FAQs
Q. What experience does TrendSource have in the industry?
A. TrendSource has more than seventeen (17) years of experience in providing services to more than 75,000 business locations throughout the US and Canada. Our services have benefited more than 2,000,000 employees, supervisors, managers and executives.
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Q. What products and services does TrendSource provide?
A.Business intelligence site visits such as mystery shopping, behavior rewards, customer service evaluations, QC inspections and compliance audits.
Merchandising services such as audits, POS/POP placement, competitive analysis, product placement.
Business verifications and physical inspections for major credit reporting companies and their resellers.
Custom and proprietary web based reporting featuring drill down capabilities and accurate, actionable data.
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Q. What can I expect from a business intelligence program?
A. Understanding your Customer Experience, Operational Performance (Stores/Regions, Employees/Agents, Channel Partners) and Competitive Positioning, enabling you to better determine where and how you have opportunities for growth and improvement. With recurring programs, a deeper understanding of your progress and changes in your competitive position.
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Q. What can I expect from a merchandising program?
A. You’ll know with certainty that your products, promotions and pricing meet your expectations:
- Product availability & presentation
- Promotional materials (POS/POP and brand messaging)
- Positioning, shelf space/facings and displays
- Competitor initiatives, analysis and comparisons
With TrendSource’s merchandising distribution and installation, you’ll be confident that your POP materials, brand signage, displays, samples, etc are placed or installed correctly in all desired outlets.
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Q. Which business verification and physical site inspection programs are TrendSource certified to perform?
A. Experian, TransUnion and Choice Point, and their bureaus’ resellers.
Physical site inspection services can be included as a component in any custom program.
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Q. How does TrendSource collect business intelligence and perform merchandising and other services at so many locations?
A. TrendSource has a closed database of 20,000 active field agents (Independent Contractors) used to execute programs. Our database provides nationwide United States coverage (including Puerto Rico and Guam) and Canada. Our database is demographically diverse; each agent is screened prior to inclusion in the database and goes through a rigorous contractor engagement process.
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Q. How does TrendSource guarantee product/service quality, on-time completion and quick, accurate reporting?
A. The TrendSource Program™ is the foundation of our performance guarantee, yielding completion success over the last 17 years of more than 99.9%, with less then .001% of our surveys (fewer than 1 in a 1,000) ever requiring re-work.
- The Rapid Knowledge Transfer System™ - The knowledge you need on-line, in real-time. Results are gathered and recorded on a timely basis, quality control reviewed and then are immediately available through our on-line reporting.
- The Completion Assurance Guarantee™ - Ensures work will be completed on time, every time. This allows our clients to focus on doing what they do best – managing their business operations.
- The Quality Assurance Process™ - Clients can be confident they’re getting the most precise and objective feedback and information possible. Qualified agents are carefully selected for each program, thoroughly educated on program procedure and requirements, and then required to complete a detailed certification process before performing any work. All agent-submitted data undergo a thorough, multi-phase Quality Control process for conformance to TrendSource and client requirement before release to reporting.
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Q. How will my company work with TrendSource?
A. A TrendSource Account Manager and dedicated team will be assigned to manage your programs. Account Managers set-up, maintain and track client programs and reporting. They are responsible for the planning and management of field agents, execution of work, Quality Control and reporting.
In addition, your secure web reporting will include inquiry processes for use on specific surveys.
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Q. How does TrendSource support client programs?
A. The Account Team is supported by the following departments within TrendSource:
- Information Technology (IT) department, responsible for the design and maintenance of reports, websites, applications and all other systems that support TrendSource’s clients
- Accounting and Administration department, responsible for agent payment, management and invoicing.
- Business Development, working hand-in-hand with clients and Account Managers to help define client needs and keep them informed of applicable new business solutions.
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Q. How much does it cost to design and implement a program?
A. Programs are priced per visit, per phone call, per SKU, per outlet, per hour, or in other ways based on client needs. Pricing includes concept design services and, given appropriate program scale, development of custom reporting. Per visit prices range from $15.00 to $75.00 depending on complexity and volume.
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Q. How long does it take to get a program running and start getting results?
A. Depending on the complexity and scale of the program and its reporting requirements, it can take from 3 to 6 weeks from contract award to program start. Program completion may vary from 4 to 6 weeks with results immediately available as work is performed.
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Q. How can I design a business intelligence program for maximum benefit?
A. Let TrendSource help! Share your objectives with us - On what specific areas are you focusing? Do you want to diagnose/quantify store-level issues, reward success, or both? Are you concerned about partner or distributor compliance to your standards, store operational performance, or measuring the success of your marketing or operational initiatives? Together we’ll jointly develop the best possible program to meet your needs.
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Q. How will reports be presented?
A. TrendSource will provide results on a secure website portal dedicated to the client. Reports will be available twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days per week, three hundred sixty-five (365) days a year. Client can specify various access levels based on company hierarchy (i.e. corporate – region – district – store). Information is exportable to MS Excel, PDF, and email. Information may be filtered and sorted by date range, region, individual location, and/or item. Results may be displayed in numerical, graphical, or other representation. Program status is also reported on this site.
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Q. Can I get reports and analysis customized to my needs?
A. Some custom programming is included with per visit pricing and appropriate program scale and/or contract term. The programming provided under ‘per visit pricing’ is expected to cover typical client-customized reporting requirements; custom programming hours requested beyond those provided as part of the ‘per visit pricing’ are available for an hourly fee. You will always authorize any additional expenses prior to our execution of the work. Websites and programming are part of The Rapid Knowledge Transfer System™ and are the intellectual property of TrendSource, Inc®.
Other distribution methods such as transfer to client intranet, emailing, mailing, faxing, etc. are available and will be provided at a small additional fee plus any direct cost (such as postage, phone charges, etc).
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Q. Will TrendSource help my company and my programs evolve?
A. Yes. TrendSource provides intelligence solutions to supplement your resources and marketing efforts. All of us at TrendSource are dedicated to our clients’ success. We actively monitor our clients’ markets for obstacles and opportunities, then present our recommendations to enhance your results.
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Q. How do I get started?
A. Contact the TrendSource Business Development department using this website to submit an inquiry or call us 619-718-7467 for immediate service.
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Q. How do I receive the results from the program?
A. TrendSource will provide evaluation findings on a secure portal dedicated to the Client. Reports will be available twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days per week, three hundred sixty five (365) days a year. Information is exportable in MS Excel, PDF, and email. Information may be filtered and sorted by date range, region, individual location, and/or item. Results may be displayed in numerical, graphical, or other representation. Program status is also reported on this site.
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Q. Who completes the shops?
A. TrendSource has a database of 20,000 active Field Agents selected and trained to execute your assignments in the field. These Field Agents are a demographically diverse group who are digitally capable and have gone through a rigorous contractor engagement process.
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Q. How does TrendSource guarantee completion of work 100% of the time?
A. Through our Completion Assurance Guarantee™, TrendSource ensures our work will be finished on time, every time. TrendSource has implemented a variety of procedures to ensure 100% completion, 100% of the time. We have approximately 20,000 field agents deployed nationwide, as well as in Puerto Rico and Canada, plus an additional 140,000 potential agents in our applicant database.
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Q. How does TrendSource ensure a high quality product?
A. TrendSource is dedicated to ensuring that all work performed is of the highest quality. Our Quality Assurance Process™ gives our clients confidence that they're receiving the most precise and objective feedback possible, providing the kind of information that is essential in maintaining quality within their business. TrendSource maintains excellent communication with our clients to guarantee that our work is in line with our clients' objectives and expectations. We selectively use only the best qualified Field Agents to perform work and we require that each selected agent goes through a detailed certification process before any work can be performed. All data undergoes a thorough Quality Control review before it is released to our clients to ensure that the data meets our client's expectations and TrendSource's ISO 9001:2000 quality parameters.
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