Meet Andrew Alabada, Sr. Director of Client Service at PureSpectrum. Today Andrew shares how PureSpectrum’s fast growth is helping our global clients and partners. Learn some of his best practices for sample management along with why you might find him at Universal Studios this weekend!
Q: Can you describe your role at PureSpectrum?
A: Currently, I direct the American West Client Service team and oversee some global operations training. I am specifically focused on making sure our team is up to date on our product and our business. I focus on how PureSpectrum can best assist clients; whether it be onboarding or troubleshooting projects. In a nutshell, I train and assist internally and externally on how to use the PureSpectrum platform.
Q: You recently returned from a training trip to India, what can you share about that?
A: I left with much respect and admiration for our team in India. So much of our team has been in the industry for a very long time. They understand market research sample, they understand the business. They are very curious to understand more about our product and how it’ll benefit the client.
When I was first told about the trip, I thought I was going to present on PureSpectrum’s culture, our Marketplace, and how it works. But we went so much deeper than that. Instead, it was an in-depth analysis of our products and how they can support specific clients. We left with so many new exciting solutions for our partners. It was energizing to be so engaged as a group.
Q: What is your background? How long have you been with PureSpectrum?
A: I was a project manager at SSI, which has gone through several acquisitions and mergers. During one of these mergers, I was let go. However, that same day, my client Tim Talley from SmithGeiger had a meeting with PureSpectrum. Tim told Michael McCrary that he was upset that I had been let go. Michael found my contact information and asked me to come in for an interview.
When I met with Michael here at Hub101, he showed me the product and I quickly realized he was creating something revolutionary. I saw instantly how much time the PureSpectrum Marketplace could save and how its innovations make research simpler. We had a good meeting, and then by the end, he offered me a position. I think I was the fifth or sixth employee and I’ll have been here five years in September.
Q: How does PureSpectrum support clients globally?
A: We’re a global organization now and have people consistently online in different parts of the world. The PureSpectrum Marketplace is a DIY tool, open 24/7. Clients always have access to our platform, they can set up projects, launch, and go. But if they need help or have a question, someone is always there. We look at clients as partners and our client service team cares about our client’s success. We strive to provide white-glove treatment on every project.
Our team also thinks and innovates on a global scale. We listen to customer wants and feedback. In fact, this week we launched a new feature called Multi-Country. This system can cut survey setup time by 30-40%, enabling our users to launch several surveys in multiple countries, with a single click. PureSpectrum is all about streamlining, and this feature allows users to simplify the management, reporting, and billing of a multi-country survey.
Q: What differentiates the PureSpectrum client service team?
A: The PureSpectrum client service team works closely with clients to understand what they’re trying to accomplish and how our product can help them achieve it. We have some amazing industry veterans on our team. They’ve run multiple projects themselves, so they can provide best practices and guidance both internally and externally. Our team establishes a partnership with clients, we want to understand their business and their research needs. From there, we can provide them with different options, offerings, and platform suggestions.
Q: How does the client service team approach projects that have hard-to-reach or difficult audience groups?
A: Our team is experienced and always thinking creatively. We often do our own research, meaning we think outside the box when targeting hard-to-reach groups. Let’s say a client is looking for homeowners who have filed an insurance claim. Sure, our team will target homeowners, but at the same time, we’ll also look for places that had a recent natural disaster.
On top of that, we offer Traffic Channels, where we (and our clients) can target multiple types of criteria. So using that same approach, we’ll look for different sets of people who would qualify; homeowners, specific age groups, specific incomes, and specific education levels. The PureSpectrum services team uses many different targeting solutions to help clients and we see a lot of success even with projects that are viewed by others in the industry as “difficult.”
Q: What are your passions when you aren’t at work?
A: Before having kids, I enjoyed watching and playing sports like basketball, baseball, and football. But now my time off is focused on my children and helping them pursue their interests. Currently, my daughter is really into dinosaurs. So in my spare time, we’re checking out a dinosaur exhibit, a history museum, and fossils. We’ll go to Universal Studios because they have a Jurassic Park water ride.
Anything that my kids have an interest in, I try to expose them to it more and teach them whatever I can. My son loves to climb, so we try to take him to a lot of parks and gyms, where he can just run loose and climb. Maybe one day we can learn to rock climb together?
Interested in learning more about how PureSpectrum can partner with you to simplify your research? Connect with our team below: