Uncovering SaaS Growth Opportunities: Strategic Mixed Methods Research in Emerging Industries

Timeline: 4 months

Team: 5 Market Research Consultants

Role: Communication and Reporting Lead

Context

Vagaro is a business management software in the Bay Area that provides services for 80k+ businesses in the beauty, wellness, and fitness industries.

Despite their success in these industries, they lacked a deep understanding of the martial arts industry, a potential avenue for expansion. In order to stay ahead of industry trends and meet evolving customer needs, they needed to uncover growth opportunities and gain insights into this industry.

Research Process

To use mixed methods research to investigate the role of business management tools in the Martial Arts industry by gathering user experience insights from Vagaro users as well as those who utilize other similar platforms.

1. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

2. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

3. INSIGHTS SYNTHESIS AND REPORTING

To ensure clear and engaging communication of research findings, we employed a multi-faceted approach:

  1. We leveraged compelling infographics and short interview clips to showcase key trends and user needs, fostering deeper engagement with stakeholders throughout the research journey.

  2. Additionally, customer journey mapping provided a holistic view of the martial arts customer experience, allowing stakeholders to better understand user touchpoints.

Results

While specific findings cannot be disclosed due to NDA, the research successfully revealed:

  • Market Insights: We gained a comprehensive understanding of the martial arts industry landscape, including its significant growth potential (ranging from a high 55% to 67%) and key trends, such as the growing focus on building a stronger engagement within the community of practitioners.

  • User Needs: The research unveiled a previously unidentified need for streamlined student management features (specific functionality withheld due to NDA) among a substantial portion of martial arts studio owners. This insight directly informs potential product development opportunities.

  • Actionable Recommendations: Based on the research, we developed 4 actionable recommendations for Vagaro to improve service for martial arts businesses, addressing key pain points and potentially boosting customer acquisition and retention by a meaningful percentage.

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