Success in business is driven by products that sell. However, winning products or services don’t just materialize out of the blue. Ideas have to be evaluated and put under the microscope to get a clear picture of what will and what won't work – and one of the best ways to do this is by conducting consumer product focus groups.

By testing merchandise and collecting feedback through discussion, product focus groups help companies identify viable concepts and improvements that can be applied to make better development choices. This bridges the gap between business ideas and actual customer consensus.

Although this method brings many benefits, it’s not as straightforward as it seems. Traditional focus group facilitators could encounter several common issues in the field that could hinder data quality. Luckily, leveraging innovative recording and streaming platforms, such as CCam focus, can easily solve these problems to create a seamless product testing experience.

Problems and Solutions 

• 1. Inconsistency between what is said vs. what is done

When products that have undergone focus group deliberation fail after launching, this is probably the root cause. Traditional focus group methods fail to get accurate consumer behavior because they focus on hypothetical statements rather than actual experiences.

For example, when gathering feedback about iPhones from participants who have never tried or owned them, their opinion will be based on what they’ve heard about iPhones or Apple. These responses could be deceiving because the more detail is given, the more likely you believe it is the consumer’s voice.

The Solution: CCam uses 360° HD streaming technology to capture focus group product testing in action – putting the focus back on user experience. An omnidirectional camera simultaneously records a panoramic view of the room and close-up views of in-person speakers to create an immersive experience for remote viewers on the live stream.

CCam also offers the option of setting up additional cameras in location to capture multiple angles of the product being tested. As a result, CCam helps participants obtain a deeper level of interaction with the product for better usage insights.

2. 2. Generalized Local Samples 

Conducting consumer product focus groups on small, local sample sizes threatens the generalizability of your results. This is because the opinions expressed by a handful of people do not accurately represent the target population. If you base decisions on findings from these focus groups, you may risk excluding many potential customers from interacting with your product or business.

The Solution: Gather a more representative sample by conducting multiple focus groups with respondents from different locations. CCam’s unique hybrid remote and in-person capability allows researchers to recruit a more diverse sample pool without worrying about geographical restrictions. Participants unable to travel to the facility can join the live-streamed session to view the product and provide feedback in real-time.

3. 3. Using Outdated Facility Equipment

Choosing a focus group facility with outdated equipment hinders the quality of your recordings. Shooting product usage from one fixed angle could mean that you would miss important details during the analysis stage. In turn, the findings you uncover might be a fraction of what you could obtain with a better technology solution.

The Solution: CCam focus provides a  360° HD camera and microphone that delivers crystal clear audio and video. This ensures that even the smallest detail is recorded. The flow of discussion and any stimuli presented can be clearly seen, heard, and captured for a more comprehensive analysis of findings.

4. 4. Logistics 

Some common issues with traditional in-person focus groups include logistical problems such as unforeseen delays, transportation, and accommodations. Planning for everyone to be at the facility could negatively impact resources since participant attendance is not guaranteed. There could be last-minute dropouts that would cost a lot of time and money to compensate.

The Solution: Have the flexibility and portability to conduct consumer product focus groups in any location you see fit. CCam streaming technology eliminates logistical problems by allowing clients, participants, researchers, and even moderators to view the session remotely through their devices. With only a stable internet connection and power, CCam’s plug-and-play solution can be utilized anywhere, enabling you to set up, record, and stream within minutes.

5. Efficiency 

Focus group product testing data goes through an extensive process for raw data to be translated into actionable, robust insights. Despite this, researchers still often make the mistake of using different solutions for recording, streaming, curation, and analysis. This disjointed approach results in slower turnaround times due to data transfer from platform to platform and higher costs because of multiple service fees.

The Solution: CCam focus is an end-to-end solution for recording, streaming, analyzing, and managing large quantities of media from your product testing sessions. Integral curation features such as chat, commenting, tagging, clipping, and storyboards deliver efficient and effective insight discovery, both during and after the session.

Additionally, CCam’s dedicated project hub allows you to store recordings in a secure location and communicate updates with your team and clients to keep everyone in the loop. CCam focus is a fully-integrated solution from in-facility to your client presentation.

Provide Optimized Technology for Your Consumer Product Focus Groups With CCam® focus  

CCam focus is the premiere recording and streaming solution that delivers uncompromised video and audio quality for in-person interviews and focus groups. Its unique hybrid capabilities enable in-person research to be led by a moderator facilitating remotely while respondents are located elsewhere. Have a unified curation, storage, and sharing solution to keep your attention on the research instead of the logistics. Explore how CCam can enhance your in-facility projects.