--- title: Our Journey Towards Insights Empowerment description: What is the role of market research in the modern world? At FlexMR we strive to empower stakeholder decisions, but for that to happen, we realised we needed to inject some insightful innovation into our way of being. image: https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Marketing_Files/Blogs/Headers/journey_insights_empowerment.png --- close ## Ready to level up your insights? Get ready to streamline, scale and supercharge your research. Fill out this form to request a demo of the InsightHub platform and discover the difference insights empowerment can make. A member of our team will reach out within two working days. close ## Cost effective insights that scale Quality insight doesn't need to cost the earth. Our flexible approach helps you make the most of research budgets and build an agile solution that works for you. Fill out this form to request a call back from our team to explore our pricing options. [![FlexMR logo](https://www.flexmr.net/skin/images/images-custom/2b221b67-b091-4584-9017-872ee2ddf960-logo.svg)](https://www.flexmr.net/) Book a Demo Request Pricing [Contact Us](https://www.flexmr.net/contact/) Menu - [Home](https://www.flexmr.net/) - [InsightHub](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/) - [What is InsightHub?](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/) - [Data Collection](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/data-collection/) - [Data Analysis](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/data-analysis/) - [Data Activation](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/data-activation/) - [Research Templates](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/survey-templates/) - [Information Security](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/information-security/) - [Services](https://www.flexmr.net/services/) - [Our Expert Services](https://www.flexmr.net/services/) - [Support & Education](https://www.flexmr.net/services/support-and-education/) - [Consultative Services](https://www.flexmr.net/services/consultative-services/) - [Insight Delivery](https://www.flexmr.net/services/insight-delivery-services/) - [Research Methods](https://www.flexmr.net/methods/) - [Sectors We Work With](https://www.flexmr.net/sectors/) - [About](https://www.flexmr.net/about/) - [About Us](https://www.flexmr.net/about/) - [Leadership](https://www.flexmr.net/about/leadership/) - [Meet the team](https://www.flexmr.net/about/meet-the-team/) - [Advisory Board](https://www.flexmr.net/about/advisory-board/) - [Press & Media](https://resources.flexmr.net/tag/press) - [Accolades](https://www.flexmr.net/about/accolades/) - [Careers](https://www.flexmr.net/about/careers/) - [Blog](https://blog.flexmr.net/) - [Resources](https://resources.flexmr.net) - [Contact](https://www.flexmr.net/contact/) - [Book a Demo](https://blog.flexmr.net/) - [Request Pricing](https://blog.flexmr.net/) - [Home](https://www.flexmr.net/) - [InsightHub](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/) - - [What is InsightHub?](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/) - [Data Collection](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/data-collection/) - [Data Analysis](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/data-analysis/) - [Data Activation](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/data-activation/) - [Research Templates](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/survey-templates/) - [Information Security](https://www.flexmr.net/insighthub/information-security/) - ![Camp InsightHub](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Website_Files/Images/Navigation/camp_insighthub_nav.png) Embark on a new adventure. 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[Download Credentials](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Public_Files/Brochures/FlexMR_Credentials.pdf) - ![FlexMR Insights Empowerment](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Website_Files/Images/Navigation/insights_empowerment.png) We are the insights empowerment company. Our framework addresses the major pressures insight teams face. [Download Brochure](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Public_Files/Brochures/Insights_Empowerment_Brochure.pdf) - ### Latest News - [Insight as Art Shortlisted for AURA Innovation Award](https://resources.flexmr.net/aura-innovation-award-2021) - [FlexMR Launch Video Close Connection Programme](https://resources.flexmr.net/close-connections-launch) - [VideoMR Analysis Tool Added to InsightHub](https://resources.flexmr.net/videomr-launch) - [FlexMR Makes Shortlist for Quirks Research Supplier Award](https://resources.flexmr.net/quirksmr-mr-supplier-award-2020) - [Blog](https://blog.flexmr.net) - - [Latest Posts](https://blog.flexmr.net) - [Strategic Thinking](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/strategic-thinking) - [Technology & Trends](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/tech-trends) - [Research Methods](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/research-methods) - [Practical Application](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/practical-application) - [Insights Empowerment](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/insights-empowerment) - [View Full Blog Archives](https://blog.flexmr.net/all) - ![FlexMR Close Connection Programme](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Website_Files/Images/Navigation/close_connection.png) Discover how to build close customer connections to better support real-time decision making. 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[Get Your Score](https://resources.flexmr.net/insights-empowerment-calculator) - ![MRX Lab Podcast](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Website_Files/Images/Navigation/flexmr_podcast.png) The MRX Lab podcast explores new and novel ideas from the insights industry in 10 minutes or less. [Listen Now](https://resources.flexmr.net/mrx-lab-podcast) - ### Featured Stories - [Specsavers Informs Key Marketing Decisions with InsightHub](https://resources.flexmr.net/specsavers) - [The Coventry Panel Helps Maintain Award Winning CX](https://resources.flexmr.net/coventry-building-society) - [Isagenix Customer Community Steers New Product Launch](https://resources.flexmr.net/isa-insights) - [Curo Engage Residents with InsightHub Community](https://resources.flexmr.net/curo) - [Tech & Trends](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/tech-trends) / - [Research Methods](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/research-methods) / - [Insights Empowerment](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/insights-empowerment) / 8 MIN READ ## Our Journey Towards Insights Empowerment #### Emily James # [Workshops and Beacons: A Guide to Building Custome...](https://blog.flexmr.net/workshops-beacons-customer-salience) Most organisations are not short of data, insight or decks.Their biggest challenge is not whether cu... [Read more](https://blog.flexmr.net/workshops-beacons-customer-salience) 9 MIN READ #### Ed Hill - [Events (1)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/events) - [Insights Empowerment (38)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/insights-empowerment) - [Practical Application (178)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/practical-application) - [Research Methods (285)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/research-methods) - [Strategic Thinking (232)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/strategic-thinking) - [Survey Templates (7)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/survey-templates) - [Tech & Trends (397)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/tech-trends) FlexMR has a long heritage informing decisions with actionable insight. In fact, it has been a 20+ year journey. Our methods, the insight industry and the world have all changed a lot in that time. But from the very start, we have always believed in the power of insight, the role of innovation and the importance of forging strong relationships. History has taught us that research is vital to success but often still critically undervalued. So, it has been a source of great joy to witness clients and insight professionals alike grow into increasingly influential positions. Change has a habit of bringing self-reflection with it. As we witnessed these evolutions unfold, we began to ask ourselves: what is the role of market research in the modern world? An age-old question for sure. But one that is still as important as it has ever been. The answer we found was simple. To empower better decisions. It’s not the purpose of research that has changed, but the sphere of influence it now inhabits and the challenges that presents. We categorised the challenges of insights empowerment into three broad domains. These are: 1. Efficiency – the speed of research and how waste is minimised. 2. Reach – the volume of stakeholders, departments and decisions data can get to. 3. Influence – the weight of insight in decision making compared to other factors. Using these three challenges as a starting point, and guided by both years of experience and direct practitioner input, we completely reimagined what it means to be a supplier to insight teams. We threw out the ways of doing things that provide little value and focused on practical ways to address these challenges. DIY vs. full service? The world has moved on. The best methodology? The one(s) that meet the needs of a given project. Traditional or agile? The pace at which decisions happen. | ![Tweet from FlexMR](https://www.flexmr.net/images/webpage-images/45-tweet-this-from-flexmr.png) | ***Tweet This*** | | --- | --- | | [Change has a habit of bringing self-reflection with it. As we witness evolutions unfold in the insights industry we began to ask ourselves questions about the future of FlexMR.](https://ctt.ac/9lYt8) | | ### The Insights Empowerment Framework The outcome of this industry-wide soul search was our emergent Insights Empowerment Framework. Expressed simply by three pillars, the framework addresses the pressures placed on modern insight teams. Each pillar draws on our experience as both a technology vendor and research partner – here’s how it works: #### *Efficiency: Streamline* We install InsightHub, our premier research platform, at the heart of our clients’ operations. While the software drives efficiencies in data collection and analysis, our team aim to build strong working relationships, embed agile principles and maximise return on investment. #### *Reach: Scale* We work closely with our clients to expand the reach of insight across their organisation. A consultative approach helps to identify existing barriers, scale processes and win new audiences. As our clients grow, our team act as a flexible resource that grows alongside them. #### *Influence: Supercharge* We draw on decades of experience to amplify insight and deliver influential business impact. To achieve this, our team develop bespoke strategies that combine creative production with tactical implementation and human understanding. The result is a catalyst for change. So, how exactly do we plan to deliver upon the promises of this framework? We do this through flexible relationships that incorporate both cutting edge market-research technology and a roster of support, consultation & insight delivery services. ### Better Research Technology Technology is one pivotal fuel that powers the insights industry. When FlexMR first started generating data and insights, online market research was a still a budding practice, with telephone interviews prevailing within the market. As the insights industry was treading firmly into the territory of online research experiences, FlexMR was the first insights agency to offer both qualitative and quantitative online experiences in one custom-branded insights platform – something we are still immensely proud of to this day. As innovative as the InsightHub was, we have always striven to keep it and FlexMR at the forefront of innovation. As the InsightHub has been powering client decisions, we have made sure to take advantage of opportunities, challenges, and trends to evolve our services and platform so that we can better cater to the needs of our stakeholders. Ultimately, this means we have evolved the InsightHub into an end-to-end insights platform that can help brands centralise their research processes, and create one place where stakeholders can run multiple strands of their insights programme. We have injected innovation into long-standing tools to reinvigorate their relevance and research capabilities, as well iteratively evolve the InsightHub platform to embrace modern research methods, tools and techniques to enhance research experiences. Alongside this practical technological innovation, we also developed consultative and hands-on services to better support stakeholders in their journey to insights empowerment. All of these smaller iterative evolutions to FlexMR’s offering have served our us well in our quest to provide innovative research solutions, however we were more focussed on how the technology we create could better help stakeholders; during the past few years of industry innovation, we reached an evolutionary epiphany: to better navigate the future of research, we must shift our focus from being technology-led to insight-led. ### Transformative Insights The pivotal wider context that drove the change in our mindset is the democratisation of data (and research) within organisations. The idea that anyone can do research is prevalent across departments whether insight professionals like it or not. This is a good thing. It is the essence of democratising data, and researchers must find ways to support and guide stakeholders in order to drive better decisions. Stakeholders, once educated, can serve as a great extension to insight teams, both agency and in-house, by conducting surface-level quick insights by themselves while the insight teams covers the more in-depth data analysis and reporting. As long as insight teams promote pureplay ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS), brands are stuck learning about the value of insights the hard way, which perpetuates a perception gap between stakeholders and insight teams on the process and impact of the research experience, as well as leading to an enhanced [gulf in the relationship](https://resources.flexmr.net/whitepapers/client-agency-relationship-gulf) between stakeholders and insight teams. Additionally, many clients are currently expressing a desire to work with strong partners and so insight teams have an obligation to create a holistic relationship that provides enjoyment and support throughout the research experience, not just one that focusses solely on tech or solely on fully-served projects. | ![Tweet from FlexMR](https://www.flexmr.net/images/webpage-images/45-tweet-this-from-flexmr.png) | ***Tweet This*** | | --- | --- | | [Our role at FlexMR is to empower better decisions with insight, and with this goal we have completely reimagined what it means to be a supplier to insight teams.](https://ctt.ac/eUng4) | | ### **The Insights Empowerment Company** A modern insight partnership, as desired by clients, needs to embrace all aspects of stakeholder challenges – this means sometimes we provide the technology for stakeholders to conduct research on themselves; or sometimes we are in a better position to help them achieve their research and business goals in a more hands-on approach; or sometimes we can act as a consulting expert they can always come to for advice. That flexibility has always been at the heart of the FlexMR, but we can embrace it better by focussing on empowering stakeholders with insight. With this new focus we have a chance to invigorate external interest in the insights industry, forming strong bonds with stakeholders and creating more accurate, relevant, and directly actionable insights than ever before. Stakeholders and insight professionals are able to rise against challenges and take advantage of opportunities when they appear, moving as a team to make informed decisions within their businesses. Whatever challenges both insight teams and stakeholders encounter in the future, this new state of insights empowerment facilitated by stronger relationships allows for an agile, streamlined reaction to mitigate any consequences or obstacles. There are many opportunities that arise from forming closer partnerships with clients where insight professionals can truly make a difference by creating empowered insight-led cultures, decisions and relationships. [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1682149/a07b9b9f-fee9-447c-a050-1e3fa9d77f53.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1682149/a07b9b9f-fee9-447c-a050-1e3fa9d77f53) #### About FlexMR We are The Insights Empowerment Company. We help research, product and marketing teams drive informed decisions with efficient, scalable & impactful insight. #### About Emily James As a professional copywriter, Emily brings our global vision to life through a broad range of industry-leading content. #### Stay up to date ## You might also like... ![Blog Featured Image Header](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Marketing_Files/Blogs/Headers/retaining_human_touch_customer_salience_cx_ai.png) ### [Retaining a Human Touch with Custom...](https://blog.flexmr.net/customer-salience-cx-ai) In recent years, companies have embraced artificial intelligence (AI) at pace, swept up in a technological momentum that promises efficiency and cost savings. However, in their rush to pursue quickly ... [Continue reading](https://blog.flexmr.net/customer-salience-cx-ai) 5 MIN READ ![Blog Featured Image Header](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Marketing_Files/Blogs/Headers/casual_conversation_iosetta_santini.png) ### [A Casual Conversation... with Ioset...](https://blog.flexmr.net/casual-conversation-iosetta-santini) Most research projects still currently end with a powerpoint report and a debrief. This has become deeply entrenched as the industry standard, and it is what stakeholders have come to expect when they... [Continue reading](https://blog.flexmr.net/casual-conversation-iosetta-santini) 4 MIN READ ![Blog Featured Image Header](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Marketing_Files/Blogs/Headers/synthetic_data_richer_market_insights.png) ### [Synthetic Data: The Key to Richer M...](https://blog.flexmr.net/synthetic-data-richer-market-insights) In the dynamic world of market research, the need for robust and accurate data is critical. Whilst the increased prevalence of generative AI has provided a range of benefits to market research process... 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