research / Product development
Product development
As product development plays a vital part in the growth of any business, it's not a surprise that USP frequently gets request to conduct product development studies. Whether it's a concept test or a evaluation of a pre-production product, you can rely on our 30+ years of experience conducting these types of studies in the construction, installation and home improvement markets.
Tailor made
Our research is always customized to fit your needs and help you answer your business objective trough insights and advice.
Leading industry experts
Leverage our 30+ years of expertise in the construction, installation and home improvement markets.
Insights and advice
Our mission is to provide insights and advice, not just data.
Clients we helped with product development research
When you might need this?
Scenario 1
Innovating a New Lightweight Roofing System
A global roofing materials manufacturer wants to develop a next-generation, lightweight roofing solution to address modern building trends and sustainability demands. Despite their strong presence in the market, their R&D team needs direct feedback from roof installers and building contractors to refine features before a full-scale launch.
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What critical features do roof installers value most (e.g., ease of handling, durability, thermal performance)?
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How does the new lightweight solution perform under real-world conditions compared to traditional roofing materials?
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Which potential design improvements could reduce installation time and labor costs?
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Are building contractors willing to pay a premium for lighter, eco-friendly options?
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What training or support materials could enhance adoption and minimize on-site errors?
Scenario 2
Developing Water-Saving Plumbing Solutions
A plumbing equipment manufacturer aims to expand its portfolio with water-saving fixtures for residential and commercial buildings. Although the concept seems promising, the company wants to validate real-world applications by engaging professional installers, facility managers, and end users.
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Which specific water-saving features do professional installers and facility managers prioritize?
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How much importance do building owners place on sustainability and reduced utility costs when choosing plumbing fixtures?
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What barriers might inhibit adoption (e.g., cost concerns, regulatory complexities, technical limitations)?
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Is the proposed design user-friendly enough for both pros and DIY enthusiasts?
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What feedback from pilot installations is crucial to perfect the final product before mass production?
Scenario 3
Refining a Cordless Power Tool Prototype
A power tools brand has developed a prototype for a cordless hammer drill targeting professional contractors. After initial testing, they need deeper insights to optimize battery life, ergonomics, and added functionality before a global market release.
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How do professional contractors rate the prototype’s power, battery runtime, and overall performance?
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What ergonomic improvements (grip comfort, weight distribution) would enhance daily use?
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Are additional features like built-in LED lights or digital torque settings truly valuable, or just nice-to-have?
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What price range aligns with the perceived value for a cordless tool that promises high-end performance?
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How can after-sales support (e.g., spare parts, extended warranty) boost customer satisfaction and loyalty?
What our clients say about us
Joost Maarse
Global Lead Circular Economy at Grundfos
Delivered as promised and great regular communication towards us as a client.
Edwin Ebskamp
Manager Brand & Traffic at Deli Home
USP is a reliable research agency, always a pleasure to work with.
Key benefits of USP for your product development research
Custom made insights, tailored to your needs
Every product development research and business objective is unique; we understand this at USP. Every branding research project is tailor-made to fit your needs.
B2B and B2C
USP has extensive experience conducting product development research focusing on the professional and consumer markets.
Worldwide coverage
USP can conduct product development research worldwide.
Wide coverage of target groups and segments
USP can cover a wide variety of segments and target groups in the construction, installation, and home improvement business value chain.
Qualitative and quantitative market research capabilities
USP can conduct both qualitative (in-depth interviews, group discussions etc) and quantitative (CATI, online etc) branding studies.
Research topics
Every product development research USP conducts is unique. However, there are some elements that are frequently part of our product development studies.
Market needs assessment
Understanding the current market landscape, stakeholder preferences, and unmet needs. This might involve market segmentation, trend analysis, and identifying emerging needs.
Idea generation and testing of concepts
Testing the product development ideas and concepts among the key stakeholders will lead to better overall prototype developments
Prototyping and Testing
Once a prototype is developed, it needs to be rigorously tested by the intended users in real-time. USP can facilitate this.
Production model and testing
Once a pre-production model is developed, it needs to be rigorously tested by the intended users in real-time. USP can facilitate this.
Post launch evaluation
After the product is launched, it's important to gather feedback from key users, monitor performance metrics, and address any issues that arise. Continuous improvements and updates are made based on market feedback and changing needs.
Who benefits?
C-level professionals
Business/product development professionals
Marketing and market intelligence professionals
Investors and M&A professionals
Key problem in what directions should we develop new products and services to increase sales and market share?
USP can conduct a market needs assessment, targeting all relevant key stakeholders to understand future needs and requirements. Based on this and our 30+ years of market experience, we can think about possible new product features and services that could be developed.
How can we optimize our current new product concept?
USP can evaluate your current product concept and/or idea’s with the key intended users. USP can assist throughout the business development process, from ideas to production models, by collecting key feedback from the intended users.
We need to test a product prototype and get feedback from the key intended users
As an internationally operating market-specialized research agency for the construction, installation, and home improvement markets, USP can assist you with product prototype (or pre-production models) testing amongst the key intended users in multiple countries at the same time, keeping the results comparable and of high quality through solid market research. With our 30+ years of industry expertise in the construction, installation, and home improvement markets, we can deliver insights and advice.
Should we develop a new concept or introduce an existing one in a new market?
USP can help you determine what the market need would be for a new product or the introduction of an existing product in a new market. USP has more than three decades of experience with product development and introduction research in the construction, installation, and home improvement markets.
Our product development experts
Dirk Hoogenboom
Manager Sales & Marketing
Ralitsa Ruseva
Managing Consultant
FAQ
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Can USP arrange for key intended users to physically work with our prototypes or pre-production products?
Yes, as a specialized market research agency specializing in the construction, installation, and home improvement market segments, we can target virtually any stakeholder active in these segments and recruit them to evaluate and work with your prototype products.
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What type of methodology does USP use when it comes to product development studies?
This depends, of course, on your wishes and the feasibility of the fieldwork. In many cases, B2B target groups in the construction and installation market segments don’t respond well to online research. Furthermore, the availability of online panels for target groups like contractors, installers, painters, and so on is very low and typically of low quality. Furthermore, in many cases, especially with concept or pre-production product testing, the intended users need to see, touch, and even work with the products. USP can facilitate this.
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Can USP run product development researches in multiple countries at the same time?
Yes, one of the added values of working with USP, besides our three decades of experience in the construction, installation, and home improvement segments, is that we can run our research projects in multiple countries simultaneously, utilizing the same methodology. This is especially important for product development studies, as new products are rarely developed for just one market.
Contact us
Send us a message
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PHONE
+31 10 2066900ADDRESS
Max Euwelaan 51
3062 MA Rotterdam