We hope that by sharing our knowledge through our quarterly newsletter we can provide new insights to help you make better informed business decisions and also let you know a little more about us. We would also like to take this opportunity extend our best wishes to you and your team for the Christmas Season.

In this issue:
• Client satisfaction
• The Changing Face of Research
• Your business checklist
• Respondent privacy
• Philip makes a splash
• Management lesson
• Postcard from ESOMAR
• Seeking insight beyond packaged analysis
• New staff
• What else are we up to?

CLIENT SATISFACTION
Taverner Research has come a long way in the past 12 years, from the small team who worked at RAMIS to a dynamic office of 20 full time staff and over 300 field operators. As we face the next stage of growth we are undertaking our own client satisfaction survey, the results of which we intend to publish on our website early 2007. If you are a client and we have not sent you the link and you would like to participate, please contact your Taverner consultant.

To view a demonstration of an online customer satisfaction survey and how it could benefit your business, contact Michael at michaelt@taverner.com.au.

THE CHANGING FACE OF RESEARCH - 2007 AMSRS conference
The 2007 Australian Market and Social Research Society annual conference will be held at Luna Park in Sydney 24 to 26 October. The theme for the conference is appropriately “The Changing Face of Research” in which we hope to tackle some of the key issues facing Market and Social Research.

Our own conference committee member Philip Mitchell-Taverner says “Luna Park is a highly appropriate venue for this conference that will attract over 600 delegates – it capitalises on Sydney’s fabulous harbour views and famous icons. The location will add an element of fun to complement the importance of the 2007 conference in contributing to the future of the industry”.

YOUR BUSINESS CHECKLIST
Market research is not necessarily about researching the market you operate in, it's about researching the health and status of the key player in your market - your business

• Would you like more clients and you are not sure how best to attract them?
• Would you like to know why your competitor’s customers prefer them over you?
• Would you like to know what you need to do to avoid costly staff turnover?
• Would you like to know how effective your communications tools really are?
• Are you launching a new product and like to know how best to attract the target market?
• Would you like to know consumer trends to plan product and business development?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, you might like to consider commissioning some market research. Any one of our researchers would be happy to discuss your unique requirements.

RESPONDENT PRIVACY IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Australians, understandably, are becoming more sensitive about their privacy and how information about them is to be used. The Australian government has responded by passing the Privacy Act. Under the Act and in line with the AMSRS Code of Professional Behaviour all Market and Social Research organisations now have specific privacy obligations with particular regard to interviewing, focus groups and making recordings (both audio and video) of respondents. This also has implications on any client representative who may observe a focus group, or request to review a recording at a later date. These requirements are in place to protect the identity of respondents and to ensure respondent responses continue to be honest and insightful.

The privacy guidelines by which we are bound are outlined in the ‘AMSRS Code of Professional Behaviour’ and further discussed in the ‘Qualitative Recruitment Guidelines’ document, both available on the AMSRS website.

For more information go to www.amsrs.com.au, or discuss these requirements with your Taverner consultant.

MAKING A SPLASH IN MELBOURNE
After being acknowledged as a leading light in the industry over the past 40 years during the closing dinner at the recent AMSRS conference, our esteemed leader and Fellow of the Society tried to demonstrate how to walk on water - until that moment we all believed he could!

In the midst of an obviously important phone call, the edge of the water feature 'surged up' and brought him to his knees. Together with his mobile he went to the bottom to riotous applause of the assembled research community.

While there were no incriminating photos of Philip's splash, we did catch Tom scheming with this watery gremlin earlier in the evening and wonder if there was a sinister plan being hatched…

MANAGEMENT LESSON
A little bird was flying north for the winter but it was so cold he froze mid-air and fell to the ground. While lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him. As the frozen bird lay there he began to realize how warm it was - the dung was thawing him out! He lay there warm and happy for some time and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the singing and came to investigate; following the singing the cat promptly dug out the bird and after toying with him for some time, proceeded to eat him...

The Taverner Advantage: To discover who your enemies (competitors) and friends (loyal clients) are and what they think of you, talk to Taverner about undertaking a tailored client or customer satisfaction survey.

POSTCARD FROM ESOMAR
Gerry Guinan, research director at Taverner has recently returned from the ESOMAR Congress in London. ESOMAR (www.esomar.org) is the world organisation for enabling better research and has 4,000 members in 100 countries. Taking part in the Congress allowed Gerry to cement relationships with Taverner’s overseas affiliates and provided us all with insights to help you with your research needs in Australia and in the global market.

The theme for this year’s Congress was ‘Foresight – the predictive power of research’ and the idea of ‘co-creation’, that is, truly involving consumers in the very early stages of new product, service or marketing communication design.

More insight on the conference and information on some of the highlights can be viewed by clicking here.

SEEKING INSIGHT BEYOND PACKAGED ANALYSIS
When Dr Don Porritt (see new staff), research director at Taverner submitted his latest article for inclusion in the Journal of Market Research, he was delighted to learn they intended to publish it in full with no editorial changes!

In summary, Dr Don says that most market research analysis is limited to exploring relationships between pairs of variables, and sometimes looks further at the joint impact of two or three variables on an outcome measure. Use of more sophisticated multivariate techniques usually assumes linear relationships. The paper concludes by drawing five lessons about effective data analysis for achieving insight beyond the packaged procedures of stub-and-banner cross-tabulations and more sophisticated multivariate analyses.

Don’s innovative ways of approaching problems and opportunities are multi-faceted and insightful – this is adding a major additional dimension to how we approach research analysis and interpretation.

If you’d like more information or a copy of the article, contact Don directly at donp@taverner.com.au.

TAVERNER WELCOMES NEW STAFF
Exciting times at Taverner…… youth, experience and doctorates are all a buzz!

Alexandra Hrincu – Research Analyst
Alex’s bright and cheery attitude and desire to learn makes her an invaluable addition to the Taverner Team. After graduating in mathemat ics and physics in Romania, Alex came to Sydney with her family and began studying for a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing, Tourism and Hospitality at UNSW. In 2006 Alex graduated with Merit and now holds a full time position with Taverner specializing in questionnaires set-ups, programming and analysis.

“I love the challenge of every project I am involved with, the people and the atmosphere are fun and relaxed – oh and the crispy donuts, biscuits and Wednesday cake…"

don

Dr Don Porritt – Research Director
Don’s practical experience and academic background adds a new dimension of expertise and insight to support the future success of the company. His appointment also adds value through his practical and theoretical understanding of analysis and reporting techniques, and the latest developments in marketing theory. Don holds an MSc in Psychology, a PhD in Community Medicine and is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Charles Sturt University. He has more than 30 years market and social research experience including 15 years as a Director with AMR Interactive. Don is a Foundation Member of the Australian Psychological Society, has been a member of the MSRSA for 18 years, and is a member of the Australasian Evaluation Society.

“I really enjoy the collaborative and cooperative approach [applied at Taverner] to produce the best results for our clients”

Dr Vinh La - Research Consultant
Vinh brings to Taverner extensive research skills and a great service orientation. Her qualifications include a PhD in International and Services Marketing and a Masters of Commerce from UNSW, and a Bachelor of International Trade from Monash University. For five years Vinh was employed by the UNSW as an associate lecturer and as a post graduate researcher focussing on business-to-business research. Vinh continues to lecture, enabling Taverner to keep abreast with the latest theoretical developments and the best emerging graduates. Immediately before joining Taverner Vinh worked for Austrade in professional services, mining and technology sectors and therefore also brings to Taverner experience in government agencies and international trade.

“Taverner provides me with a great working environment from which I can capitalise on my academic background!”

WHAT ELSE ARE WE UP TO?
Taverner supports community service and encourages staff to get involved whenever they can. We also encourage staff to mix socially and have a bit of fun. The following are simply two examples of non-work related activities of Taverner staff.

One Declaration
Matthew Bolton (Eshua), the inspiration behind the ‘One Declaration Project’, is a member of the Taverner family and is our consultant on indigenous affairs. The aim of the ‘One Declaration Project’ is to create unity - unity within Aboriginal Nations, unity between Aboriginal Nations, and unity between Aboriginal people and all other people for the preservation of Mother Earth. You can find out more at www.onedeclaration.org.

Melbourne Cup
The annual Taverner Research Melbourne Cup lunch was attended by a record 26 staff and some of our long-term external associates. We thank Nicola Donoghue for dressing the part and managing the three sweeps with characteristic efficiency. Well done Trish Callaghan for taking home the top prize. Congratulations to Alex Hrincu for winning our own Fashion in the Field and special mentions to runners-up Clair Reynolds and Rachelle Wyzenbeek! We extend the invitation to any client or consultant who would like to take part in this growing institution next year.

Taverner takes research to a new level
To accommodate continued growth, Taverner has expanded operations onto the top floor of Fortune House - our headquarters in Surry Hills. Architecturally designed, the new space with commanding views over Sydney houses the (delighted) Data Processing and Field Operations. The new space also includes dedicated executive interviewing rooms, a meeting room and expands our CATI capacity to 45 dedicated lines. The expansion means better facilities for the enjoyment of staff and for the benefit of our clients.