The following blog post was written by Keith Chidsey, Director of Research Analytics at RMS.

My name is Keith, and I am the Director of Research Analytics at Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS).  I am a new face at RMS, though I have been working in the Market Research industry over 20 years with a breadth of experience across all areas of Operations, Client Services, and Data Analytics.  My passion is for my team, and we work together to produce reliable insights for our clients with a focus on customer service and high quality results.

For me, no day ever looks the same.  I have to be flexible and prepared to handle the unexpected at a moments’ notice while making sure day-to-day activities proceed as normal.  I could not do this without a very strong team of experienced Research Analysts and Panel Coordinators.  My main roles and responsibilities can be broken down into three categories: Business Development, Project Execution, and Company Strategy.

The Research Analytics team has a very collaborative relationship with the Business Development team.  We review all potential projects together and come up with the best research plan based on the clients’ needs.  I personally want to make sure that we are able to produce the desired results at a competitive cost.  With this approach, key aspects of the research are never lost in transition from our Business Development team to my team, whom execute the projects.  This often involves meeting with clients, creating project budgets, developing work plans, consulting with the Business Development team, and helping with the proposal process.

My teams’ main responsibility is the execution of research projects.  Once a project is won, I will assign it to one of our Analysts and continue to monitor project progress.  At each stage of the project I will review and provide feedback.  This allows multiple people to provide feedback, and provides opportunities for increased efficiency and value add at multiple stages of the project lifecycle.  Given my experience with all aspects of a research project (Kick-Off Meeting, Questionnaire Design, Programming, Data Verification, Analysis, and Reporting), I can also “roll up my sleeves” and help support them with project tasks.

One of the things I enjoy most at RMS is my involvement with their corporate strategy.  In the ever changing and dynamic Market Research industry, it is imperative to stay on top of innovative solutions.  Whether it is developing strategies to grow our ViewPoint Panel, looking for efficiencies in the business process, or leveraging technology to improve our offerings, I truly love finding ways to expand what we can offer.  It should be no surprise that I like to make informed decisions based on data, and I will utilize any data I can get my hands on to make sure that RMS is making the right decisions.

I enjoy having a career where I do not have to do the same thing every day and I can utilize my problem solving skills quickly and effectively.  No day is ever like the other with my position, though I hope this summary provides you a high level understanding of what is involved. Feel free to leave a comment with any questions you may have about working in market research, in this or similar roles, or about RMS!

If you’re interested in learning more about RMS, please visit our website. If you’d like more information about the services we offer, please contact our Senior Director of Business Development & Corporate Strategy, Sandy Baker, at SandyB@RMSresults.com or by calling 315-635-9802.