For Your Say, we found people in our panel in her audience. As a result, we planted a spy in her network to identify as many of her audience as possible (they’re still there in fact, as P4YS hasn’t found us yet!) in our panel, allowing us to quarantine them. We have thousands of accounts we’ve labeled in our systems as fraudulent or “do not call” from a variety of quality control steps like this. There are other examples I could provide on how fraud occurs, and how we combat it. But just like in the financial sector, when the financial opportunity exists, people will try to figure out how to cheat the system (fraud). And continuing to operate in this ecosystem, we’ll always be reacting to those efforts.

What is L&E Adding To Improve Data Quality Even More

I am heartened by the efforts that some in the industry are making, like Case 4 Quality. However, the problems in the sample industry are multi-fold:

Any ecosystem that promises rewards if you provide the right answers will always encourage dishonesty by people in hopes to earn said rewards.
Our industry has tossed itself overboard with companies promising they can provide all three elements of the “business triangle”: quality, speed and price. Poor sample is cheap, it is fast…and until recently, quality is not really validated, but always assured by the supplier as good (unlike a bad meal that would make you sick, there was no way to validate bad sample until after the fact).
Brands often seek low incidence audiences. Panels can track demographics, but behavior and attitude are always changing. To date, the way clients looked to solve this was with innumerous questions to ensure accuracy of the participant. However, this results in a poor experience for the consumer, answering lengthy questionnaires/screeners that rarely meet the brands’ specifications and thus don’t get to do the rewarding part: participation in the qualitative research that pays.

In short, we’ve created an ecosystem that encourages fraudsters (people that will do anything in hopes they get the reward) and discourages the majority of people that just would like to share their opinions (people that answer honestly, but as a result of low incidence research, rarely qualify, thus suffering through a miserable experience).

I am excited to share that L&E has launched, or is launching this month, several initiatives to create a better marketplace where consumers and brands can be connected, for better research outcomes, creating a better experience for both researcher and participant.

»The launch of our mobile app, with RealEyes Verify™ technology that will link facial recognition with a user’s research account.

»Behavioral data collection via the app, including geofence, website surfing and purchase behavior tracking.

» Making all panelist engagements have rewards. We have been testing this in select markets, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. We will be converting our entire panel ecosystem this year to a reward-based experience.

» Launched our self-serve platform, CondUX, enabling researchers to manage the entire research process, with qualitative and quantitative tools to execute.

Through the usage of our app, we will enable a more rewarding experience for the consumer while providing an easily verified (do you share your phone with anyone???) identity solution that also collects behavioral information passively, reducing question fatigue for the participant. When the consumer wins with a better experience, brands will win with better data.

Will your costs go up? Yes, a little. As stated previously, delivering speed, quality and price is not achievable in any industry. But when one considers the negative impacts of bad data on brand decision making, we’re confident paying a little more for high quality sample that can be delivered rapidly, will be game changing for brands. And for the first time, we will be opening up our panel to quantitative research at scale, at competitive costs with traditional quantitative panel solutions.

Close

I hope this letter has proven helpful to you as it relates to the industry, and the initiatives we are taking to create better research outcomes. Brands have begun engaging us, and the industry at large, bringing forth ideas and innovations to make the ecosystem better from the elements they can control (e.g. shorter surveys/screeners). It’s time for the industry to innovate as well. This is our way of delivering better sample, as well as bringing new data solutions to the forefront, to deliver better research results. I’ll be speaking more about this in the coming months…I believe a revolution in market research is underway.

All the best,

Brett