The Orange Business Jury is a panel of over 1000 small business owners, managers and decision makers working for companies with up to 250 employees. The panel, run by Ipsos MORI, is used to gain instant insight into news and events from the business community point of view.

Although internet based surveys can be used to deliver a much quicker turn of response than many traditional research methods, the requirement of the business jury is to deliver results from a significant number of participants within a few hours of news breaking. With no notice given to jury members for when a survey will run a location independent, instant communication is required to reach the members. There is also a requirement for them to complete the survey immediately, so prompting them to go online the next time they are near their computer was not an option.

In order to gain instant, high quality insight, Ipsos MORI and Orange choose to use the 3rd Degree mobile research platform to conduct the surveys via SMS. SMS is a perfect fit for the requirements of the business jury, allowing difficult to reach, key decision makers to be contacted quickly and efficiently to participate in research about up to the moment breaking news providing an immediacy that could not be achieved via other methods.

Once the survey closes, typically just a few hours after issue, the survey results and analysis are made immediately available to 3rd parties such as PR agency and end customer via the same online reports portal within Mopinion. This makes the mobile research method one of the fastest available, delivering high quality data and insight immediately as events take place no matter where the business jury members are when it occurs, providing a genuine first impression of the topic.

Incredible response rates, quality of data and speed of completion have been achieved thanks to the reach and ease of conducting research via mobile with the 3rd Degree's toolset. Running mobile based research campaigns with the Orange Business Jury have made it possible to perform high impact research on breaking news and issues that are important to the business community. Measured insight, gathered within moments of news breaking were presented as a release to the press within hours of the event that have made front page news the following morning.

+ Overall completion rates of between 50% and 60% against the invited sample.

+ Uptake rates against invited sample in excess of 65%

+ Overall completion rates within the uptake sample of up to 90%

+ Over 70% of the participants complete their responses within one hour of survey launch

Providing incredible convenience for the business jury members, and real-time access to the survey data it has been possible to deliver high quality research in minimal time scales for up to the minute opinion monitoring and reporting.

Using SMS and the business jury it has been possible to conduct research on breaking news, which is ready for release to the press within a few hours. In each instance the insight has been taken up by the press, including City A.M. and The Evening Standard supporting current stories such as the budget announcement and Tony Blair's stand down announcement with credible, relevant data.

"The Orange Business Jury is the first initiative we are aware of to effectively use SMS technology to poll the UK business community. With the ability to turn results round in 24 hours, Orange is able to provide a unique window for gauging sentiment on business issues." Gareth Deere : Research Director Ipsos MORI

21st March 2007 : Post Budget Analysys

In an exclusive survey for the Daily Mail, the Orange Business Jury, conducted by Ipsos MORI, polled 604 decision makers in Britain's small businesses immediately following the Bank of England's decision, announced on the 5th of July, to raise UK interest rates from 5.5% to 5.75%. Asked if they expected to have to make any changes to staff levels, nearly two thirds of businesses say numbers will not be affected and only one in ten think that they would have to make cuts (62% vs. 10% respectively).

The results of the poll show that:

Almost two thirds of businesses think that the rates rise will make no difference to the value of the pound in relation to their business (63%). There was a three way split on whether the British economy will go into a recession over the next couple of years. A third (34%) say it will, a third say it won't and a third didn't know. On borrowing, most UK businesses didn't think that the interest rate rise would cause a problem. Four fifths (80%) said that their current level of borrowing was not a problem or not a very big problem. Only five percent saw their current level of borrowing as a very big problem.

Q1 If you had to guess, what do you think the level of UK interest rates will be this time next year?

Q2 Do you expect your headcount to increase or decrease over the next year, or do you expect things to stay around the same?

Q3 Would you describe the current value of the pound as a problem, an opportunity, or does it make no difference to your business?

Q4 Do you think the British economy will or will not enter recession over the next couple of years?

Q5 To what extent, if at all, is your current level of borrowing a problem for your business?

Here is a small sample of the articles that have been spawned as a result of the relevant timing and topicality of the Orange Business Jury Surveys:

Management Today : 1st March 2007
SMEs welcome flexible working for all...

Market Research World : 27th March 2007
Four Out of Five UK Businesses Would Support Extra Bank Holiday...

Computer Weekly : 16th May 2007
SMBs Backing Flexible Working Hours...

Market Research World : 6th July 2007
SMBs Backing Flexible Working Hours...

The Observer : 26th August 2007
UK Businesses Give Verdict on Rate Rise...