While the Middle East was desperately trying to recover from the Covid-19 slump, it got gripped by the Ukraine crisis and subsequent inflation slowing its economic growth in 2022 to just 3.1 percent. GCC consumer categorization therefore could no longer be confined to metrics like purchase history or income level. Some other macro level trends started to take center stage instead. These trends were driven by the need for Microdata, Online, and social listening to drive research and the boost in demand for Realtime market research. Companies working in this field had to therefore adapt and customize their solutions and services to meet the needs as per the trends. Sharjah, UAE, based Abner Insights is an example of one company that quickly adapted and transformed by leveraging its strategic intelligence. Abner Insights is a strategic Market Intelligence firm in the Middle East. Abner helps brands connect with their audience more effectively, benchmark, and monitor market position over time.

"Market research is a very specialized type of business consulting. It is not some thing every one can do and often takes an experienced talent to be done well. With multiple facets, methodologies, and techniques, Abner specializes in four types of data analysis including Descriptive analysis, Exploratory analysis, Inferential analysis, and Predictive analysis", says Shinu Varghese, Director at Abner Insights. Abner's analysis and insight help brands derive real data-driven commercial value faster. Abner's research methods, technological scalability and strong industry coverage set it apart from other market research firms. Its key features are Contactless realtime feedback on premise, Customized feedback forms, feedback through QR code, tablets, and kiosks solutions, realtime SMS & Email Alerts, and the ability to view indepth reports instantly.

Strategic Data to Scale Businesses
Abner specializes in core market research and analysis which involves collecting, inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data to draw useful insights from it.

Abner services include CSAT & NPS Survey, Consumer Behavior Insights, Brand Insights, and Cloud based Retail Audit. Abner specializes in large scale CSAT & NPS Survey. Through this, customers get a priceless, contactless customer experience measurement in real time, with feedback from on premise applications. Consumer Insights on the other hand analyses human behaviors, allowing brands to really understand what their consumers want and need and most importantly, why they feel this way. Businesses can use Abner's Consumer Behavior Insight to expand their product, and service offerings, develop new marketing strategies, create detailed customer personas and customer journey maps, and enhance current offerings. Further, it provides key research facts, recommended actions, and growth strategies to amplify business growth.

Abner Insights provides key research facts, recommended actions, & growth strategies that will help you amplify the company's growth

Third is Abner's Brand Insights, an umbrella term that covers metrics like brand awareness, brand perception, brand integrity, brand trust, as well as a brand's value proposition and mission. It helps businesses bridge the gap between consumer feelings, behavior, and sales thus helping businesses understand deeper to exponentially grow their brand. Lastly, to ensure every client has accurate market insights, Abner leverages cloud based retail intelligence solutions. Its cloud based retail intelligence solutions provide visual merchandising store evaluation, retail price, inventory levels, planogram compliance, validating the data, and presenting it in an easy-to-use custom online dashboard.

Besides, Abner specializes in developing and recommending strategies to optimize a brand marketing operation. Abner performs extensive market research and analysis, gather, and analyze customer feedback, and spearhead surveys and studies to determine how the current marketing projects affect the consumers. Using the research findings, Abner research consultants develop conclusions and recommendations that adhere to the client's goals.

Onward and Upward
Sighting an example of a success story, Shinu said a client highspeed broadband internet service provider', was able to surpass the competition based on the concrete competitive market landscape analysis shared by Abner Insights used to make policy level strategic decisions based on brand positioning, consumer trends, and market opportunities. Further, Abner delivered a concrete brand market share analysis for an online food delivery company through its customized three fold approach. "Through our research and analysis, we were able to help brands identify growth opportunities, compete more effectively and make informed decisions", adds Shinu.

Over the years, Abner has catered to various companies across industry verticals such as Airport, Apparel, E-commerce, Retail, Education and Academics, Automobile Retail, Financial Sector, and many more. "Intelligence is always a key input to support decision making. We are experts in primary market research and complex data analytics. The value of using our market research services to your business is invaluable", says Shinu.

In the future, Abner hopes to become a communication research, data, and training center that links between academics, brands, practitioners, policymakers, and the public to contribute to the Middle East society.