What if, for once, we reversed the roles?
At Leger, we are used to asking questions, analyzing answers, and uncovering insights that inform decisions. With The Pollster Polled, we shift perspectives: we give the floor to those who are usually behind the surveys.
For this seventh installment of the series, we met with Andrew Enns.
Andrew is the executive vice-president of Leger’s Central Canada operations, including the company’s Winnipeg and Toronto offices. He actively participates in the company’s national public affairs practice and supports the healthcare and insights research divisions.
Prior to his time in the research industry, Andrew spent almost a decade working in the governments of Canada, Ontario and Manitoba, which provided a solid foundation of policy and communications experience to support clients’ research needs.
As Artificial Intelligence Continues to Evolve, What Does the Future Hold for Market Research and Polling?
I believe the future will be a very fluid one. It is hard not to see some disruption on the horizon as AI becomes increasingly integrated into research practices. The resources required to turn projects around will change, and the number of hours needed will decrease. Speed, combined with accuracy, will become the industry standard as AI accelerates many of the internal tasks involved in a project.
In the short term, clients themselves may begin adopting AI to conduct research in a DIY manner. However, I see this as transitional, as next-generation AI tools, such as synthetic data, become more commonplace. These tools will open up new ways to support clients and, I believe, re-establish the importance of researchers as strategic advisors.
Questions from clients around “How quickly can you get this done?” may be replaced by “What’s the best way to address my challenge?” In the future, researchers will be tasked with developing insights from an increasingly broad array of information sources.
Methodological discussions will no longer be constrained to the traditional question of “Do we do qual or quant?” Nor is it likely that a single research assignment will fully address an objective. Researchers will need to be nimble in interpreting findings, explaining the implications for clients, and recommending the next research move. The industry itself will become more dynamic.
What Are You Most Proud of?
I am most proud of having built what I would describe as a successful career in the market research industry, largely through my ability to develop and manage strong client relationships.
I did not enter the research industry with particularly relevant academic or professional training. Instead, I focused my efforts on clearly understanding client needs, taking the time to develop the best plan to address those needs, and then bringing in the people with the right expertise to execute that plan.
To this day, I enjoy the conversations with clients at the front end of a project, helping them frame their challenge, and then, at the back end, sharing, dissecting, and occasionally debating the implications of the research for their organization.
How Does Leger Help Its Clients Translate Insights Into Action?
The size and breadth of Leger, combined with our corporate culture, are key to this. I see these strengths supporting clients in three tangible ways:
1. We have senior research consultants who come from a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds and can bring different perspectives to a research challenge. Collectively, we can assess data through different lenses, which adds value for our clients.
2. Leger maintains strong regional practices that are routinely leveraged to ensure clients can complement their research results with strong, on-the-ground local knowledge when appropriate.
3. We have a leader in Jean-Marc Leger who consistently views technological change, including AI, not as a threat but as an opportunity to do more for our clients. He embraces change and challenges researchers to do the same. Our culture of innovation allows us to provide clients with a broader spectrum of solutions to their business challenges.
With The Pollster Polled, we will continue to spotlight the perspectives, expertise, and vision shaping the future of market research. Because behind every data point are people—and behind every great survey is a passionate team turning information into informed decisions.
