Michael Dikasa joined Target team about two years ago. His daily duties involve quantitative and qualitative researches. And technologies sub-department.

Target is increasingly using technology in the core of its action. Why? 

We are right in the heart of the 21^st century and new technologies are in the core of life as well as activities of every human being. We are facing a two-side challenge: giving new image of research agencies operating here in DR Congo and gaining the position of an agency that uses the latest tools following the paths of international agencies. Technology offers a lot advantages; it allows us saving time in a world whereas requirements of our clients are focusing on speed delivery (data base, reports…) and making savings in terms of transport expenses for moving towards our respondents. It is therefore vital for Target to make good use of new technologies in order to perfect its expertise.

At the end of last December, you launched an online panel. Can you briefly tell us the use of that tool?

It is an online solution that allows us to interview people that freely registered in online, on a periodical basis as regards series of topic in order to assess changes of people behaviors as well as habits. This is an economic tool that allows reaching all people instantaneously by cancelling all transportation fees related to different distances to be covered.    

Were the researches that you did launch on the panel conclusive?

Yes, in the sense that we were able to achieve 3 publications; the first dealing with health was published on 8 August 2015, the second was devoted to practice of sport on 25 August 2015 and the last one regarding internet users’ habits released on 21 September 2015. Results of these researches have been made available in our website and on social networks. Comments have been considered on an overall standpoint as satisfying. Some companies operating in telecom field even purchased the publication on internet users’ habits. 

Do you also have a project of web mobile application for Target? What is the purpose of that?

It is for making available, information on Target in a digital support (Smartphone and Tablet). No need to underline that it is obvious that penetration rate of mobile telephony is going higher every year anywhere in the world and mobile phone is more and more considered as the main support for accessing internet. We would like therefore to offer the greatest number of people the opportunity of accessing to Target online information. Barring accidents, the launching of Target web mobile application is planned for December 2015.  

It is clear that Target has got a website that is regularly updated and besides it has got a remarkable presence on social networks. Can you reveal to us your strategies on these different platforms?

It is simple, Target would like to establish its expertise worth and to be widely known. So we are making the release of articles on a weekly basis in the site in which we invite our readers to a full immersion in different activities of each department or sub – department. We are also launching our current publications still in the process in order to show the agency dynamism as regards research and innovations. This dynamism is relayed in our pages on social networks (Facebook and Twitter) that allows a bigger visibility of Target.

Since the beginning of this year, Target is conducting quantitative researches by using questionnaires on digital tablet. Why? What value this technology is adding to market researches carried out by Target?

Digital tablets allow us directly saving data in a digital support helping us to save all fees related transportation of questionnaires and save time as regards keyboarding of data. With tablets, we have got the possibility to directly have data once they are entered in from the field, that allow easy monitoring of surveys and a sharing of information in real time with the client for the purpose of transparency that is one of ESOMAR standard.