Readers' Choice Survey 2010

For the tenth year in a row, CGT asked its subscriber base to identify their most valued and used solution and service providers across 10 categories. Still in the midst of a recession, the results of the 2010 Readers' Choice Survey may be more valuable than ever before as you revisit and reevaluate your company's business and technology choices past, present and future. Here is a breakdown of the survey's methodology and content:

Assembling the Top 10 Lists: The list in each category is derived from the feedback of executives from consumer goods companies of all sizes. The ballot spanned 10 technology and service categories, including Supply Chain Planning, Trade Promotion Management, Demand Data Analytics, New Product Development and Introduction, and more. To ensure the integrity of the survey process, we asked respondents to only vote in the categories in which they are intimately involved.

Participants were asked to identify the solution or service provider they currently use in each applicable category and rank the customer experience received using their chosen provider on a scale of one to five (one being extremely dissatisfied and five being extremely satisfied).

The Top 10 list (or Top 8 and Top 5 lists, in some cases) for each category was determined by assigning each company a combined score that consists of the sheer number of votes (indicative of their footprint in the consumer goods industry) weighed against their average customer experience rating. The companies that received the highest combined scores in each category were then ranked accordingly.

In addition, a measure titled "Category Customer Experience" tabulates the average customer experience rating in a category based on all survey responses.

Breakout Favorites: In addition to our Top 10, Top 8 and Top 5 lists, CGT recognizes companies in each category that received special accolades from readers in the following areas:

• Customer Experience: This recognition identifies the one company that received the highest average customer experience rating from users in its respective category. 
• SMB Market: This recognition identifies the most used and valued solution or service provider in a category among the participating consumer goods firms with revenue equal to or less than $1 billion. The methodology for this list follows the same methodology of the larger lists.

The Editors' Pick Section: This year's Readers' Choice survey contains 10 different categories, but some companies do not fall within the lines we have drawn due to their size or focus. In response, an "Editors' Pick" section, starting on Page 24 was created to recognize those companies that offer additional and/or unique support to your supply chain, sales and marketing and innovation strategies.

Survey Demographics: Exactly 165 consumer goods executives pitched in to determine the results of this year's survey. Here is how the respondent base breaks out in terms of company size and job function.

What is your organization's annual revenue?
56%            More than $1 billion
44%            $1 billion or less