Over the last twelve years McDermott Miller has successfully undertaken market research into issues affecting leisure, culture, recreation, tourism, retailing, property and transport sectors.

A well known example of market research undertaken by the McDermott Miller Market Research Unit is the quarterly Westpac-McDermott Miller Survey of Consumer Confidence.

WESTPAC-McDERMOTT MILLER SURVEY OF CONSUMER CONFIDENCE

A quarterly survey of over 1,500 CATI interviews conducted nationwide to establish the level of consumer confidence and spending intentions. This survey has been conducted since June 1988. The Westpac-McDermott Miller Consumer Confidence index is a proven lead indicator of household consumption trends.

Some examples of recent market research projects undertaken by McDermott Miller include:

TRANSMISSION GULLY COMMUNITY SURVEY ON WILLINGNESS TO PAY 1999

Large research programme involving three surveys to test the Wellington regional community’s willingness-to-pay for the early construction of the Transmission Gully roading route. An initial household computer-aided telephone survey of 1500 respondents was conducted to test general willingness-to-pay for early construction. This survey included development of a pre-circulated detailed information pamphlet covering the issues of the project (in terms of design, benefits, and costs) to help respondents give informed answers. This was followed by a face-to-face stated-preference survey of 250 respondents (using computer-aided personal interviewing techniques) to measure willingness-to-pay different levels of tolls to use the new route. A second household computer-aided telephone survey of 750 respondents completed the research programme and tested community willingness-to-pay the optimum toll level obtained in the face-to-face survey together with different packages of rates and petrol tax increases. Clients: Wellington Regional Council and Transit New Zealand.

VISITORS TO THE EXHIBITION OF THE CENTURY CITY GALLERY WELLINGTON 1998

Household computer-aided telephone survey of 900 visitors to The Exhibition of the Century (Modern Masterpieces from the collection of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam) held at the City Gallery, Wellington. The results were used for a real-time survey based market and economic impact assessment of the exhibition and visitor satisfaction ratings. Clients: Wellington Museums Trust and Totally Wellington.

NEW ZEALAND HISTORIC PLACES VISITOR MARKET 1998

Nationwide household computer-aided telephone survey of 500 interviews to size and segment the heritage market and to gauge general public perceptions of heritage and tourism products and services. The survey was followed by an adaptive perceptual mapping survey to position New Zealand heritage offerings in the leisure market. Client: New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

SOCIAL BENEFITS OF TRANSPORT FOR THE WELLINGTON REGION 1997

Household computer-aided telephone and follow-on computer-aided telephone stated preference surveys of transport users in the Wellington region to find a practical new way of valuing user and community travel benefits of the transport system. Research results will lead to development of a multi-objective optimisation approach to evaluating regional transport strategies, selecting transport options and promoting projects. Client: Wellington Regional Council.