If you work in market research, chances are you’ve come across business intelligence (BI) tools like Power BI, Tableau, or SAP Analytics Cloud. These platforms are great at turning data into dashboards across departments, and for a variety of client needs.
But here’s the thing: Market research is so much more than ‘just another business function’.
It has its own needs. Its own pace. Its own complexity. And when research teams try to wrangle generic BI tools into doing what they need, it usually ends in frustration, bottlenecks, or a pile of dashboards that no one actually looks at.
That’s why more and more insight teams are switching to tools built specifically for market research reporting. Tools like Visualizations.
Market research reporting reality: Speed, complexity and constant change
Market research is often fast, messy and multi-dimensional. You’re dealing with:
- Multiple waves of data
- Complex sampling and weighting
- Changing stakeholder priorities
- Segmentations, brand trackers, and open-ended responses
- Short lead times and high expectations
Generic BI can visualise data. That does not mean it accelerates analysis. Too often, teams spend more time wrangling the tool than exploring the “so what,” or they rely on developers to tweak filters and rebuild views. Momentum dies. Insights drift.
Designed for research, not retrofitted
Market research reporting-specific tools like Visualizations are purpose-built for the job.
A dedicated platform goes beyond plugging into market research workflows; it enhances them, making your life easier. With built-in support for methods like Net Promoter Score (NPS), significance analysis, segment comparison, and custom benchmarking, you can create visuals that reflect the realities of your data without complicated workarounds.
You can also apply filters and weights in a way that aligns with your projects. The data feels native, not forced. And you don’t need a background in coding or BI design to make it all work.
Empowering researchers; engaging stakeholders
BI tools certainly have their place, but one of the biggest advantages of deploying market research-specific tools is the intuitive way they support both the insight team and the wider business.
For researchers, it means more autonomy. You can:
- Build dashboards without technical support
- Iterate and adapt reports as research evolves
- Customize outputs for different audiences
- Work in real-time with live data integrations
And for stakeholders? They get what they need: Accessible, easy-to-navigate dashboards that tell the story behind the data. No more static charts or PDFs buried in inboxes. Just clean, clickable visuals that spark action.
Democratizing data
When people can explore the data in a way that makes sense to them, they’re far more likely to use it. That means your insights land harder and go further, continuing to cement you as indispensable.
This goes hand in hand with working market research reporting into stakeholders existing workflows. Instead of forcing stakeholders to learn yet another portal, meet them in their natural habitat with links that open the exact view they need, prefiltered by market, wave, segment etc. Pair that with scheduled email digests and a “View full dashboard” link for those who want to dive deeper, for full immersion.
Keeping IT happy
It’s not just research and business teams who benefit from market research-specific tools. IT teams are often relieved when tools like Visualizations take some of the pressure off.
Because Visualizations is secure, scalable, and designed to operate without constant support, it reduces the demand on internal tech teams. There’s no need for researchers to file tickets just to tweak a filter or rebrand a dashboard. Plus, if you’re already using another Forsta product, the integration means fewer legal and compliance headaches as it’s an extension of what you’re already working with.
At the same time, the platform still offers the governance, control, and security your IT teams care about. It fits alongside existing BI tools without disruption, meaning you don’t have to choose between research-focused functionality and enterprise-wide oversight.
Three reasons you should use a market research-specific solution
In a sea of visualization tools, we get lost choosing the best solutions to meet our needs. If you’re still undecided about whether market research-specific tools are right for you, there are three very good reasons to make the switch from BI tools:
- Save time and resources: A large portion of market research projects require efficiency and effective report creation in order to serve the needs of clients and departments after data.
- Fulfilling market research-specific requirements: Market research data analysis is complex and calls for a specialized set of features to get the desired results, and share them appropriately.
- Responding to change: Market research teams are constantly adapting to new requirements and custom projects.
BI tools can achieve a great deal, but when it comes to market research, they’re never going to go the extra mile. And the extra mile is precisely what insight teams need.
Case study: GlobeScan cuts market research reporting time by 40%
Global insights consultancy GlobeScan needed a faster, more efficient way to deliver high volumes of client reports. With hundreds of dashboards and PowerPoint slides to create, their reporting process had become too manual and time-consuming – leading to delays and a reliance on outsourcing.
The solution? Visualizations.
By automating much of the process through Visualizations, GlobeScan gained full control over quality, eliminated outsourcing, and drastically reduced editing time.
“Today, we’re far more confident of the quality and can more nimbly address client requests.” – Terri Newman, Director of Graphics and Technical Training, GlobeScan
The result:
- 40% reduction in report production time
- Easier edits and updates
- Full visibility and consistency across outputs
Case study: Ad Hoc delivers custom reports faster
Ad Hoc Research is known for bespoke work across concept testing, EX, CX and brand measurement. Off-the-shelf tools could not keep pace with their promise of personalization, and limited resources capped client capacity. A bilingual market added complexity when platforms lacked true French and English support.
The solution? Visualizations.
Ad Hoc leaned into Visualizations for flexible buildouts, close collaboration, and speed. The team uses features like My Stories to auto-assemble PowerPoint decks and let clients self-filter by province or age, rather than rebuilding slides by hand. The interface can be toggled to French or English in one click, which keeps Quebec public-sector work simple.
“Forsta has been a flexible tool that allows us to answer our clients’ needs in a tailor-made way.” – Erica Horn, Ad Hoc.
The result:
- Market research reporting delivered 1 to 2 weeks quicker than manual workflows.
- More capacity without headcount by automating repeat builds; stronger client “stickiness” from customized, on-brand exports.
- Bilingual portals in a click for French and English audiences.
- New SMB offer, Radar HR, with an 8-minute standardized survey and a growing benchmark to compare by industry or geography.
Case study: Harris Poll modernizes dashboards and delivery
Harris Poll blends custom and syndicated research at scale. After acquiring a visualization platform, they hit limits around dynamic filtering, norms and visual appeal, which created inefficiencies and fell short of client expectations.
The solution? Visualizations.
Harris shifted to Forsta’s Research HX stack, integrating Decipher and Visualizations so new waves flow straight into client-ready dashboards without manual rebasing. The upgrade improved deliverables, efficiency and satisfaction, and it put modern visuals front and center.
The result:
- Near-instant portal updates as survey data lands, replacing slow handoffs to data processing.
- Dashboards that clients describe as a step above competing platforms.
- Self-service features, like cross tables, that reduce ad hoc requests and boost engagement.
- Rebuilt legacy projects, streamlined workflows and tighter delivery timelines with ongoing expert support from Forsta.
Make the switch for smarter insight
If your team is still relying on generic BI tools to communicate research, it might be time to rethink your market research reporting setup.
The right tech doesn’t just display data. It helps you tell a story. It brings clarity, confidence and connection to your work. And it puts the power back where it belongs: In the hands of researchers.
With Visualizations, you get:
- Research-ready dashboards from day one
- Faster project turnaround
- Stronger stakeholder engagement
- Better business impact
See Visualizations in action. Level up your market research reporting.