Beaufort is an independent market research company, owned entirely by its directors. Our core and principal activity is market research, where we are able to offer a range of facilities on both a full, and part, service basis.

We are a well established company, with a wealth of practical research experience. Initially formed in 1984, Beaufort has grown to become the largest consumer research company based in Wales.

Our directors are all highly experienced research practitioners, who are full members of the Market Research Society. They have worked as buyers and as suppliers of research services, and they have a wide appreciation of the needs of private and public sector clients.

From time to time, Beaufort enlists the support services of an established network of specialist retained associates. They are chosen because their skills complement ours and because we know that we can work together as a cohesive team.

Our Philosophy

• Our overall aim at Beaufort is to provide an efficient and cost-effective service, which produces actionable reports geared to the needs of our clients. We count these as our main strengths:

• Beaufort is large enough to offer a full market research service. We also pride ourselves on being small enough to give a truly personal service.

• Each client has special needs and each project is different. We spend time learning about the client’s precise objectives and about how the results will be used. This helps us to decide on the most suitable approach.

• To be of value, research information needs to be analysed carefully and presented clearly. Research reports and presentations should seek to inform rather than to impress. We like to write reports that can be understood by the specialist and the lay person alike.

• Beaufort believes in giving value for money - but we will not cut corners. If you ask for a quotation, we will offer to do a thorough job at a fair price. We will explain clearly what we intend to do, what you will get and how much it will cost. We do not believe in hidden extras.

 Beaufort is able to offer a range of research services, tailored to meet client needs:

• We carry out quantitative research surveys using several techniques. Usually data is gathered through personal interviews, and these might be conducted at home (CAPI or non CAPI) on the street or by telephone (CATI or non-CATI). On other occasions, it is more appropriate to use self completion forms, administered by mail or online (CAWI) or by other means. Quantitative surveys can be used to measure behaviour, attitudes, satisfaction or awareness.

• We regularly conduct qualitative research. The most frequently used techniques here are focus groups and in-depth interviews. Qualitative research is appropriate when one wishes to explore an issue rather than measure it. It is a research technique that can accommodate, where required, the use of stimulus materials and provide the opportunity, where appropriate, to use projective techniques to elicit an insightful response from respondents.

• We are also experienced in undertaking multifaceted research projects that benefit from a combined approach of quantitative and qualitative research and require us to utilise different, yet complimentary, research techniques. Objectives for some projects are best met by taking a multistage approach, information is both measured statistically and explored in-depth. Qualitative research can be undertaken before or after quantitative research enabling information from an initial stage of research to aid the development of the next research stage. This approach encompasses the range of quantitative and qualitative techniques detailed above as well as mystery shopping exercises and semi-structured interviews.

• In addition to ad hoc research, Beaufort conducts the Welsh Omnibus Survey (now in its 22nd year), the Omnibus Survey of Welsh Speakers, CWMNIBUS, the CATI Omnibus Survey of Welsh SME businesses and has recently launched the Welsh Children's Omnibus. These regular surveys provide a fast and cost effective means of obtaining robust information from representative samples of both the public (including children and young people) and businesses in Wales. They are especially useful for measuring trends.

Beaufort is a full-service agency – we are research specialists involved in all stages of the research process from questionnaire development to reporting. We usually carry out research on a full service basis, seeing the entire project through from start to finish. However, if a client prefers, we can also carry out specific research operations only.

• Initial research development – Through discussion with a client we learn about their business and the specific topic to be researched. We will advise on the scale, methodology, interview technique and sampling approach to produce what we believe to be the most cost-effective solution to a research problem. If commissioned, we will produce questionnaires and /or topic guides which are designed to achieve the research objectives and which we know will work in the field. We discuss interviewing materials with clients before they are used so that they can be sure of what they are buying.

• Fieldwork management and Processing – Research is our core business and our clients take it for granted that all questionnaires are correctly edited, coded and data entered. Fieldwork management and in-house data processing are included as part of our standard service, although at all stages we take care to tailor our service to each client’s specific needs.

• Analysis, interpretation and communication of results -- We recognise that gathering data is only part of the process, interpreting data and communicating results are vitally important parts of the research process. We aim to provide our clients with, where appropriate, an interpretation and not just a description of the research findings. We achieve this by re-visiting the research objectives and structuring results around the specific requirements of our clients. As well as the standard computer quantitative tables, we provide whatever level of de-briefing our clients require. This could be one or more of the following: an informal discussion, a PowerPoint presentation using, where appropriate illustrations and sounds, a thorough written report or just a brief key-point management summary.