Paul Hoger
Director, Q & A Market Research

Written by Alicia Brand-Palimaka on 2010-10-09

Paul Hoger has been working in the market research industry for over ten years, giving him a unique insight into the importance of market research within the Brisbane media industry. Paul currently holds the title of Director at Q&A Market Research, where he is responsible for the organisation’s data collection and processing activities throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Describe a typical day in your role as Director at Q&A Market Research?

I divide my day between my clients and my team, and most of that time is spent working with them to discover that ‘one best way’ – that one best way to access a particular group in the population, or the most economical way to deliver research, or the most effective way to report research findings. Each new project brings with it the requirement for a new approach, a new ‘one best way’ to discover.

Best and worst part of your job?

The best part of my job is being closely involved in such wide ranging projects, which I find endlessly fascinating and get as excited about running a toilet cleaner product trial as I do about working on high impact and high profile social research. The the worst part is when you come across people in the community and sometimes even clients, who have an ill informed opinion of what market research is and what it is about.

If you had to give one piece of advice to a professional entering your industry, what would it be?

I would tell them that for someone with integrity and diligence, the opportunities in this industry are unlimited.

What challenges (if any), does your company face in regards to new media technologies?

Keeping up with the rapid pace of change in the way people communicate and how these methods can intersect with our objectives is an ongoing challenge.

What qualifications do you believe are essential for your position?

You could ask everyone in the industry with the same position as my own what qualifications they have, and you would be hard pressed to find two of us with the same qualification. What really counts in this industry is passion, however, I apply the skills I gained from Human Resource Management every day, including work and performance, training and development and change management.

What is the biggest challenge market research companies face in Brisbane’s media industry?

The industry is very focused on Sydney and Melbourne and I often find that I have to remind people despite being a Brisbane based business, our market is all of Australia and New Zealand, not just Queensland. We also have to work harder to attract the best staff, as many of them seek opportunities further south.

What can we expect to see from Q&A Market Research in the next 12 months?

We intend to build on our position as Australia’s leading independent data collection supplier. We have invested heavily in the breadth and depth of our capacity this year and I am looking forward to making the most of these new capabilities over the coming 12 months.