Market Research
Know where you stand — not just with your own customers, but relative to the competition. Our B2B market research is purpose-built for industrial and capital equipment markets where buying decisions are complex, relationships are long, and reputation matters.
Talk to Our Research Team
Research Built for B2B Industrial Markets — Not Adapted From Consumer Templates
Off-the-shelf market research tools were built for consumer markets with short buying cycles, low switching costs, and anonymous transactions. B2B industrial markets are nothing like that.
Your buyers are sophisticated, your relationships span years or decades, your purchase decisions involve multiple stakeholders, and your reputation travels through dealer networks and trade associations faster than any marketing campaign. We've been researching these markets for over 35 years — and that depth of context changes everything about how we design and interpret research.
Five Types of Market Research That Drive Strategic Decisions
Each research program is custom-designed for your market, your competitors, and your specific business questions.
Competitive Positioning Studies
Where do you actually stand in your market — and how do customers and prospects perceive you relative to your competitors? Our competitive positioning studies give you an objective, data-driven answer that cuts through internal assumptions.
- Customer perception of your brand vs. competitors
- Strengths and vulnerabilities by market segment
- Positioning gaps and opportunities
- Messaging effectiveness assessment
Buyer Journey & Decision Research
How do your customers actually make purchase decisions? Who's in the room, what criteria matter most, and where do you win or lose influence? This research reveals the hidden dynamics of how B2B buyers in industrial markets choose their partners.
- Decision-maker identification and influence mapping
- Key purchase criteria by segment and vertical
- Information sources buyers trust most
- Timing and trigger events in the buying journey
Win / Loss Analysis
Why do you win the deals you win — and why do you lose the ones you lose? Win/loss research gives your sales and marketing teams the honest, unfiltered feedback they can't always get internally.
- Third-party buyer interviews post-decision
- Win and loss pattern identification
- Sales process and proposal effectiveness
Market Opportunity Assessment
Before entering a new segment, geography, or product category — understand the size of the opportunity and what it would take to win there. We research what buyers want and where current providers are falling short.
- Segment sizing and growth trajectory
- Unmet needs and whitespace identification
- Barrier to entry and competitive intensity
Voice of Market Programs
An ongoing listening program that tracks how your market is evolving — what issues are rising in importance, how buyer priorities are shifting, and where competitive dynamics are changing. Unlike one-time studies, voice of market gives you a continuous pulse on the environment you compete in.
- Quarterly or semi-annual market tracking
- Emerging trend identification
- Competitive movement monitoring
- Strategic planning data for annual reviews
35 Years of Industrial Market Research
Our research analysts have conducted studies across the full range of North American B2B industrial markets — bringing domain knowledge that external research firms simply can't replicate. We know how dealer networks operate, how OEM relationships work, and what actually drives loyalty and switching behavior in your industry.
That context changes the quality of the research — from survey design to interpretation to the recommendations that come out the other end.
Industries We've Researched
- Heavy Construction Equipment
- Agricultural Equipment & Precision Ag
- Commercial Trucks & Transportation
- Material Handling & Warehousing
- Industrial Machinery & Manufacturing
- Utility & Aerial Equipment
Frequently Asked Questions About B2B Market Research
What types of market research does The Daniel Group offer?
The Daniel Group offers five primary types of B2B market research: competitive positioning studies, buyer journey and decision research, win/loss analysis, voice of market programs, and dealer network research. Each program is custom-designed for the client's specific market, competitors, and business questions.
How is TDG's market research different from other B2B research firms?
TDG's market research is purpose-built for B2B industrial markets, not adapted from consumer research methodologies. With over 35 years of experience in equipment dealer networks, manufacturers, and commercial transportation, TDG brings sector-specific context to every study. That depth of background changes how questions are framed, how respondents are recruited, and how findings are interpreted.
How long does a typical B2B market research engagement take?
Timeline varies by research type and scope. A focused competitive positioning study or win/loss analysis typically takes six to ten weeks from kickoff to final deliverable. Larger voice of market programs or ongoing dealer network research may run on a quarterly or annual cycle. TDG provides a project timeline as part of the initial proposal.
Can TDG conduct research across our dealer network?
Yes. TDG has extensive experience designing and executing research programs across multi-location dealer networks and manufacturer-dealer relationships. Programs can be structured to evaluate dealer performance, identify network-wide CX patterns, compare branch-level results, or support OEM dealer standards programs.
What industries does The Daniel Group specialize in for market research?
TDG specializes in B2B industrial markets including agricultural equipment, construction equipment, material handling, power systems, commercial transportation, and other capital equipment sectors. Research programs are designed around the long buying cycles, multi-stakeholder decisions, and dealer network dynamics specific to these industries.
How does The Daniel Group protect confidentiality in research?
TDG designs research programs with appropriate confidentiality protections for both the client and the research participants. Survey respondents are typically told only that the research is being conducted on behalf of a company in their industry. Individual responses are aggregated, and identifying information is never shared with the commissioning organization without explicit consent.
Ready to Know Where You Really Stand?
Talk to our research team. We'll discuss your specific business questions and design a research program that gives you the competitive intelligence to make better strategic decisions.