The FINANCIAL — ACT Research, the leading marketing research and consulting company, showed high resilience during the economic downturn by successful control of the financial crisis and maintaining stability.
In 2009 the company did not dismiss any staff members and moreover, increased salary funds, as well as additional benefits for their employees. In March 2010 ACT Research was named a Golden Brand 2009.
“The company has moved from crisis management to a development stage, which is indicated by an increase in client numbers, sales, employees, and geographical expansion of the company.
The main challenge for the company is to create a strong base and become the leader in the Azeri market,” said Tinatin Rukhadze, General Director of ACT Research.
“The recent economical changes have accelerated our decision to enter Azerbaijan, which is quite a large and interesting market for us.
Considering the existing economical situation we think that the company’s development in terms of geographical expansion is optimal, rather than increasing marketing activities within Georgian boundaries. Moreover, opening an office in Azerbaijan will ensure sustainability and financial firmness of the company” says Rukhadze.
Q. Which was company management’s most important decision?
A. Geographical expansion was the most important decision carried out by the management in 2009. ACT has opened its representation in Azerbaijan. We, the company founders, had the ambition to make ACT Research an international company.
Today we have technically equipped an office in one of the most fashionable business centres in Baku. We have already selected local staff. From May 1 the company will be headed by one of the leading ACT specialist Sopho Chachanidze.
Q. What news should we expect from your company in the nearest future?
A. As I have already mentioned we are opening our Baku office which will start its operations on May 1. This will allow us provide the same high quality services in Azerbaijan as we offer in Georgia.
Moreover, we are planning presentation of our new web based Mystery Shopper soft, which will give our clients the opportunity to control the project at any stage, process the outcomes and print ready reports in any desirable format.
In 2010 we will also launch a new web page, which will be more interesting, flexible and interactive than the existing one.
Q. In 2008 the projects conducted by the company were 204, what was the indicator in 2009 year? And which types of projects were more in demand?
A. The number of projects carried out in 2009 was an increase by 10% compared with 2008, however there was a decrease in the average value of the projects.
In recent years there has been high demand for the following projects, such as brand development, product development, and market analysis. Besides during a period of crisis companies have high interest in organizational research. When the salaries and financial benefits in a company decrease, there is a higher probability of motivation and loyalty decrease.
Consequently, proactive managers try to ensure organization from internal crisis. Thus they explore their employees’ attitudes and identify which activities to pursue in order to avoid crisis.”
Q. What are the marketing tendencies in 2010? And in your opinion, how quickly are new marketing tendencies being implemented in Georgia?
A. The strengthening of marketing communications via internet is the most obvious tendency in marketing developed over the past few years.
Today the internet is quite competitive compared to other media channels.
Experts say that in the nearest future the internet will surpass TV. The development of the internet as a marketing communication channel was aggravated by the financial crisis. Marketing activities via the internet are cheaper than via other media channels.
According to the research carried out by ACT 36% of middle and large size companies of Georgia plan to increase marketing activities via the internet.
This tendency is not so developed in Georgia. However, according to the research carried out by ACT 36% of middle and large size companies plan to increase marketing activities via the internet.
ACT attentively observes local and international marketing tendencies. We regularly explore existing environment, assess expected changes, and accordingly develop our company strategy.
Considering the above mentioned tendencies, we pay great attention to internet-products and service development. For the same reason we are improving our web-page and making it more interactive.
Q. Golden Brand is the symbol of creativity and recognition in the society. In your opinion, how does you brand attract its subscribers?
A. We can only suppose that the popularity of ACT is governed with the functional and emotional benefits the company provides to its clients.
ACT does not only provide information but ensure effective solutions to its clients. ACT ensures high effectiveness by applying business-intuition, scientific approach and creativity to its work. Strong partnership relationships with our clients together with above-mentioned should be the main reasons for the clients’ loyalty and the company success.
Q. What influence had recent economic changes on competition in your field?
A. There was always fierce competition in our field. The financial crisis aggravated the rivalry. Some companies chose low-cost leadership strategy, others – aggressive marketing, there were some companies that could not survive the fierce competition and maximally cut operations or just withdrew from the market.
Q. Has the recent facts changed the companies attitudes towards their spending on research and consulting?
A. According to our statistics, in 2009 the number of business companies using research and the number of developed projects increased, however, the scales of the projects were reduced.
In a crisis, having vision and making the right decisions becomes vital. Mistakes made during these periods can be deadly. The managers of leading Georgian companies recognize this and so actively use our services.”
The development of our company has 2 conditions: the country’s political stability and development of the business sector.
Q. Innovation, environment protection and corporate sustainability are recognized as new values of European business. What are your attitudes towards these values?
A. Innovation is the main point for our brand. Orientation for development is one of the basic values, development is impossible without innovations.
We are part of different international and professional associations and regularly participate in international congresses and conferences.
The information about international tendencies gives us the chance to offer the market the same methodological and technical innovations that world leading companies offer their clients. Moreover, sharing international experience gives us substance for new and unique ideas.
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