To the architects, engineers and other building professionals who attended a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) event recently at the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters’ training facilities in Elk Grove Village, Ill., the event’s more than 30 educational sessions provided an opportunity to receive high-value training at no cost. Yet ironically, Accountability Information Management (AIM), a leading business-to-business research and marketing organization that conducted surveys with event attendees, found that price/cost and value rank below other attributes in the product selection process.
During the two-day, inaugural event that covered water efficiency, renewable energy and other “green” subjects, AIM researchers interviewed 86 CEU attendees who also make product selection decisions. “The event attracted a diverse CEU population,” said James Nowakowski, AIM president.
According to AIM’s research, respondents consider an average of at least two product attributes when evaluating one product brand over another. “One might think that during this economy, cost/value would outrank other influential attributes,” said Nowakowski, “but that’s not the case. The majority, 48%, indicated that their experience, familiarity or reputation of a brand was key when selecting a brand they would purchase.
“Cost/value actually came in third with 32% after quality/durability,” Nowakowski continued. “And despite the eco-focus of the CEU event, only 12% of respondents named ‘green/enviro friendly’ as an important product feature.”
AIM’s research was designed to find out more about who and what drives the product selection process by talking directly to professionals involved in making product selection. Questions included:
• Who really pulls the trigger on selecting the brand of product used?
• What are manufacturers doing well or not so well when it comes to product selection?
• Where do you get information on products?
• Why do you select one brand over another?
The 275,000-square-foot Carpenter Training Center is part of the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters. The CEU program offered professionals a first-hand look at the extensive, thorough, state-of-the-art facilities and on-going training available to Chicago-area union carpenters.
Nearly 250 exhibitors participated in the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters’ CEU event in October, which offered one of the best forums for exploring what’s next on the horizon for the carpenter trade. The event hosted more than 30 free CEU classes, attended by architects, engineers, designers, specifiers, firm production staff, project managers, local building officials and inspectors, and facilities managers for hospitals, commercial real estate and other properties.
Accountability Information Management Inc., located in Palatine, Illinois, is a marketing research and marketing communications company with extensive knowledge in branding strategies and print advertising behavior through database management and technologies. Clients of Accountability include magazine publishers, associations, and public and private companies in manufacturing, construction and other industrial markets.
For more information about the AIM research, contact: Sue Garrison, Interline Creative Group, 847-358-4848.
