The digital age has paved the way for a more efficient and accessible means of working. Thanks to the advent of reliable phone and internet connectivity, there’s now a steady growth in the number of remote working opportunities and options proven to be beneficial to various industries. Generally, remote work reduces costs and increases work productivity.

Fortunately, there are now a lot of virtual market research tools useful for conducting in-depth interviews and focus groups on a bigger and wider scale which makes remote market research an ideal option.

Here are five advantages of conducting remote market research:

• It reduces expenses

Conducting market research interviews and focus groups online or over the phone greatly reduces costs in travel and equipment, more so for international market research. Moderators, respondents, and end clients all have the option to communicate through calls or using an online platform or app, which can be significantly more affordable compared to getting on a plane or renting focus group facilities in multiple locations.

• It saves time

Using online market research tools can be more time-saving to use for both respondents and researchers, with the latter benefiting from easier generation of insights from robust reporting and analytic tools that are available. In addition, while physical interaction between researcher and respondent is best, face-to-face communication can still be done with webcam interviews, and immediate response and feedback can still be achieved using online research platforms or apps.

• It offers logistic flexibility

In the event of a crisis that may restrict physical attendance or traveling constraints, in-person data collection methods will not be the best option. Unlike traditional in-person market research, conducting research remotely means less need for researchers and respondents to get together physically in a location or facility, thanks to telephone and web-enabled market research solutions.

• It is more scalable

Because there are fewer physical and geographic constraints, it would be easier to reach and accommodate any number of research participants even from various locations.

• Availability is not an issue

Mobile devices continue to be ubiquitous and greater connectivity offer accessibility and endless opportunities for market researchers to conduct data gathering activities anywhere in the world.

When face-to-face research projects are compromised, going online is the only viable alternative. With a variety of available digital solutions, more and more clients are learning to adapt and utilize the web to efficiently conduct market research.

There you have it! Can you think of more reasons why telecommuting is slowly remaking the way we work and live? Share that in the comments below!

Sources: forbes.com, monster.com, businessnewsdaily.com, airtasker.com, thriveglobal.com, vox.com,