Bringing Insights In-House
Kent Pet Group was stuck in a familiar cycle. Insights had taken a back seat; only 1-2 studies were conducted each year, and they were run by an outside firm. Leaving many product teams with more questions than answers. But all that changed when a new Senior Manager of Insights decided to bring their studies in-house. Partnering with SightX enabled their team to conduct dozens of different studies per year- from new product launch assessments to in-home product testing. This new approach helped them discover a key insight that led to the strongest product launch in the company's history.
#1
Most successful product launch in company history
10x
Research volume
Scaled research operations at a fraction of the cost
About Kent Pet Group
Kent Pet Group, global leader in high-performance, sustainable litter products, is dedicated to advancing pet care with bigger ideas.
In an industry where the “norm” is served up on shelves and accepted by pet owners who have no other choice, Kent Pet Group is raising expectations. Built on the Kent family’s nearly 100-year history of product ingenuity, the organization has a proven record of constantly pushing pet care forward by using a uniquely scientific approach that unlocks nature’s solutions to fundamental pet care needs.
It’s a bit harder. And it takes a little longer. But it produces higher-performing products that solve today’s problems without compromising tomorrow.
The Challenge
Kent Pet Group was stuck in a cycle that many in the consumer research space would recognize. Insights had taken a back seat and research was something that product managers would only get to if they had the time.
Any research they did conduct was run through a third-party full-service provider. Which, while convenient, led to infrequent studies due to the high associated costs.
Needless to say, there wasn’t much room for iterative learning. But that all changed when Kent Pet Group decided to bring their insights in-house so they could own their process, and their budgets.
Kent Pet Group had questions they needed answers to and the expertise to find them, but they were missing a means. Thus began their search.
Assessing their needs, Kent Pet Group knew they would likely require a DIY solution. However, it would need to fit some specific parameters: ease of use so all team members could contribute, robust enough to meet their needs, and support when they needed it for comfort and confidence.
“ I like a DIY approach. But sometimes I work with people who don’t have a ton of research experience. So having solid support and consulting options is incredibly helpful for us. ”
Senior Manager of Insights & Innovation at Kent Pet Group
Needs Recap
Intuitive interface so all team members can contribute and knowledge can spread.
Platform support and research services available as an extension of their team.
An agile insights platform robust enough to not sacrifice quality or methodology.
The SightX Solution
After evaluating other options on the market, Kent Pet Group found SightX. They were immediately drawn to the platform’s user-friendly interface, support, and service options, which made the DIY approach much less daunting.
It also meant they would not have to choose between the quality of data and speed and depth of insights. They could have it all! Unlike their experience with third-party vendors, using SightX enabled them to take an iterative and scalable research approach. By constantly building on the learnings of previous studies, they were able to grow their customer knowledge base exponentially in a relatively short amount of time all without sacrificing the level and depth of insights they needed. With a wide range of advanced capabilities easily available, the Kent Pet Group insights team is able to drive the conversation with data driven recommendations and decisions.
“I want to challenge people to really dig in and own their data. You can take a seat at the table and be the voice of change in your organization. And SightX is a very friendly way of stepping into that role. ”
Senior Manager of Insights & Innovation at Kent Pet Group
The Impact
Since beginning their work with SightX, Kent Pet Group has transformed the way their organization handles research.
Where they previously ran 1-2 studies per year, the team is now conducting dozens. Allowing them to dig into their customers’ pain point, wants, and must-haves, giving them the necessary insights to develop products and messaging that truly fit their target market’s needs.
The SightX platform has also enabled in-home product testing, which has become a huge part of how they engage with their customers. This new program has helped them catch potential product issues before they hit the market. In fact, during the launch of their latest product, they discovered an insight that changed the trajectory of the entire launch. The product in question was a cat litter that solved the common (and very annoying) problem of tracking cat litter throughout the home. While Kent Pet Group knew this issue was top of mind for nearly all cat owners, they discovered that the claim “low dust” was just as important.
With speed and knowledge on their side, they were able to adjust their packaging claims and messaging faster than ever before, leading to the strongest product launch in the company's history!
Now, sister companies within Kent Corporation are coming to SightX to do the same!