Automation is driving marketing forward, automation is the future of market research ... You've heard this so many times in so many ways that you probably grew tired of hearing it. Lots of fuss about automation, but very little background or explanation on what it can actually mean for us, marketing managers and market researchers. So what are the origins of this 'wave' and why we should pay any attention to it?

The Opportunity to Grow

The automation of research through innovation, through technology, is inevitable because only technologies allow for a fast growth.

ESOMAR report and GRIT report, both indicate automation as a key factor in driving our industry forward. 45% of work activities could be automated by technology, according to McKinsey Consulting report.

We all want things to be done easy, fast and simple, preferably in one click. And there is no reason for it to be any different when it comes to research.

The Solution Everyone Is Searching For

The popularity of topics on automation has been increasing since 2012. The topic of automation excites people as much as it confuses them. How to adopt automation? When? Which problems can automation solve? Which problems can it cause?

We want to use it but we still don’t understand, which solution would fit us best. Yet, if approached correctly automation can: 

-  Save time you spent on research

- Increase your efficiency

- Eliminate routine processes and encourage you to acquire new skills

- Simplify data collection and analysis

The Insights Every Marketer Needs

The automation can convey the experience and knowledge of large companies to small businesses. Automation allows all, rather than few companies to gather valuable insights.

For example, when Google AdWords was released, companies of all sizes could benefit from sophisticated yet easy to use tools. Consequently, major players in advertising industry had to change their approach to advertising along with their pricing. The same thing will happen to market research players.

So… Which part of your work would you like to automate?