Ring Rachel for free Market Research

A free market research service for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Tees Valley area is available for the first time, from the University of Teesside’s School of Business & Management. The service is part of a project entitled ‘New Customers, New Markets’, funded by the European Regional Development Fund’s (ERDF) Objective 2 and headed by Research Co-ordinator Rachel Farrand, a graduate of the Universities of Leeds and Sheffield.

Rachel said: "We are able to offer this service for which there is no charge to the client, as a result of European funding. Those SMEs that do not have market research facilities will find the service particularly helpful as it can enable businesses to develop, through the discovery of new marketing opportunities.

"It can also enable small and medium-sized companies to maintain competitiveness by re-considering the requirements of existing customers. A wide-range of market research techniques will be tailored to the needs of each individual firm, including questionnaires, focus groups and interviews. SMEs can also draw upon the wealth of expertise in the School of Business & Management."

To be eligible for this new service, companies must be able to meet certain criteria, the two main ones being; less than 250 employees and annual turnover not exceeding £25m. The service is available to SMEs in the Tees Valley area, County Durham and South-East Northumberland, as far as Alnwick (but excluding Newcastle-upon-Tyne).

For more information on the service contact Rachel Farrand on 01642 342904, fax 01642 342889, e-mail r.e.farrand@tees.ac.uk

---