CTRS - Market Intelligence

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of programs and operations for a Canadian national charity. My role is largely operational, but I also evaluate the impact of our work and programs. We’re based in Toronto, Ontario but have a national reach. Our organization focuses on creating a path toward reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous people. 

What challenge were you trying to address with CTRS - Market Intelligence?

As part of our efforts, we wanted to ensure that our programs and work are rooted in data and evidence. This would allow us to do what we set out to do, which was to bring people closer through reconciliation. CTRS helped us examine data points and develop KPIs for our work.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I initially had a discovery call with Krista (VP), and we reviewed our programs. We provided her with relevant documents so that she could do her own research on our organization’s status. Then, we came back together and had a call where we answered questions. This made up the basis of our scope of work. 

The end product was an impact measurement report; it was a 36-page document and a full analysis of our impact metrics. This served as a roadmap that would allow us to evaluate our ongoing work’s impact over the next few years. CTRS gave us long-term goals that we should keep in mind as we grew as an organization. 

Additionally, the team connected us to a coaching agency to help us build our capacity. This way, we could ensure the continuous learning of our team. This year-long coaching program was valued at $10,000, but it wasn’t out of our pocket. We had a full team of directors and managers involved in that program. 

What is the team composition?

We worked closely with Krista in the beginning and had access to Aaron (Managing Partner & Founder), though he wasn’t directly involved.

How did you come to work with CTRS - Market Intelligence?

Our CEO and their CTO had a mutual connection. Moreover, CTRS was interested in our work — our namesake was a popular Canadian musician who passed away a couple of years ago. Many people had a strong connection with our fund because of that. CTRS found our organization through that and wanted to see what they could do to help support our work. 

How much have you invested with them?

CTRS had a model where they’d do pro bono work with select charities on an annual basis. We were fortunate enough to be one of those recipients. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from August 2021–February 2022. 

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We successfully completed one cycle of measuring our impact and using the lessons learned from the coaching program. Our biggest takeaways were establishing important KPIs, continuing our education, and building our capacity. In addition, our management team became fully equipped to continue our work and integrate the impact reporting into our annual plans. 

How did CTRS - Market Intelligence perform from a project management standpoint?

CTRS’ project management was excellent. We had no complaints. They were super receptive and always delivered on time. If there were any delays, we were notified well in advance. Overall, the team was on top of everything. All materials we received from them were well-thought-out, organized, and communicated well.

To communicate, we had meetings and monthly check-ins with Krista. Any additional communication outside of those meetings was done via email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They did a truly great job, and I’d recommend them to anyone. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Vice President, Technology Solutions for London Drugs Limited

For what projects/services did your company hire CTRS - Market Intelligence?

We are investigating areas of the imaging business that hold promise for our strategic plans.

How did you select this vendor?

CTRS is a vendor that was recommended by a trusted source as a partner that could help us work efficiently and effectively on gaining an understanding of a market segment of interest.. London Drugs had worked previously with CTRS in a different category.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Unfortunately due to the private nature of our company and the research done, I am not able to share details in this forum. That said, I can comment on the fact that CTRS more than met our needs with their work.

I would highly recommend them to other organizations who have questions that can be answered via skilled, sensitive and timely market research.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with Caroline Wakefield, Aaron Cruikshank and indirectly with other members of the CTRS team.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project associated with the research done by CTRS is still in progress so we do not, as yet, have empirical success KPI's to share. What I can share is the fact that the perspective and learnings from the research are essential to our strategic plans for this project.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Caroline, Aaron and their team were quintessential professionals. They asked great questions and really illustrated their understanding through the work they did. The whole CTRS team met deadlines and gave us regular updates on the work which culminated in a full written presentation.

They even made time to attend an Executive Meeting to answer questions about their work.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed with the level of research they did in a relatively short time. They also showed sensitivity to our needs to stay on a tight budget and gain insights that we could action. Throughout, Aaron and Caroline showed a real interest in our business. It really felt like they were an extension of our family.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

I really don't have anything to suggest here. CTRS did really excellent work and made it a pleasant experience along the way!

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder & Ceo of Wild + Pine - a climate action company based in Alberta, Canada.

For what projects/services did your company hire CTRS - Market Intelligence?

We looked to CTRS to provide us with foundational knowledge and market research for directing our growth in the Canadian and US carbon market.

How did you select this vendor?

Through a reference from another service provider followed by a series of interviews.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

CTRS was tasked with looking into the emergence and development of the carbon market in Canada and the US and advising our organization on a strategic path forward to confidently engage our prospective clients.

What was the team composition?

The CTRS team worked closely with myself and other members of the Wild + Pine team.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

CTRS helped our organization strategically deploy our resources and efforts in an emerging, yet very confusing marketplace. Their efforts allowed us to avoid learning lessons the hard way through trial and error. The benefit of this to Wild + Pine was invaluable.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our organization admires the project design and workflow process of CTRS. In my opinion, this ability can only be achieved through years of experience and refinement in a discipline; their delivery was impressive.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were given a product that many other companies task large consulting firms with. This paired with a personalized and professional approach gave our organization a level of confidence needed in difficult market conditions with a high degree of price sensitivity. There were no questions about the quality of the product we received.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

None from Wild + Pine.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a diplomatic agent working for the Brazilian Embassy in Ottawa, Canada.

What challenge were you trying to address with CTRS - Market Intelligence?

We wanted to report on the agricultural market in Canada, particularly on Agri-tech and new startups in the agriculture space. For this, we needed to scan the market for opportunities and challenges so that partners from Brazil could come to Canada or vice versa. We hired CTRS to help us build that bridge, understand the market, and provide feedback to our government about the sector’s situation.

What was the scope of their involvement?

CTRS conducted a scan of the agri-tech market in Canada and delved into opportunities and regulations within that sector. We didn’t just want simple market research, but rather a market scan that took all types of factors into consideration. There are several industries within agriculture and we really wanted to see how startups were doing, if they were profitable, and what barriers they were facing. 

We set a timeline of 3–4 months for the research, during which time the team reported their findings regularly. In our meetings, we would check if they were going in the right direction with their study.

CTRS has recently finished the research. They conducted a webinar to present their main findings to a predominantly Brazilian audience. This event allowed us to broadcast that the research document is now downloadable and available for the public.

What is the team composition?

Our main points of contact were Aaron (President) and Caroline (VP), who presented their findings during the webinar. There was another collaborator who was brought in by CTRS but wasn’t necessarily part of their company. 

How did you come to work with CTRS - Market Intelligence?

I searched on Google for market research companies and contacted a few of the agencies that showed up in the results. Since we’re a government agency, we had to go through an entire procurement process. I reviewed the highest-rated consultancies and ended up with 3–4 options. After talking to each one, I ended up choosing CTRS.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $50,000 CAD (approximately $41,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2021 and they completed the work in September 2021.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

CTRS’s contribution was significant. Going into this project, we didn’t even know what to expect. The whole process wasn’t something simple but CTRS very knowledgeably handled everything despite us not being sure about what to ask of them. 

In the end, we were very pleased because this type of service isn’t something anyone can just find anywhere. CTRS knew where to research, what to present, and which approach was best to take.

How did CTRS - Market Intelligence perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication was always flawless. There was nothing to complain about there. We spoke over Google Meet and Zoom. In a way, our being forced to meet remotely was opportune. Everything was communicated more quickly online. Had there not been a pandemic, we would’ve tried to meet in person and it would’ve been problematic since they’re in Vancouver and we’re in Ottawa.

What did you find most impressive about them?

CTRS was very knowledgeable. They knew exactly what to do and what to deliver even though we didn’t have a clear idea of our expectations. We were very pleased with the way coped with our uncertainty. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It wasn’t their fault particularly, but we did have to do a lot of work to refine the translation of the final product. The person they had subcontracted to translate the report to Portuguese did a subpar job, which caused a lot of issues.

We also had a problem with the webinar, which was scheduled to happen through Google Meet. Since it was open to the public, a couple of disruptors were able to gain access as well. We had to reschedule the webinar and use another platform. CTRS involved a technician to mediate and fix the problem.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The numerous meetings and emails we had prior to the final document being delivered were very useful. It helped to avoid any surprises in the end. My advice would be to keep in touch and talk to them about what you want. Give them ideas and ask for their opinions because they are open and quick to respond to demands.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a non-profit private research organization called FPInnovations. I’m a project lead for one of our largest initiatives.

What challenge were you trying to address with CTRS Solutions Limited?

We needed a market analysis/market impact study for indigenous communities for traditional coastal forest products.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We set out with a fairly vague goal in the sense that we wanted to know what were potential products for indigenous communities? How does the market for those products look right now? What are the entry barriers and how could they be addressed? What’s a minimum investment level to get started?

What is the team composition?

I believe I was conversing with two people, but there was a third person working as well I thin.

How did you come to work with CTRS Solutions Limited?

We’d worked with them in the past. Not me, directly, but my predecessor in the role. One of our founding partners also recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $35,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them on this project from October 2019 until March 2020.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We use our indigenous partners a lot to get the feedback on the delivered result and it was overall positive on that side. We also work with the British Columbia government and the federal government of Canada; everyone was satisfied with the work. The project really captured what we were looking for, as well as some next steps that will benefit future work.

How did CTRS Solutions Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

They had great response times. From our initial call, they quickly scoped out the work and put it into the document. They were very efficient.

I’m assuming they used a project management tool but we weren’t part of it. Their communication was great and the deadlines were met. There was a delay at the end of the project but that’s understandable since one of their team members departed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re remarkably easy to work with, especially when it comes to setting up contracts and translating their scope of work into our contract. It’s a quick turnaround. They work efficiently, without too much back and forth. You’re involved as well; the process is interactive and discussion-based.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I actually don’t think so. We’re already working on the next couple of potential projects. I’m super happy.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Direct communication works very well. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and get a straight discussion going.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of the Vancity Community Foundation. 

What challenge were you trying to address with CTRS Solutions Limited?

We had a 100,000-square-foot building — formerly a police headquarters — that we wanted to convert into a social and economic center in a low-income community in Vancouver. One of the main components of the plan was to build a sustainable colocation and coworking space with nonprofits and social value businesses in mind. 

We were looking to develop our sales and marketing strategy for that space and wanted some support to properly identify key points to build that plan.

What was the scope of their involvement?

In 2014, CTRS helped do some analysis around the business viability of the project. They provided advice on how to proceed in many aspects, including developing the center itself. We brought them back in 2019 to look at one specific business model: the coworking space. 

CTRS was able to bring a unique perspective and a balanced approach to build the business and the community. They were able to tap into the specific nature of what coworking facilities do already while understanding that the community it will serve has unique needs. Not only that, but they also provided examples of past work they’ve done in coworking facilities and suggested approaches to implement their ideas. Their ability to grasp the value proposition combined with their operational expertise informed their strategies.

How did you come to work with CTRS Solutions Limited?

I wasn’t part of the project in 2014, but I’d worked with Aaron (President) in some other positions where I was a funder and saw great results in working with CTRS. I appreciated their careful approach and consideration that they brought to each project. 

When I came onto this project and saw their work from 2014, I was very impressed with their analysis and advice. It felt like a natural fit to bring them back on board.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $20,000 for the 2019 phase of the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The most recent project took place between September and December 2019.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

While it’s hard to comment on the direct impact of CTRS’s work in 2014, I believe that it formed a strong foundation for how the center was built out. We saw a high success rate in implementing their suggestions. 

In 2019, CTRS continued to stay involved in the project beyond their final report, which is one of the great things about working with them. They offered us the opportunity to do regular check-ins on our metrics and how their recommendations have worked so far. Overall, we felt really confident in their suggestions and their tools to evaluate and measure success.

How did CTRS Solutions Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

They were perfect. In the beginning, they outlined their approach and proposed different levels where we could contact them. We had some back-and-forth to fine-tune the proposal based on our needs. They also outlined communication channels and feedback. There was a lot of regular communication. They even came to work in the building, which was great to see. 

Finally, in the last stages of the final report, we got a large document that allowed us to give them feedback on what was relevant or not, which let them finetune the final report to provide helpful and practical recommendations. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I look after public safety for a utility company in British Columbia.

What challenge were you trying to address with CTRS Solutions Limited?

We needed help with communicating and improving certain metrics with one of our target audiences, which was hard to reach. That part of our audience wasn’t engaged and there were multiple barriers to reaching them

What was the scope of their involvement?

CTRS Solutions Limited directed a custom study and overall market research. They conducted phone interviews with people from our target audience and our industry. A person on their team spoke the target audience’s language, which was helpful. They gave us a report as well as a number of recommendations for us to implement. Their team presented the results to a number of stakeholders.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people directly, but a third person conducted the interviews.

How did you come to work with CTRS Solutions Limited?

CTRS Solutions Limited did work for our company in the past. Their team was part of the bidding process and wrote a proposal that we reviewed. We felt that their proposal was the best.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $5,000–$10,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started talking in August 2019 and they delivered the results by November 2019.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

The report was clear and gave us a good understanding of our challenge. We were happy with the results. Their team was thorough and knowledgeable. They were professional, engaging, and delivered more than we asked for.

How did CTRS Solutions Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

They never missed a deadline. Their team kept us in the loop about the project. Based on the project’s nature, we couldn’t totally predict how it would unfold, but they kept us posted. Overall, they were professional and a pleasure to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their approach and experience impressed us. They specialize in market insights but also asked us what we thought. I liked how they were out of the box thinkers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think there were areas for improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’m hoping that I’ll get a chance to work with them again. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to other people. If you’re looking to understand an issue in your market, they have a knack for finding answers to your questions.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director of strategy and planning for a large technology company.

What challenge were you trying to address with CTRS Solutions Limited?

We were trying to size the opportunity in the public sector space. We were looking for someone to look into the public sector contracts within our space, and not a lot of consulting firms agree to do such deep research.

What was the scope of their involvement?

CTRS Solutions Limited helped us with market research. During a kickoff call, our internal experts helped them better understand the scope of the work. Essentially, we wanted to get intelligence for us to bid for upcoming tenders in this space.

They contacted several federal, provincial, and municipal agencies, a lot of which had contracts with our competitors. CTRS Solutions Limited looked for those contracts through tenders and forums and gathered details like value, terms, etc.

After doing the research, they produced a highly detailed report of what they looked into. They also provided a set of recommendations to make the most of our local resources and staff.

What is the team composition?

I interacted directly with two people from their team, but four others were also involved in our project.

How did you come to work with CTRS Solutions Limited?

We were looking for specialists or boutique firms who could help us with this research. We looked on Clutch and read reviews on various providers, which helped me select CTRS Solutions Limited. We had an introductory call with their founder; He understood what I wanted and got back to us with a proposal that clearly identified each step they would follow.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $15,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–September 2019.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Now, we have much more visibility into the space.

How did CTRS Solutions Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

They followed our timelines and were punctual with updates. We had weekly calls during the project, and they provided concise status reports on various fronts. They made themselves available whenever we wanted to speak to them and responded quickly to emails.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with the depth of their research. They were also highly flexible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re a small company, so I felt they were a bit stressed because they got a lot of work but didn’t have a lot of bandwidth to manage at some points. They made their way through, which was great, but it was a bit concerning for us because we were working with them for the first time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure your scope is very clear. They’re a small team, action-oriented team and would deliver on the scope provided.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of corporate marketing and customer experience. We are a part of the transportation industry.

What challenge were you trying to address with CTRS Solutions Limited?

We needed assistance with revamping our research practices. We wanted to review our entire program and develop a new one.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were able review best practices, our current program, and a recommendation report. They helped us outline a new program to go forward and meet our mandate.

What is the team composition?

I worked closely with Aaron (President, CTRS Solutions) and Geoff (VP, CTRS Solutions).

How did you come to work with CTRS Solutions Limited?

We put out an RFP for a consultant who could come in and work with various stakeholders across our business, as well as apply best industry practices. The RFP helped us identify CTRS.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in July 2018 and our collaboration is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Working with CTRS Solutions made it much easier to identify a new research vendor because we knew exactly what to look for after they defined what we needed.

How did CTRS Solutions Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

They are really good. We communicated in person, via email, and on phone. They were extremely responsive and always answered very quickly. They dealt with everything in a very professional, efficient, and timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're just very knowledgeable. They truly know the research industry and they understood the research practice skills required to complete the job. They steered us through the new RFP process and were very instrumental in helping us set up the program.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. They performed well, overall, which is why we still retain their services.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend doing in-person kickoff meetings, but the rest can easily be done over email.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am head of Research and Development for a company that specializes in Museum technical services.

For what projects/services did your company hire CTRS - Market Intelligence?

We hired CTRS - Market Intelligence to do a market scan of a product we have been developing having to do with 3D printing. While we had a lot of knowledge of the field, we were looking for assurances that funding going towards this project would be well allocated.

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to us.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We reached out to CTRS with a product that is quite unique in the field, but being so had little research associated with its potential. We asked for CTRS to develop a report regarding how valuable this product would be seen as well as its market potential.

What was the team composition?

We worked closely with Jenn and Samantha and Aaron came in for the main presentations.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We presented the final report developed by CTRS to funding agency with great success.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

CTRS were always available for any questions and would provide regular updates.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Jenn went above and beyond in her work with us. We particularly appreciated how much enthusiasm and excitement she brought to the project. CTRS were incredibly easy to work with while being extremely professional, and we also very much appreciated the values they projected which aligned closely with our own.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

Nothing that I can think of.