In addition to guaranteeing constant attention to the customer, it is essential to be able to count on reliable data. Data is omnipresent in all aspects of marketing: consumer research and satisfaction, new product or service launches, positioning, brand management, advertising, segmentation and promotion. While the digital revolution offers the promise of positively influencing consumer dynamics, this opportunity will only be seized by those who can successfully exploit the new data available, both to understand the desires of specific groups of consumers and to understand how to satisfy or even influence their needs.

A combination of interviews, focus groups, and observational and demographic studies is typically used to further clarify and delineate poorly defined consumer opportunities and issues. Exploratory research is also used to formulate hypotheses and develop measurement scales. There is often a shortage of primary data and an abundance of secondary data.