There is no doubt that 2020 was a “different” kind of year, one that left its mark on us on every level. Perhaps that is precisely why we needed to let it go before looking back at what it brought us and what it meant for us, the people of the MKOR team.
It brought us a lot of uncertainty. At first, we too were anxious and fearful, but we didn’t let the unknown overwhelm us. We embraced the new reality and took it on as a (new) challenge. So, we used uncertainty to our advantage and reinvented ourselves.
But let’s talk in more detail about what we did this past year to become more resilient and continue doing what we love.
We didn’t just research; we empathized with every client’s challenges
Pessimism regarding the financial evolution of businesses influenced strategic decisions, with prudence taking center stage. In such a context, corporate decision-makers sought more than ever to ground their decisions in data reflecting the new market realities.
“Experience” was the keyword during a time when the need for connection and attention was paramount. So, we were glad to continue standing by our clients in Automotive and IT, helping them ensure they offer consumers an experience that makes a difference.
Another challenge we addressed, this time alongside new clients, was identifying the opportunities the pandemic created in fields such as: fintech, financial services, fashion, FMCG, tourism, medical, and even the public sector.
We worked with local firms, but we also crossed borders, helping companies with an international presence launch locally.
We are proud to have retained, but also added to our portfolio, collaborations with names such as:
- AGS Global
- BSG Amanet & Exchange
- Enzo Margi
- Falck Fire Services
- Fitbit
- Mokka
- Otokar
- OTP Leasing
- Tușnad
We also had greenfield projects for brands that have not yet launched, in tourism and fashion. For these projects and others, we sized the markets and forecasted their evolution to support truly strategic decisions in fields such as Private Emergency Services, Automotive, or FMCG.
We are a team of dedicated professionals, but this year brought us challenges that helped us grow and feel closer to our clients. For every research project conducted, we delivered actionable results that those who trusted us could implement immediately.
We sought answers to the questions on everyone’s lips
But before being professionals, we are humans, and our internal projects are always close to our hearts. So, beyond giving voice to the concerns of business community representatives, we wanted to provide a documented answer regarding the changes the pandemic brought to our lifestyles—to all of us.
We were proactive and provided an overview regarding the impact of COVID-19 on Romanians’ lives from the very first months of uncertainty. Additionally, we looked closely at the new consumption trends, as well as parents’ attitude towards existing education solutions.
Another piece of good news from the internal projects category is that…
We launched Microsurveys, the tool for real-time optimization of ecommerce business strategy
Digitization became a necessity in 2020. Many businesses moved online, while others emerged taking advantage of this digital trend. Simple online presence does not guarantee success; rather, the difference is made by informed decisions, especially when survival is at stake.
With this data in mind, at MKOR we developed a must-have tool for online businesses, that combines the advantages of market research with the benefits of personalized marketing.
Microsurveys is an automated service, through which we find out relevant information in real-time directly from site visitors. The insights thus obtained are leveraged through a well-established personalized marketing strategy, through which we optimize conversions and ensure a superior level Customer Lifetime Value. For the online business owner, all this translates into more sales, more loyal customers, and lower promotion costs.
Since we like variety, we have already implemented this innovative solution for ecommerce brands selling jewelry, sports articles and equipment, children’s items, gadgets, or even cold cuts.
The results obtained with the Microsurveys service encouraged us to take the experience of personalizing communication between brands and consumers even further. Our goal is to develop smart solutions to help businesses grow, regardless of size or context.
MKOR Growth, that’s all we’re telling you. Remember this name! 😉
Finally, since we talked about growth, another achievement we are proud of is that…
We grew as a team, both qualitatively and quantitatively 🙂
It was hard for us, but we prefer to see the glass half full. Truth be told, we also have reasons to believe that we came out winners from the past year. We chose to approach the challenges we received with enthusiasm, curiosity, and courage. We became better at what we know how to do best: making sense of market information and translating it into recommendations for concrete actions. And we continued to learn new things, at a more accelerated pace than usual.
Of course, it wasn’t a journey without adventures. Our office was mostly online, and adapting to the new reality took us by surprise too. We admit we missed the days when we drank our coffee together in the kitchen. However, we tried to make the virtual office as welcoming as possible. We talked more, we connected, and we were always there for each other.
We also had fresh energy because the MKOR family grew by four passionate people eager to evolve: Oana (Qual Researcher) and Tibi (Data Visualiser & Analyst), significant help in the Research department, especially on quantitative and qualitative data analysis, and then Mădă (Marketing Strategist), and Ștef (Marketer), key people in strategy and content in the Marketing department.
What’s next in 2021?
Even though we work with numbers and scientific rigor, the honest answer is that we don’t know. One thing is certain, however: uncertainty remains and will probably govern our lives for a while longer.
What we will do, at MKOR, will be to continue standing by our clients, with the same dedication as before, and we will continue to develop new solutions through which we can grow together.
In fact, we’ll briefly reveal a little secret from behind the curtain: soon we will launch a project with which we aim to change the perspective on research and the way it can change the decision-making process, based on live market data. But hey, I’ve already said too much, stay tuned for details when the time is right! 🙂
In the meantime, if you have a strategic challenge that you want us to solve together, call us or write to us, we are just a virtual coffee away! 🙂
