Market research case study:
Understanding street traffic patterns to enhance real estate decisions

Harper Dennis Hobbs

The challenge

Harper Dennis Hobbs (HDH) is an independent real estate consultancy regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The company’s primary focus is retailer acquisitions for some of the world’s largest brands. HDH provides advice for office relocations, travel retail channels and all aspects of leisure.

Key services include strategic advice, taxation, location strategy and corporate restructure. As part of their work, HDH wanted to understand the level of pedestrian traffic on a London street.

The approach

Our in-house Fieldwork department coordinates our UK-wide, IQCS-trained field force from within our own offices – managing assignments from small, one-interviewer projects to those spanning the length and breadth of the UK requiring tens or even hundreds of individuals in a number of locations.

In this instance, the focus was more on accuracy than on scope, and as such, in order to ensure an accurate and comparable count for each day – we provided each of our interviewers with specific instructions on the exact location in which they needed to stand, and the durations for which they needed to be there for.

This project required a very quick turnaround. As a result, we ensured that staff were available internally to allow results to be telephoned in to our office, including those gathered at the weekend, so that they were available for HDH to review and act on as soon as possible.

The results

We counted more than 8,000 individuals across a three-day period. We also discovered that this road in particular was markedly less busy on Saturdays than weekdays.

HDH has used this information to inform one of their own clients and to provide a more tailored and informed consultation.

Understanding street traffic patterns to enhance real estate decisions case study image 1 Understanding street traffic patterns to enhance real estate decisions case study image 2
Understanding street traffic patterns to enhance real estate decisions case study image 2
Understanding street traffic patterns to enhance real estate decisions case study image 3
Understanding street traffic patterns to enhance real estate decisions case study image 1

Case study:
Understanding street traffic patterns to enhance real estate decisions

Harper Dennis Hobbs

The challenge

Harper Dennis Hobbs (HDH) is an independent real estate consultancy regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The company’s primary focus is retailer acquisitions for some of the world’s largest brands. HDH provides advice for office relocations, travel retail channels and all aspects of leisure.

Key services include strategic advice, taxation, location strategy and corporate restructure. As part of their work, HDH wanted to understand the level of pedestrian traffic on a London street.

The approach

Qualitative research can take many forms, but at its heart it is about understanding how and why. For example, how do people feel about a certain product, brand or a new idea? Why are sales down? Why is a marketing message not cutting through? Why are people behaving in a certain way and how can we change that? Qualitative research is about detail, depth and understanding, and can be used to explain data trends or patterns of human behaviour.

At DJS Research, our researchers have a wealth of experience moderating qualitative research, putting research participants at ease and exploring experiences, attitudes and behaviours to unlock those ‘golden nuggets’ of insight.

Methods in our qualitative toolkit

We develop a bespoke approach to meet each client’s objectives, but some commonly used methods in our qualitative toolkit include:

We draw on behavioural science to understand why people do what they do, not just what they say they do. We go beyond a basic question and answer format to examine the all-important context for decision-making, for example spending time with participants at home, observing their day-to-day life or asking them to complete a diary. We consider the behavioural biases at play and apply relevant frameworks or models to guide our analysis and recommendations. 

Ultimately, by uncovering and sharing real life stories and applying our knowledge of human behaviour, we deliver deeper insights that impact our clients’ decision-making.

To find out more about our qualitative research capabilities, and discuss how we could craft a tailored solution to meet the specific needs of your organisation, contact us today. 

 

The results

We counted more than 8,000 individuals across a three-day period. We also discovered that this road in particular was markedly less busy on Saturdays than weekdays.

HDH has used this information to inform one of their own clients and to provide a more tailored and informed consultation.

Understanding street traffic patterns to enhance real estate decisions case study image 2
Understanding street traffic patterns to enhance real estate decisions case study image 2
Understanding street traffic patterns to enhance real estate decisions case study image 3