providing cost effective, reliable market research & data collection in Vietnam

over 40 years of combined experience

providing cost effective reliable data collection in Vietnam

over 40 years of combined data collection experience

About N-equals

N-equals is a 100% foreign-owned market research and data collection agency located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We offer a number of quantitative and qualitative solutions and are experienced in consumer research, B2B research, and healthcare research.

Quantitative Methodologies

  • Door To Door Interview

    N-equals’ team of interviewers screen and conduct face-to-face surveys with respondents. The interview is usually done with a number of pre-defined question at the respondent’s home.

  • Home Placement

    Another methodology used extensively by N-equals. FMCG and CPG products are used under in-home usage conditions over a specific time period. The test product may be “identified” or the product may be “blind” and only identified by a code letter or number. Respondents will be asked a set of questions before using the product. They are also asked about their evaluation of and preference for the product after the in-home use experience.

  • Central Location Test (CLT)

    N-equals has become the “go to agency” for CLT work in Vietnam. Data collection is conducted at a selected test site or multiple geographic sites. Interviewing is usually done face-to-face or self completion via computer. This can be done one-on-one or in groups. N-equals conducts all CLTs in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi in our own dedicated facilities.

  • Intercept Interview

    We collect data from respondents who are approached or intercepted in high-traffic locations such as grocery stores or shopping malls.

  • Mystery Shopping

    The N-equals team has experience to match any other with mystery shopping (MS) across a range of consumer and service sectors. MS is a research technique used by a wide variety of commercial, governmental and other organizations. It is effective to assess and improve the standards of services provide to customers by comparing actual performance against targets and standards provided by competitors. Provided that it is carried out professionally and with appropriate safeguards, MS is a valid, legitimate form of market research. MS does have certain unique characteristics that distinguish it from other types of research. In particular, “respondents” are not aware that they are the subjects of research. N-equals’ evaluators are specially trained to observe and measure the nature and quality of the services being offered to customers. These evaluators (“mystery shoppers”) pose as consumers and chronicle detailed information about their experience using questionnaires or narrative reports. We can record vists with digital equipment.

Qualitative Methodologies

  • In-depth Interviews (IDI)

    The N-equals team has strong expertise with IDIs, particularly for B2B research and specific consumer resarch projects. IDIs require that the interviewer elicit appropriate responses from respondents. In all IDIs, a discussion guide is essential to enable the interviewer to direct the flow of conversation. N-equals’ interviewers are typically trained moderators who understand the specific industry or area of interest.

  • Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

    Using the N-equals’ facilities, this unstructured interviewing technique is used with small groups (8 to 10) of eligible respondents are invited to participate in a discussion about a particular topic. Our trained moderators guide the discussion for the respondents and create the appropriate energy and environment.

  • In Home Visits (IHV)

    N-equals researchers visit respondents’ homes and interview them in their real-life environment. We observe their home lifestyle and environment to understand behavior, attitudes and values. These visits are often very insightful for our global clients.

Quantitative

  • The following illustrates what N-equals does and gives recent examples of the consumer and B2B research we have been working on.

    Sector experience
    • FMCG
    • Homecare products
    • Automotive
    • Personal Care
    • Baby Care
    • Banking / Finance / Insurance
    • Telecommunications
    • Hospitality
    • Real estate / Infrastructure
    • Information Technology
    • OTC pharmaceutical products
  • The following are examples of B2B studies that we have conducted.

    N-equals conducts more than 50 B2B projects per year and is recognised as a credible supplier in this space.
    • Interior: exploring the assessment of customers/companies on their current interior, interior demand in the medium term; as well as identifying finding out current wood market and future usage trends.
    • Construction materials: For example, rolling doors: getting feedback from contractors and wnd users on new rolling doors, and identifying improvements for launching new products.
    • Construction/infrastructure: Collecting the information for an overview of Vietnam infrastructure construction (including highway, national roads, underground works, etc.); business conditions of some key construction companies (both Vietnamese and foreign); then identifying opportunities for business cooperation between client and local construction companies.
    • Industry materials:
      1. Pre-engineering Building (PEB): testing the feasibility of new PEB concept by assessing contractors.
      2. Filtration equipments: exploring the filtration equipment demand in key production companies by thoroughly studying their production lines.
      3. Tubular heating products: exploring the feasibility of setting up a new tubular heating production company in Vietnam.
    • FMCG sector: Uncovering the feasibility and market potential of a new cooling drink to be launched into the Vietnam market by testing the concept, pack, pricing, and product formula across measures acceptability, likeability, differentiation, and sensory elements.
    • Accounting: defining the acceptable price of new accounting service – automated invoicing – by studying and drawing the usual sending/receiving invoice process in companies.
    • Express couriers: conducting time tests to 32 world wide destinations with all major international courier companies to assess speed and routes used by competitors.
    • Healthcare

      We recruit specialists from either our database or through a network of hospitals and other medical facilities. We generally conduct all interviews face to face, but we can and do combine with phone where necessary.

      Below are some examples of our healtchare projects. Healthcare . We conduct Healthcare projects almost on an ongoing basis.

      • Obstetricians and Gynecologists:
        • Interviewing infertility experts with regards to medicine brands and treatments.
        • Exploring the opinion of Ob/Gyn. towards breast-feeding.
      • Pediatricians: study about nutrition for babies of 3 – 6 months old.
      • Neurologists – Vascular Surgeon – Interventional Radiologist: getting an understanding about vascular surgery in Vietnam, specializing in endovascular aortic repair and peripheral vascular intervention.
      • Internal Medicine- Endocrinologist: assessment on current type 2 diabetic (T2DM) brands in Vietnamese market.
      • Cardiologists – GP : opinion of physicians in treating hypertension and satisfaction on hypertensive medicines.
      • ENT physicians: monitoring the treatment therapy of physicians on rhinitis.
      • Gynecologists, Neonatologists, Anesthesiologists, Radiologists, GP’s, Oncologists, Lab directors, Nurses, Pharmacists, to name just a few.
    • Qualitative

      N-equals moderators are some of the most experienced in the industry, with our lead moderator having conducted countless Focus Groups, IDIs, and IHVs for a large variety of clients during a 19 year qualitative career. N-equals has a Unilever Accredited moderator.

F2F data collection with tablet PCs

In 2011 N-equals was the first company in Vietnam to conduct F2F interviews with tablet PCs. This means no other company in Vietnam currently has the experience we have with CAPI data collection.

We have recently added the following features:

  1. Silent QC recordings: We can remotely control the recording function of the interviewers tablet. This enables us to listen in during any interview that is conducted without the interviewers knowledge, greatly improving QC.
  2. Offline interviewing: Full functionality in both online and offline mode.
  3. Location boundary setting: This is a feature that enables us to set the geographical boundaries in which the tablet can operate. It will also alarm the supervisor as soon as interviewer leave their assigned housing blocks.
  4. Faster data conversion: We are now able to export faster to SPSS and Dimensions, saving time.

*** No other agency in Vietnam offers this level of QC oversight on their projects.

Fieldwork Reports

FAQs

Do you outsource any part of your operations?

We do not outsource any part of our operations, apart from the cloud server that we use for our online CAPI interviewing, which is hosted by a secure professional data center

Can we host the interviews ourselves online?

Yes you can, but your set up needs to be able to handle the Vietnamese language. In addition we need to have access to data for our internal QC processes.

Where do you offer the Tablet PC data collection?

We currently use tablet PCs in HCM, Hanoi, Danang and Can Tho but other urban areas can be added on request

Is data collection with tablet PCs expensive?

No, in most cases it works out cheaper than PAPI interviewing

Benefits of CAPI

  • Fast setup and last minute questionnaire changes are possible
  • Complicated questionnaire routing is made easy
  • Great visuals and even TV ads can be played during the interview
  • Automated rotating, routing of questions and inbuilt logic checks
  • Location tracking enabling QC to track where interviews are being conducted
  • Questionnaire duration can be monitored
  • Interviewer data is monitored daily and any irregularities are immediately identified by QC
  • Real time fieldwork reporting function
  • Fast data processing and the elimination of punching errors

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